NHER 38711 (Monument record) - Undated and multi-period enclosures, field boundaries and ditches

August 2004. Norfolk NMP.
Cropmarks of undated, probable Iron Age to Roman and medieval to post medieval field boundaries and other ditches centred around TG 3602 2965 are visible on aerial photographs (S1 to 3). Part of this group of cropmarks was previously recorded as NHER 21774. Two distinct patterns of ditches are visible within this group of cropmarks. A number of roughly west to east and north to south ditches present, principally in the central and southern part of the group of cropmarks represent post medieval field boundaries,some of which are marked on the 1810 East Ruston Enclosure Map (S5). However, none of the mapped boundaries are shown on the 1841 East Ruston tithe map or later maps (S4). Two of these ditches cross at TG3604529725, on the southwest side of a probable Bronze Age round barrow cropmark (NHER 38704). This relationship between the linear ditches and the ring ditch suggest the barrow may have survived as an earthwork and influenced the position of the later field boundaries. Further to the north at TG3605529765, the north to south aligned ditch appears to join the corner of a trapezoidal enclosure which is also marked on the Enclosure Map (S5). Another possible post medieval field boundary ditch 220m further to the south crosses the outer ditch of a second probable round barrow ring ditch cropmark (NHER 38703). Several ditches, including some double ditches, on a northwest to southeast and southwest to northeast alignment are present, mainly in the north of the group. Although the date of these ditches is uncertain it is possible that they represent a fragmented continuation an Iron Age to Roman field system recorded 600m to the northwest (NHER 21775) and other undated ditches to the west (NHER 21774). However, medieval to post medieval field boundaries 1km to the east also share a similar alignment (NHER 38727). None of this group of ditches cut across the ring ditch cropmarks although a ditch between TG 35940 29455 and TG 36030 29555 is possibly aligned adjacent to the southern barrow (NHER 38703). Two parallel ditches on a more north to south alignment between TG 3603 2967 and TG 3604 2947 may represent a 20m wide trackway forming part of the same pattern as the northwest to southeast ditches. Further isolated ditches within this group of cropmarks cannot be related to these two pattern and are of unknown date.
See also NHER 21774, 21775, 38707, 38709, 38710, 38712 and ring ditches NHER 38703, 38704.
(S1 to 5).
J. Albone (NMP), 12 August 2004.