NHER 57408 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Probable medieval to post medieval roads, boundaries and enclosures

July 2012. Norfolk NMP.
The former earthworks, cropmarks and soilmarks possible roads or paths, boundaries and ditched platforms of probable medieval to post medieval date are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S4) to the south of the ‘Old Hall’ moated site (NHER 34571), Great Ellingham. The site is centred on TM 0202 9760. It is likely that some of these features are contemporary with the moated site to the north, in particular the ditch or drain located to the west of the site (S1, S3-S4), which follows the same alignment as the moat. A second possible area of related features is located to the southeast of the moat (S1-S3), although it was hard to confidently distinguish these from recently created agricultural marks visible in 1946 (S1-S2). Consequently it is possible that some of the features mapped are twentieth century agriculturally derived. Although the fact one of the possible banks and/or roads or tracks visible as both earthworks and vegetation marks in 1946 was still visible as a soilmark in 1970 (S3), would suggest that it represents something more substantial than a recent agricultural feature.
It must be noted that some of the ditch-like features mapped within the southwestern part of the site are of uncertain archaeological significance and origin (S2-S3). It is entirely possible that some of them they relate to drainage and/or recent agricultural activity in the field. Other features in this area were omitted from the mapping for this reason. However it is felt that the majority of those features included within the mapping relate to medieval to post medieval boundaries and enclosures. The remains of a possible enclosure and/or platform at TM 0186 9748 is possibly still surviving as an earthwork in 1946 (S2).
S. Horlock (NMP), 24 July 2012.

November 2014. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site immediately to north-east of junction between Attleborough Road and Hingham Road.
Three of the trenches excavated coincided with the cropmarks at the southern end of this group.
A ditch at TM 0186 9749 appears to correspond with the east-to-west aligned section of the 'L'-shaped cropmark and earthwork feature recorded at this location. This ditch produced a single sherd of Early Saxon pottery.
Several undated north-to-south aligned ditches were exposed at the southern end of the site and it is possible that at least one of these was associated with the pair of similarly-aligned cropmarks at TM 0183 9740. There was however no trace of any corresponding features in a trench placed across their line to the north.
See NHER 64696 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 25 March 2021.

April 2019. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of small proposed development site to east of Hingham Road (The Conifers).
The two trenches excavated revealed a substantial ditch that clearly represented a continuation of the east-to-west aligned section of the 'L'-shaped cropmark/earthwork feature recorded at TM 0186 9749 (and therefore also of the ditch seen during the 2014 trenching). No dating evidence was recovered.
See (S5) and NHER 64697 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 25 March 2021.