NHER 49400 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of a late Iron Age to Roman field system and possible farmstead.

The Norfolk Heritage Explorer is a filtered version of the Norfolk HER intended for casual research. Please to consult the full record.

See also further .

Summary

Cropmarks of a late Iron Age to Roman coaxial field system are visible on aerial photographs. A group of smaller enclosures within the field system may relate to a farmstead. The field system forms part of an extensive late Iron Age to Roman field system (NHER 6096 and 21271).

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TG40NW
Civil Parish FREETHORPE, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
Civil Parish HALVERGATE, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

Map

July 2007. Norfolk NMP
Cropmarks of an extensive Iron Age to Roman coaxial field system are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S12). These cropmarks are centred on TG 4196 0551 and were previously recorded in part as NHER 32061, 18328, 14775 and 11683. The field system comprises of rectilinear fields between parallel trackways and so called ‘long boundaries’. These coaxial elements are aligned on a west-north-west to east-south-east alignment. Two trackways are present spaced between 355m and 445m apart with two rows of rectilinear fields between them separated by a continuous linear field boundary ditch. These fields are the most complete in this section of field system with examples measuring 163m by 142m, 118m by 96m and 223m by 100m. The northernmost trackway turns a right angled corner at TG 4250 0583, possibly marking a corner of the field system to the north-east. The southern trackway forms a T-junction or crossroads with other trackways at right angles at TG 4155 0551. A group of smaller rectilinear enclosures are present either side of the southern trackway around TG 4213 0545. It is possible that these relate to a settlement or farmstead within the field system. This field system is probably of Iron Age to Roman date. It forms part of an extensive area of field system cropmarks that continue as NHER 21271 to the south and NHER 6096 to the west. The eastern part of this field system is overlain by cropmarks of a medieval to post medieval fields and enclosures (NHER 49402). Cropmarks of other linear ditches of unknown date are also present within this group.
J. Albone (NMP), 09 July 2007

May 2022. Broads Hidden Heritage: Aerial Perspectives.
Some of the cropmarks described above, together with additional features, are visible on Google Earth aerial photographs from 2006 (S13). The site has been expanded to encompass all the visible features. Most appear to be part of the probable Iron Age and/or Roman field system and farmsteads already described.
Additional linear banks, probably the remains of post medieval field boundaries, are also visible as earthworks on visualised lidar data (S14). The lidar survey was flown relatively recently (2017-18) so it is possible that these still survive. The features were clearest on a Simple Local Relief Model visualisation.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk County Council, Historic Environment Service), 10 May 2022

  • <S1> Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1975. NHER TG 4105A-B (NLA 19/ADU45-6) 28-JUN-1975.
  • <S10> Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. NHER TG 4205AK-AL (NLA 368/JCN14-5) 08-JUL-1996.
  • <S11> Oblique Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1976. CUCAP BXH24 15-JUN-1976 (CUCAP).
  • <S12> Oblique Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1976. CUCAP BYP49-50 30-JUN-1976 (CUCAP).
  • <S13> Vertical Aerial Photograph: Google Earth. ? - present. Google Earth Orthophotographs. https://earth.google.com/web. 02-JUL-2006 Accessed 10-MAY-2022.
  • <S14> LIDAR Airborne Survey: Environment Agency. Environment Agency LIDAR Data. NATIONAL LIDAR PROGRAMME DTM 1m 26-MAR-2018.
  • <S2> Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1990. NHER TG 4105C-M (NLA 271/GCZ1-10) 12-JUL-1990.
  • <S3> Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. NHER TG 4105T-U (NLA 368/JCN12-3) 08-JUL-1996.
  • <S4> Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1975. NHER TG 4205A-D (NLA 19/ADU67-70) 28-JUN-1975.
  • <S5> Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1979. NHER TG 4205G-H (NLA 73/AMT16-7) 17-JUL-1979.
  • <S6> Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1980. NHER TG 4205R-V(NLA 88/APJ18-22) 02-JUL-1980.
  • <S7> Oblique Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1976. NHER TG 4205W-Y (CUCAP BXH20-2) 15-JUN-1976.
  • <S8> Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1989. NHER TG 4205AE-AG (NLA 233/DPG1-3) 04-JUL-1989.
  • <S9> Oblique Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1976. CUCAP BXH15-9 15-JUN-1976 (CUCAP).

Object Types (0)

Record last edited

Jun 27 2025 8:41AM

Comments and Feedback

Your feedback is welcome; if you can provide any new information about this record, please contact the Norfolk Historic Environment Record.