NHER 38209 (Monument record) - Undated post alignment on Holme Beach

September 2002. Norfolk NMP.
A row of nine posts can be seen in the inter-tidal zone on an approximately north to south alignment running from TF7076 451 to TF7075 4521. They are visible on Environment Agency vertical aerial photographs from 1999 (S1). The date and origin of this structure is unknown.
(As this site is located in the inter-tidal zone, there was no suitable control available for rectifying the aerial photograph. Therefore the vertical image was inserted directly and the location is approximate.)
H. Clare (NMP), 16 September 2002.

February to March 2003. NAU survey.
A northeast to southwest alignment of five posts. Two posts to the northeast (NHER 38210) are probably part of the same structure, perhaps a fish trap, fence or trackway. Alternatively the monuments may have been two distinct features.
(S2)-(S3).
J. Allen (NLA), 23 April 2003.

September 2003. Site visit.
Three of six posts observed. Northern most post concealed by sand/standing water. Two southernmost posts concealed by sand? No change in centre of monument
Two parallel ruts 1.5m apart observed 7.5m to the west of monument. Not visible in July and, as look very fresh, produced between July and September visits. Reasonably similar to ruts identified by [1] to the east of NHER 38044 and seen during walkover survey of March 2003. The creation of new ruts between July and September supports the conclusion made in March 2003 that [1]’s ruts are/were modern.
D. Robertson (NAU), 21 October 2003.

February 2004. Monitoring and radiocarbon sampling.
Two of the previously recorded six posts observed – one of these was more visible than before. The northernmost post was exposed only because it a fresh wheelrut was located over the top of it. Two new posts were spotted. Sand covers the majority of the area of the monument.
Two samples for species identification and radiocarbon were taken – one from a post previously recorded and one from a new post. Unfortunately neither was suitable for radiocarbon analysis and the date of the monument is still unknown.
D. Robertson (NLA), 26 May 2006.

For further information on the Holme Beach walkover and monitoring surveys see final report (S4). The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2010.321).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 11 May 2019.