NHER 64678 (Monument record) - Remains of probable medieval to post-medieval date

April 2014. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of proposed development site.
This study concluded that the archaeological potential of the site is high. The church of St Peter (NHER 8648) lay in the eastern half of the field, it’s exact position now established by detailed cropmark evidence. Cropmarks representing an adjacent former road and numerous associated field and enclosure ditches have also been recorded (NHER 18320). This cropmark evidence, along with the numerous finds recovered from this field, suggests this was an area of medieval to post-medieval settlement.
No features of interest were noted during a brief site visit.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 19 March 2021.

August 2014. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development site.
This survey identified a range of archaeologically-significant responses, many of which clearly correspond with previously identified cropmark features. These include anomalies associated with a former road and associated fields and enclosures of probable medieval to post-medieval date (NHER 18320) and the remains of the former church of St Peter (NHER 8648).
The church remains were probably represented by a group of negative anomalies that although very faint appeared to be consistent with the cropmark evidence (albeit lying approximately 5m to the south of their mapped position). It is highly likely that at least some of the discrete magnetic responses in the vicinity of the church site represent associated burials.
The road is represented by a linear band of intermittent magnetic responses that correspond with the sinuous line of cropmarks identified between TG 4896 1481 and TG 4912 1469. As with the cropmark evidence these was no evidence for remains associated with the straightened road line depicted on the Ormesby tithe map of 1841 (S2) and an enclosure map produced the following year (S3).
Various north-north-east to south-south-west and west-north-west to east-south-east aligned fragmentary linear anomalies appear to represent elements of the multiple enclosures or fields visible as cropmarks to either side of the road. The most-prominent of these is an ‘L’-shaped anomaly at the northern edge of the site that almost certainly represents a ditch defining some form of enclosure immediately adjacent to the road. A pronounced concentration of discrete anomalies within the enclosed area may well represent contemporary archaeological remains. These and other groups of potentially archaeologically-significance discrete anomalies identified close to the road increase the likelihood that these remains represent an area of former settlement close to the church.
A number of more extensive north-north-east to south-south-west aligned linear anomalies are likely to represent field boundaries of post-medieval date, the majority corresponding with former boundaries depicted on the tithe map.
Other linear trend anomalies on various alignments are likely to be the result of recent agricultural activity, being caused by either ploughing or land drains.
Although as noted above several groups of discrete anomalies have been identified as probably representing archaeologically-significant remains (primarily due to their proximity to other features), there are numerous other clusters of more uncertain nature. The majority have been recorded as potentially archaeologically significant, but a possible geological origin has also been suggested for many.
There was no evidence for surviving sub-surface remains associated with a cropmark ring-ditch identified at TG 4892 1471 (NHER 18341).
See report (S4) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 19 March 2021.