NHER 45249 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Site of undated square enclosure near Briggate

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Summary

A small square enclosure of unknown date is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs. It has been suggested as the site of a post medieval brick kiln (NHER 15437) but there is little evidence to support this suggestion. It seems likely to have been associated with a larger enclosure of probably Iron Age and/or Romano-British date located 125m to its northwest (NHER 45251). This probable association has led to a suggestion that it might represent the site of a small Roman temple. An origin as the outer ditch of an Iron Age or Roman square barrow seems more probable, and the site bears some resemblance to the square enclosures excavated at Harford Farm, to the south of Norwich (NHER 9794).

Protected Status/Designation

None recorded

Location

Map sheet	TG32NW
Civil Parish	HONING, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

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Full Description

March 2007. Norfolk NMP.
The site described below was previously recorded as NHER 15437.

A small square enclosure is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs (S1), centred at TG 3210 2765. It has been suggested as the site of a post medieval brick kiln (NHER 15437) but there is little evidence to support this suggestion (it seems more likely that the kiln was located further to the south). Its proximity to a larger enclosure (NHER 45251) of probably Iron Age or Romano-British date has led to the suggestion that it might represent the site of a small Roman temple (see NHER 15437). Again, there is little evidence to support this. It seems more likely to mark the site of an Iron Age to Roman square barrow, and its resemblance to the square enclosures excavated at Harford Farm, Norwich (NHER 9794; S2) is notable in this respect.

The enclosure is roughly square in plan and defined by a fairly substantial ditch. No entrances are visible, but the cropmark is not particularly clear and it is possible that any that do exist have not been recognised. It measures approximately 14m wide.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 23 March 2007.

Associated Sources (2)

<S1> SNF47502 Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1995. NHER TG 3227F-P (NLA 355/JEB8-16) 02-AUG-1995.
<S2> SNF50478 Monograph: Ashwin, T. and Bates S. 2000. Norwich Southern Bypass, Part I: Excavations at Bixley, Caistor St Edmund, Trowse. East Anglian Archaeology. No 91.