NHER 43389 (Monument record) - Undated ring ditch

September 2005. Norfolk NMP.
The soilmarks of a ring ditch of unknown are visible on aerial photographs to the west of Hempstead Marshes, Lessingham (S1). It is possible that this is the remains of a Bronze Age round barrow, although this is considered unlikely, or alternatively a post medieval stack stand. Other ring ditches interpreted as stack stands have been recorded nearby, see NHER 36768. The archaeological nature of the soilmark is not certain as the field had recently been harrowed and some of the soilmarks visible may be agricultural in origin.

The ring ditch is centred on TG 4097 2700 and is located within a group of undated ditched features, see NHER 43388 for details. The ring ditch is 16.5m in diameter and is slight irregular in shape. The ring is incomplete with the northeastern arc not visible. The size of this ring ditch falls just within the general range of other circular features identified as possible stack stands from aerial photographs, which is from 6 to 18m in diameter (S2: p553-4). This ring ditch is located at a slight island of higher ground within the wider fen and former alluvial landscape of the upper reaches of the Thurne Valley. This island is clearly depicted on Faden’s map of 1797 (S3).

The ring ditch is visible as a faint soilmark on a recently harrowed field, however the lines of the ring ditch are showing any obvious disruption from the harrowing (other linear features within the field have a ‘zigzag’ profile caused the movement of the soil). This apparent clarity of the soilmark within a harrowed field could indicate the mark was made post-harrowing and therefore may be tractor turning circle or similar agricultural feature.
S. Massey (NMP), 13 September 2005.