NHER 63616 (Monument record) - Pits of probable 20th century – possibly Second World War - date

January 2020. Breckland National Mapping Programme.
A group of pits of probable 20th century date are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs (S1). Their date and function is not known. One of them is surrounded by a bank, and this pit at least could relate to military activity and could be of Second World War date. There is not, however, any obvious signs of recent activity on the 1940s aerial photographs consulted by the survey (dating back to 1944), so an earlier date may be more likely. It is also possible that one or more of the pits could relate to post-medieval to modern flint mining or other extraction. Lidar data from a survey flown in 2015 (S2) indicates that the ground across the site is uneven, and although the pits appear to have been largely levelled, some low earthwork remnants could still survive. The same source shows to the north a line of evenly-spaced pits alongside the road. The two unbanked pits closest to the road could be contemporary with these albeit better preserved examples, and simply have been excavated to provide material for the road surface.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 14th January 2020.