NHER 42218 (Monument record) - Medieval or post medieval enclosure

December 2005. Norfolk NMP.
Earthworks of a small rectangular enclosure of medieval to post medieval date are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S4). This enclosure is located at TG 4710 0580. The enclosure is rectangular in plan with rounded corners and measures up to 20m by 15m externally. The position of this enclosure in the marshland indicates that it is of medieval to post medieval date. It is similar to other enclosures visible as earthworks on the marshland, with examples present 90m to the north (NHER 42219) and 630m to the southwest (NHER 42217). Information from [1] suggests that these enclosures are probably sheep cotes. They were used to pen sheep overnight so that their manure could be collected. The manure was then transported from the marshes for use as fertiliser on arable fields on the ‘upland’ (S5). The enclosure was still visible as an earthwork in 1985, although its southeastern end had been truncated by a drainage ditch (S4).
J. Albone (NMP), 8 December 2005