NHER 13232 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of circular features of unknown date

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Summary

Several circular features are visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs. It has been suggested that the circles were caused by haystacks.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TL59NW
Civil Parish WELNEY, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Map

1946.
Approximate site of 'several circles' seen by [1] who now suggests these were haystacks.
See (S1).
Information from A. Lawson (NAU).

1 July 1976. Ordnance Survey air photography. At TL 5145 9545. See also NHER 35499.
Positive cropmarks.
23 x circular enclosures.
'Riley' circles.
Cropmarks of circles extended over most of field.
D. Voisey (NLA), 22 February 1995.

2012.
Site of at least twenty ring ditches seen by [2] as images on 'Google Earth'. Such ring ditches are a particular feature of the silt fen and are usually interpreted as 'stack stands'. The crop was stacked on the central embanked area or platforms and the external ring ditch helped to keep the area drained. They have usually been regarded as Roman in date, although a medieval date has also been suggested. Those mapped by the National Mapping Programme in the King's Lynn area seem to predominantly be of medieval to post medieval date. They were first recognised by Derek Riley (See S1).
Sophie Tremlett (HES) and A. Beckham (HES), 15 May 2012.

  • --- Aerial Photograph: OS 76-126-297.
  • --- Aerial Photograph: OS 76-126-298.
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • <S1> Article in Serial: Riley, D.N.. 1946. Groups of circles in the silt fens.. Antiquity. Vol XX, pp 150-153.

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Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Apr 24 2018 12:25PM

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