NHER 44893 (Monument record) - Medieval to post medieval field boundaries and trackways

September 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A group of medieval to post medieval field boundaries and trackways are visible on aerial photographs alongside Burgh Road, Wheatacre (S1-S2). The site is centred on TM 4655 9477 covers a strip of land just over 1km across. The cropmarks are broadly located within two clusters, at either end of the site. These cropmarks are located within an area of multi-phase cropmarks (NHER 44964-5, 44983-4).

Some of these boundaries are consistent with those marked on the 1840 Wheatacre Tithe map (S3), in particular to the west of the site, centred on TM 4616 9496, to either side of these Tithe map boundaries are a series of straight parallel ditches dividing the land into narrow strips. To the north the cropmarks become more complicated and it is not entirely clear which ditches belong to which phase, such as the rectangular enclosed area centred on TM 4620 9512.

At the western end of the site, centred on TM 4626 9474, the field boundaries appear to continue to the south of the Burgh Road. This could suggest that the boundaries pre-date the present route of the road, or more likely that it represent a single phase of enclosure. A trackway is also visible running parallel to Burgh Road to the north, from TM 4651 9468 to TM 4618 9485. At the eastern end of the site, centred on TM 4693 9469, the post medieval boundaries appear overlie a complex area of earlier enclosures, fields and trackways (NHER 44983-4), some of which may be medieval or even earlier post medieval in date.
S. Massey (NMP), 01 September 2006.