NHER 26949 (Monument record) - Possible medieval sea defence or boundary bank

September 2002. Norfolk NMP.
An approximately 400m length of curvilinear ditch and bank is visible running from TF 6427 2604 to TF 6408 2580, in an irregular curving arc across the saltern mounds NHER 26915 and 26916 S1-S2). There is a ditch or channel on the western side of the feature which continues to the south as part of NHER 36917. This may actually have originally been a natural feature, although it does appear to have had a bank constructed on its eastern, landward side.
At its centre the feature appears to be cut by two straight, linear features. The southernmost feature is aligned in an east to west direction (TF 6416 2587 to TF 6401 2590) and appears as a linear parchmark with a ditch down each side. This is likely to be a raised track or causeway, situated on top of a bank. There is still a causeway visible on the second edition OS (S3) on this alignment, leading to a sheepfold, although the feature may have a medieval or early Post-medieval origin. The northernmost feature is aligned in a north-west to south-east direction (TF 6402 2600 to TF 6413 2591). The western half of the feature appears as a narrow bank with a ditch on each side, while the eastern half of the feature appears as a single ditch, although there may have been a bank element to this part. This may also be a causeway, although also situated on top of a bank.
The sequence of banks within this area appears complex and they are unlikely to all be contemporary. They appear to post-date the saltern mounds and are likely to form part of the Late medieval and Early Post-medieval system of land reclamation. The north to south curvilinear feature is likely to be a natural channel with a bank on its eastern side, and appears to be early within the sequence. Either or both of the east to west aligned features may represent an extension of sea defence bank NHER 36918 or 36880, although a map of 1732 (S4) suggests the southernmost east to west feature is part of sea defence bank NHER 36880. These features do not appear on Faden’s map (S5) or the first edition OS (S6) suggesting they are redundant by that time.
M. Brennand (NMP), 19 September 2002.