NHER 67656 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Low earthworks and cropmarks of medieval to post medieval field boundaries, possible ridge and furrow and probable drainage features

November 2023. Wendling Beck and Fransham Aerial Investigation and Mapping (AIM) Project.
Probable medieval to post medieval field boundaries, possible ridge and furrow of post medieval date, and probable drainage features of post medieval or modern date, are visible as cropmarks and low earthworks on aerial photographs and visualised lidar data (S1-S5). A sinuous east-west aligned bank crossing the middle of the site (and mapped by extent) may be a natural ridge relating to a former watercourse; it has a 'braided' appearance on aerial photography from 2018 (S6), suggesting a natural origin. Nevertheless, it may still have influenced and been incorporated into the pattern of land division. Many of the more substantial field boundaries visible as low earthworks on the visualised lidar data (S5), correspond with recently removed boundaries depicted on historical Ordnance Survey maps (such as S7) or seen to be extant on the older aerial sources. These have been excluded from the mapping.
The boundaries that have been mapped follow the same pattern, seemingly representing narrower fields – possibly the remnants of medieval strip fields – which were later amalgamated. The rather confused, ‘undulating’ ground surface visible on the lidar visualisations may contain additional subdivisions to those mapped but these are difficult to distinguish as distinct features. While reminiscent of ridge and furrow, they appear too wide to be interpreted as such, and are more likely to be very low, spread boundary banks and ditches.
An area of possible ridge and furrow is visible on the west side of the site. This is visible as earthworks on 1940s aerial photographs (S1-S2). The straightness and narrowness of the ridges suggests a post medieval date. Alternatively, these could be relatively recent agricultural features.
The probable drainage features are visible as cropmarks in the same area as the possible ridge and furrow, on the west side of the site. They could instead be interpreted as a rectilinear enclosure and boundary ditches of unknown, but feasibly pre-medieval, perhaps Roman date. Their rather irregular nature, however, and their relationship with the sinuous bank / probable former watercourse and the modern drainage pattern suggests that a more recent drainage function is more likely.
As the lidar survey was flown relatively recently (2017) it is probable that the sinuous bank and field boundaries visible on the visualisations still survive as earthworks. The possible ridge and furrow is not visible on the lidar visualisations and is presumed to have been levelled.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 24 November 2023.