NHER 36757 (Monument record) - Site of enclosure complex of probable medieval to post medieval date and possible Saxon grubenhauser at Crostwight

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Summary

A complex of subdivided enclosures of unknown date is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs. Their general appearance and orientation suggests that a medieval or post medieval date is plausible. The features may have been associated with a group of buildings depicted in this approximate area on Bryant’s 1826 Map of Norfolk. Other cropmarks visible in the surrounding area may represent parts of the contemporary landscape, e.g. NHER 36756 295m to the west and NHER 49160 immediately to the northwest. At least two, large, rectangular pit-like features are also visible; these could represent the remains of Saxon grubenhauser, but other interpretations are also possible.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TG32NW
Civil Parish HONING, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Map

2 August 1995. NLA air photography.
Clear cropmarks showing two co-joined rectangular enclosures.The eastern one appears to be internally subdivided.
Both enclosures seem to contain large rectilinear sunken features. These appear to indicate sunken buildings.
A third, square, sunken feature can be identified to the north, associated with a curvilinear feature.
The site may continue as slight earthworks in the grass to the south. A possible rectangular platform is amongst these features.
The date of this complex is unclear, it may be Roman, although it could be much later, perhaps medieval.
S. Massey (NLA), 1 August 2001.

March 2007. Norfolk NMP.
NMP mapping has led to the alteration of the central grid reference of the site from TG 3382 2938 to TG 3382 2940.

The subdivided enclosure complex described above is visible on aerial photographs (S1). It is undated but its general character and orientation suggest that a medieval or post medieval date is plausible. The features may have been associated with a group of buildings depicted in this approximate area on Bryant’s 1826 Map of Norfolk (S2). Other cropmarks visible in the surrounding area may represent parts of the contemporary landscape, e.g. NHER 36756 295m to the west and NHER 49160 immediately to the northwest. At least two, large, rectangular pit-like features have also been mapped; these could represent the remains of Saxon grubenhauser, but other interpretations are also possible (the background geological marks at the site include a large number of pit-like cropmarks). Further cropmarks are visible in the immediate vicinity, but these have not been mapped as their archaeological origin and significance is uncertain. There is little evidence of the features continuing into the field to the south as earthworks (as suggested above) and nothing has been mapped in this area by the NMP.

The complex measures approximately 162.5m long and 67m wide, and is broadly rectangular in plan. Individual rectangular compartments, ranging in size from 85m by 60m to 18.5m by 16.5m, are evident within it. The possible grubenhauser both measure 7.7m by 6m.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 26 March 2007.

Note the adjacent very interesting name of Grimmers Craft. Grimmer is the same as Grime in Grime’s Graves, an ancient name for Woden (sometimes corrupted to Green Mare).
E. Rose (NLA), 4 May 2007.

  • <S1> Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1995. NHER TG 3329F-G (NLA 355/JEC12-13) 02-AUG-1995.
  • <S2> Map: Bryant, A.. 1826. Bryant's Map of Norfolk.

Object Types (0)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Mar 5 2018 3:47PM

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