NHER 22944 (Monument record) - Broad Fen

Broad Fen is stated in (S1) and several histories of Norfolk to have been a lake known as the Broad before being drained for the construction of the North Walsham and Dilham Canal in 1825. But (S2), produced in 1797, shows no lake here, only common land. However an earlier broad is quite possible from the situation, compare to NHER 22943.
(Not in (S3)).
E. Rose (NAU) 1 October 1986.

November 2006. Norfolk NMP.
NMP mapping has led to the alteration of the central grid reference of the site from TG 344 254 to TG 3431 2535.

The postulated turbary described above is depicted as an elongated area of open water, oriented east-to-west and named ‘The Broad’, on both Smallburgh Enclosure Map of 1814 (S4) and Dilham Tithe Map of 1840 (S5). It is situated to the south of Broad Fen, to either side of the North Walsham and Dilham canal (NHER 13534). Its absence from both Faden and Bryant’s maps of Norfolk, (S2) and (S6), certainly raises questions as to its origin and date.

Faint linear vegetation marks visible across the northern part of the site on aerial photographs (S7) to (S9) may reflect the outline of former doles. They have not been mapped, even by extent, as they are rather patchy and easily confused with more mundane drainage features and plantation ridges. Their identification as doles is certainly far less reliable than at other sites, such as East Ruston Allotment (NHER 22943) 1.35km to the north.
S. Tremlett (NMP) 20 November 2006.