NHER 32060 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of a post mill and an undated possible ring ditch

The Norfolk Heritage Explorer is a filtered version of the Norfolk HER intended for casual research. Please to consult the full record.

See also further .

Summary

Cropmarks of a medieval to post medieval post mill and an undated ring ditch are visible on aerial photographs. The post mill is unusual in form in comprising a square enclosure. Adjacent to the post mill is a possible ring ditch cropmark. This could be of Bronze Age date but might equally relate to ta medieval to post medieval stack stand.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TG40NW
Civil Parish HALVERGATE, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

Map

12 July 1990. NAU air photography.
Cropmarks of post mill within square enclosure and three ring ditches one adjacent to mill.
D. Edwards (NAU).

8 July 1996. NLA air photography.
Cropmarks previously recorded visible (although quite faint). In addition, the cropmarks of this site appear to continue further eastwards as linear features and rectilinear enclosures (although it is possible that these features are some form of modern drainage). Again these cropmarks are quite faint and therefore hard to distinguish.
H. Clare (NLA), 26 September 2001.

May 2007. Norfolk NMP
Cropmarks of a medieval to post medieval post mill and an undated ring ditch are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S3). Other ring ditch, linear and enclosure cropmarks previously recorded under this number are now recorded separately as NHER 49398 - 49400. This post mill is located at TG 4174 0554. It comprises a broad ditch with a roughly square external plan. Internally it defines the circular area of the mill mound which contains a characteristic cross-shaped pit. A causeway across the ditch is present at the north-west corner providing access to the mill mound area. This form of post mill with a square surrounding ditch is unusual. A second post mill cropmark is present 270m to the east (NHER 49398). A sub-circular ring ditch cropmark is present adjacent to the west side of the square-ditched post mill. No mill is shown at this location on Faden’s 1797 county map (S4). It has a narrow outer ditch and an external diameter of 13m. An off-centre incomplete internal narrow ring ditch with a diameter of 7.5m is located within it. The date and function of this double-ring ditch is uncertain. It is possible that it relates to a small round barrow of Bronze Age date. Alternatively, given its relationship to the post mill, a medieval to post medieval origin is also possible. It is possible that it relates to a stack stand, or two subsequent stack stands on the same site.
J. Albone (NMP), 10 May 2007

  • <S1> Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1990. NHER TG 4105C-F (NLA 271/GCZ1-4) 12-JUL-1990.
  • <S2> Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1990. NHER TG 4105K-M (NLA 271/GCZ8-10) 12-JUL-1990.
  • <S3> Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. NHER TG 4205AK-AL (NLA 368/JCN14-5) 08-JUL-1996.
  • <S4> Publication: Faden, W. and Barringer, J. C. 1989. Faden's Map of Norfolk in 1797.

Object Types (0)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Jun 27 2025 8:40AM

Comments and Feedback

Your feedback is welcome; if you can provide any new information about this record, please contact the Norfolk Historic Environment Record.