NHER 45150 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of a possible Iron Age to Roman trackway and field system

October 2006. Norfolk NMP
Cropmarks of a trackway and fragmentary field system of probable Iron Age to Roman date are visible on aerial photographs (S1). These cropmarks are centred on TG 3419 1068. Two parallel ditch cropmarks are present for at least 445m on a west-southwest to east-northeast alignment between TG 3362 1055 and TG 3404 1069. It is likely that these define a trackway. Located to the east of this trackway is a group of linear and curvilinear ditch cropmarks. These are mainly arranged on southwest to northeast and northwest to southeast alignments that are broadly similar to that of the alignment. Although these ditch cropmarks are very fragmentary, they appear to relate to field boundaries. A possible enclosure or group of fields is centred on TG 3443 1071. They have an elongated D-shaped plan, the straight side of which lies on a northwest to southeast axis. Two rectangular enclosures or small fields are present on the northeast side of the ‘D’ and measure 17m wide by 32m and at least 75m long. The main area of the ‘D’ is divided into two asymmetrical curvilinear fields that measure 126m wide by approximately168m long. It is likely that they are of Iron Age to Roman date and they are possibly related to an enclosure of this period that is located further to the east (NHER 18130). The Blofield and Hemblington parish boundary cross these cropmarks. However, it is worth noting that a 200m long section of the parish boundary to the northwest, lies on the same northwest to southeast alignment as the cropmarks. A short section of linear ditch cropmark with the group appears to continue it line and it is possible that the parish boundary is a relic of the earlier field pattern. Other linear ditch cropmarks are present within the group on a variety of different alignments. These are probably also field or other boundaries, but their date is unknown.
J. Albone (NMP), 16 October 2006