NHER 43712 (Monument) - Post medieval drainage ditches

March 2005. Norfolk NMP.
A group of cropmarks, the majority of which are probably post medieval drainage ditches, is visible on aerial photographs to the north of Eastfield Farm, Hickling (S1-S2). The site is centred on TG 4362 2382. The majority of the linear ditched features visible appear to feed into the main post medieval drain that runs around the southwestern edge of Bell’s Marsh and are therefore likely to be of a similar date. This main drain appears to be associated with the 1808 parliamentary enclosure of Hickling (S3), although it is possible that some of the drains are earlier.

Although the majority of these features are thought to be post medieval drainage ditches, it is worth noting that ditches following a similar alignment have been recorded in nearby fields (NHER 43743, 43760-1). The date of these cropmarks is not known, but it is possible that some of them relate to Iron Age to Roman field boundaries.
S. Massey (NMP), 29 March 2005.