NHER 27964 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Possible Roman cropmarked enclosures/features/pits

Cropmarks of many small rectangular fields lying in uneven order.
Unit aerial photography located by E. Rose (NAU) 16 January 1978.

May 2003. NMP.
A complex series of undated but probably Roman period features including rectangular and sub-rounded enclosures, linear features and pits, visible as cropmarks on 1976 Norfolk Landscape Archaeology oblique aerial photographs. These cropmarks were formerly recorded with Roman period finds under NHER 3363.
These cropmarks cover an area of a considerable size, although they are probably all part of one complex or system. These features within the northern part of this site appear as positive cropmarks (S1) but are almost certainly caused by negative, excavated features. The northern part of the site is characterised by a series of approximately east to west and north to south aligned linear ditches, forming a series of irregular, trapezoidal, rectangular and square enclosures or fields. There is a sparse and seemingly random scatter of pits within this area. There is an irregular or sub-rounded feature or small enclosure at TF 6475 1533, which may the traces of small structure, with a series of three pits to the immediate north. Roman pottery has allegedly been recovered from within this area (NHER 3363) and it seems possible that the cropmarks also represent Roman period features.
Within the centre of the site (TF 6485 1518) is a further series of east to west and north to south aligned linear features. Within the centre of these is the north-western part of a possible sub-rounded enclosure or large ring ditch (S1 and S2). There is a second stretch of curvi-linear ditch within the arc of this one. Either of these may be associated with the eastern arc of curvilinear ditch, which may have formed the eastern side of enclosure or ring ditch with a potential diameter of 32m or 39m. There are possible traces of at least four pits within the interior of the enclosure. These linear features within this area are likely to be part of the same system as those in the north, possibly dating from the Roman period, although the ring ditch or sub-circular enclosure may be considerably earlier.
Within the south-eastern area of the site there are single lengths of ditch which may be an extension of the system visible within the centre and north of the site, but may also be of a considerably more recent date.
M. Brennand (NMP) 14 May 2003.