NHER 43697 (Monument record) - A group of post medieval structures, ponds and earthworks

July 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A group of post medieval structures, ponds and earthworks are visible on aerial photographs and historic maps and are located alongside the River Waveney (S1-S3). The site is located to the immediate east of a major flood bank alongside the river, centred on TM 4735 9647. The structures consisted of a series of elongated sheds or temporary buildings and are positioned next to three large water-filled ponds. A series of earthwork pits and banks are also visible on the aerial photographs, including the remains of two possible square structures. The purpose of the structures and the earthworks is not clear, although it is possible that the site is associated with brick making or an industrial process involving settling tanks or perhaps fish rearing. Some of the earthworks mapped appear to be similar to two sites further along the River Waveney (NHER 32268 and 44848), see NHER 32268 for detailed discussion of these features.

A group of buildings and water-filled pits are depicted on the northern part of the site on the 1840 Wheatacre Tithe map (S3). One inhabited building is shown located in northeastern end of the site, plus a series of elongated uninhabited buildings, three of which are located approximately 4m by 50m and are arranged in group, parallel to one another, centred on TM 4741 9668. No obvious remains of any of these structures are visible on the available aerial photographs. This suggests that the structures were probably of a temporary nature, in particular the long sheds. The area of earthworks visible on the aerial photographs, centred on TM 4737 9659, are depicted on the map as a series of three water-filled ponds. Slightly sunken areas can still be detected which sit within the former extent of the ponds (S2). The only water filled area remaining by 1946 (S1) is along the eastern edge of the marsh and this corresponds with the elongated pond feature depicted on the Ordnance Survey Second edition map (1902-7, 25 inch) (S4). This suggests that significant silting and encroachment of vegetation has taken place in-between 1840 and the early nineteenth century.

It is not clear whether the earthworks mapped within the Tithe map ponds post-date and the ponds and their subsequent silting or whether these represent the remains of an earlier site that had become flooded. At TM 4738 9659 is a pair of sunken square features, measuring 2.5m across and surrounded by a narrow raised embankment or wall. It is not clear whether this is an earthen surround or whether it is the remains of an actual structure, as the aerial photographs are not especially clear and the features are vegetation covered. A straight drain or channel is clearly visible to the north running towards these square features. This appears to have a slight raised edge running alongside and again it is not clear whether this is earthen or structural.

To the south of these earthworks and the structures is another area of possible earthworks, centred on TM 4735 9637. This possible area of earthworks is indicated from the uneven and ‘stippled’ appearance of the ground on some aerial photographs from 1946 (S1). The majority of these features were too indistinct too be mapped and an ‘extent of area’ has been defined, although a series of the baulks were mapped at TM 4737 9631. These possible earthworks are bounded to the west by the a series of linear embankments, which are likely to be earlier phases of flood banks that have since been superseded by the main river bank which runs alongside the eastern side of the site. This stippled and uneven ground on the others areas of marsh further to the west along the Waveney have proven to represent large spreads of shallow oblong and rectangular pits, which are of unknown definite date and origin, but are likely to be post medieval industrial features, see 32268 for full details. It has been suggested at other sites that the cut features are related to brick making. Although as outlined in NHER 32268 the cuts are not completely consistent with those associated with clay extraction for bricks, however it is possible that they are associated with some process of brick making. It is possible that the structures depicted on the 1840 Tithe map (S3) and the possible square structures visible on the aerial photographs could relate to a post medieval brickworks. The location of the site on the riverside and the alluvial clays and silts would support this interpretation. Although the presence of the large water-filled pits could be interpreted as a series of fishponds or settling tanks for some industrial process. A channel can clearly be seen on the aerial photographs and on the Tithe map leading towards the structures at the northern end of the site. This water may have been feeding the into industrial processes taking place at the site, perhaps associated with the ponds, or potentially just providing access and mooring.
S. Massey (NMP), 12 July 2006.