NHER 35488 (Monument record) - Rectilinear enclosure and ring ditch cropmarks

1 July 1976. Ordnance Survey aerial photography.
Subrectangular enclosure. Two intercutting circular features to the north.
See (S1).
D. Voisey (NLA), 14 February 1995.

February 2008. Norfolk NMP.
Cropmarks of a rectilinear enclosure and two overlapping ring ditches of Roman or possibly medieval date are visible on aerial photographs (S2). The enclosure has a sub-rectangular plan with external dimensions of 60m by 30m. The north, west and east sides of the enclosure are defined by a 1.5m wide ditch. The southern side of the enclosure is less clearly visible, but appears to be formed by a narrow ditch. A small curved annexe, measuring 10m by 7m, is present on the northern side of the enclosure.
Immediately to the north of the enclosure are two overlapping ring ditch cropmarks. These are both circular in plan with narrow ditches and external diameters of 11m and 12m. These ring ditches are very similar to circular cropmarks recorded elsewhere in the silt fens (S3-S4) where they have previously been interpreted as drainage gullies around haystacks. The evidence indicates that most of these small ring ditches present in the fens are of Roman date, although a medieval origin is suggested at some locations (S4).
It is likely that the enclosure cropmark at this site is contemporary with the ring ditches. It is possible that it is a stock enclosure or small farmstead of Roman date. Although a medieval date cannot be ruled out, the alignment of the enclosure does not correspond to the post medieval field pattern shown on the 1840 Stow Bardolph Tithe Map (S5) or to the adjacent parish boundary. Earthworks of similar ring ditches have been recorded 2.5km to the south (NHER 51276).
J. Albone (NMP), 21 February 2008.