NHER 18129 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of a field system and possible enclosures of unknown date

15 September 1981. NAU air photography.
Positive cropmarks of linear ditches.
D. Edwards (NAU) 5 May 1982.

The site has been extended considerably and the central grid reference altered from TG 398 110 to TG 3972 1140.

May 2007. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a field system and possible enclosures of unknown, but possibly Roman date, are visible on aerial photographs to north of South Walsham Broad (S2-S10). The site is centred on TG 3972 1140. A small amount of Roman pottery (NHER 40860) found within the general vicinity of cropmarks could indicate a Roman date for all of the cropmarks, although it is likely that the site has more than one phase. It must also be noted that a trackway (NHER 11868) runs through the centre of this field system and follows the same alignment as the fields. This would appear to be broadly contemporary. However this trackway runs along the parish boundary of Upton with Fishley and Acle and would appear to still be in use in the post medieval period. This could then suggest that the fields recorded here are much later in date than the Roman period, or that the Roman landscape has had a lasting effect on the medieval and post medieval road and field layout. On the current evidence it is impossible to date the cropmarks, although it must be noted that none of the features show any relationship with any of the surrounding field and road layout (apart from the track), indicating that if these are medieval to post medieval in date a significant reorganisation of landscape must have taken place, perhaps associated with parliamentary enclosure.
Many of the cropmarks are broadly aligned NW-SE and NE-SW and this pattern is followed by several other areas of fragmentary field boundaries recorded within this area, such as NHER 49469, 49502-4, which have also been interpreted as being of probable late prehistoric to Roman date. The majority of the cropmarks would be interpreted as field boundaries, although it is possible that some of the more clearly defined enclosures exist within the site, such as at TG 3985 1108, TG 3947 1140 and TG 3983 1134, although it is possible that these were also agricultural areas.
S. Massey (NMP), 30 May 2007.

2010. Test-pit.
Roman, medieval and post-medieval pottery.
See (S10).
S. Howard (NLA), 6 September 2010.