NHER 18191 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Large sub-rectangular enclosure of possible Iron Age or Roman date and undated field boundaries

23 July 1980. NAU air photography.
Positive cropmarks.
Substantial rectangular feature with a ring ditch cutting the western side.
Also network of linear cropmarks.
D. Edwards (NAU), 14 June 1982.

Possible signal station.
E. Rose (NAU), 16 June 1982.

Included in references (S1) and (S2) as a small defended Iron Age enclosure.
E. Rose (NLA) 8 February 1995. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 25 October 2022.

28 June 1996. NLA air photography.
Square enclosure still visible.
S. Massey (NLA), 28 September 2001.

June 2008. Aerial photography.
The possible Roman signal station is particular clear on aerial photographs taken by M. Page in June 2008.
See digital photographs.
See (S3).
S. Howard (NLA), 10 March 2010.

The previously-noted enclosure (now accurately located at Context 1) is still clearly visible on recent aerial imagery, including (S4), (S5) and (S6). It is sub-rectangular with slightly rounded corners and aligned north-north-east to south-south-west. It measures approximately 54m by 57m. An apparent gap in the southern half of its eastern side may well represent an entrance; otherwise the ditch appears to form a continuous circuit. None of these recent images show any sign of the possible ring-ditch noted in 1982 (see above). Although a number of other linear cropmarks are indeed visible in this field the majority appear to either coincide with former field boundaries depicted on the Bodham Tithe map of 1841 (S7) or are likely to represent previously lost elements of this late post-medieval field system. The notable exceptions are two north-north-east to south-south-west aligned cropmarks visible in the northern half of the field on (S6), both of which almost certainly represent elements of an earlier field system. Similarly-aligned cropmarks can also be seen in the field to the west. Recent discoveries elsewhere in the county suggest that it is also possible that this enclosure is of Middle to Late Bronze Age date.
P. Watkins (HES), 24 October 2022.

October 2017. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site on possible route of Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm onshore cable (GS25).
This survey of a strip through the middle of the field identified a number of linear anomalies, including a north-north-east to south-south-west aligned response that appears to correspond with one of the undated cropmarks visible on (S6).
See NHER 66148 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 25 October 2022.