NHER 43461 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of undated field boundaries, Bradwell and Gorleston on Sea

March 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a group of field boundaries of unknown date are visible on aerial photographs on the border of the Bradwell and Great Yarmouth parishes (S1)-(S4). These cropmarks are located within a wider area of multi-phase and undated cropmarks (NHER 43447). Roman finds have been found within the general area of the cropmarks (NHER 17854 and 20036). Many of the cropmarks within this area are likely to date to the Iron Age and Roman periods, although no more definite phasing can be applied at present. The site is centred on TG 5134 0503, although this point does not correspond to an archaeological feature on the ground.

The clearest component of the site is a relatively broad ditched linear feature running from TG 5144 0499 to TG 5168 0492 (S4). The ditch is up to 3m wide in places. This has traces of a possible outer bank on either side visible in April 1944 (S1), although the photograph is not particularly clear and it could not be viewed in stereo. The line of this ditch may be continued further to the west by another section of ditch, 85m long, centred on TG 5113 0505. There are a number of ditches which appear to be roughly perpendicular to this main linear and it seems likely that they are part of the same fragmentary field system. These appear to be aligned along a slightly different axis to the surrounding cropmarks (NHER 43447) and are therefore likely to represent a different phase.
S. Massey (NMP), 29 March 2006.

November 2017. Geophysical Survey.
Survey of proposed development area north of Beccles Road.
Although the two easternmost cropmarks in this group lie in the southern half of the area surveyed no corresponding anomalies were observed. This part of the site was however almost completely obscured by extensive magnetic disturbance likely to represent rubble and other debris distributed during the demolition of several school buildings.
See NHER 62792 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 7 June 2018.

March 2023. Assessment of the Character and Significance of East Anglian Field Systems project.
The site described above was included in the dataset analysed for the Historic England-funded Assessment of East Anglian Field Systems project. See the project report (S5) for further details.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk County Council Environment Team), 22 March 2023.