NHER 43492 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of a medieval to post medieval field system

April 2006. Norfolk NMP.
Cropmarks of field boundaries of probable medieval to post medieval date are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S2). These cropmarks are centred on TM 2972 8813. Linear and curvilinear ditch cropmarks are present across an area measuring 1.2 km by 0.9 km. The ditch cropmarks are unusually broad and measure up to 7m across.
The alignment of the ditches in the northern part of the group does not match that of the 19th century enclosure field pattern. These ditches have a curvilinear form that is typical of boundaries associated with medieval strip fields. Two of these ditches, which form part of the only complete field visible, align with a kink in the boundary of a medieval deer park (NHER 16277) at TM 2998 8810. This relationship supports a medieval origin for the field boundaries. It is likely that they represent part of the medieval to early post medieval strip field system that existed prior to the enclosure in the 19th century. The only complete field measures 240m by 97m internally and has a regular curvilinear plan. In the southern part of the group, ditch cropmarks are present on a wider range of alignments. Some of these are similar to that of the modern field pattern. However, none of the cropmark ditches correspond to boundaries marked on the Earsham enclosure map of 1812 (S3) or any later maps and they are also likely to be of medieval to early post medieval date. Other similar ditch cropmarks are present to the southeast (NHER 43627) within the area of the medeival deer. park
J. Albone (NMP), 11 April 2006