NHER 27992 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Post medieval to modern earthwork mounds or butts

May 2003. Norfolk NMP.
Group of earthwork oblong and square mounds within cleared area of Weybourne Woods, visible on Ordnance Survey aerial photographs from 1969-9 (S1-2). The mounds are all located alongside the tracks, which define a parcel of land within the woodland. This area of land is not visible on earlier and later aerial photographs as trees obscure the view. The features are visible on the 1968-9 Ordnance Survey aerial photographs as the woodland has recently been cleared. It is therefore possible that these mounds are the result of cleared material being piled up into mounds along the side of the tracks. The regularity of the mounds makes this seem slightly unlikely; most are roughly square or oblong in shape. The mounds are roughly 5-6m square or rectangular measuring 6-7m by 2-3m.
As the features are only visible on 1968-9 images the date of these is unknown and it is possible that they are very recent. Although they do have the appearance of shooting butts, again the likelihood of these being constructed in a heavily treed area seems unlikely, unless they were created when tree coverage was less dense. These features may need some on ground inspection to ascertain whether they were temporary mounds of debris, which have since been cleared.
S. Massey (NMP), 30 May 2003.