NHER 38413 (Monument) - Site of World War One or Two earthworks

March 2004, Norfolk NMP
A group of low earthwork banks and ditches of unknown definite date are visible on RAF aerial photographs from 1946 (S1). However it seems likely that at least some of these are part of a military training area situated within the larger Kelling Heath training site. As it is possible that repeated vehicular movement within this area created these regular linear scars, probably dating to World War Two or possibly World War One. Superimposed onto these earthworks is a roughly oval track and a series of weapons pits of obvious World War Two date. This oval circuit may have been created for training purposes, possibly target practice. To the west of this are three sections of barbed wire. The intrepretation of vehicle tracks for the narrow parallel linears seems quite plausible. However if these do relate to the World War Two activity they must be relatively early, as other definite World War Two features overlies them . However the broader slightly raised linears, up to 7m across, flanked by ditches would not easily fit into this category. It is possible that the banks are upcast from either the digging of trenches or from past agricultural practices.
S. Massey (NMP), 04 March 2004.