NHER 50615 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of possible Iron Age to Roman date enclosures

September 2007. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a series of possible enclosures and associated field boundaries of unknown, but possible Iron Age to Roman date are visible on aerial photographs to the west of BlackBreck Plantation (S1-S2). The site is centred on TG 1151 1372. The two main components of the site are two possible and incomplete enclosures, one centred on TG 1142 1378 and another at TG 1172 1375. Both appear to be approximately 100m across and between 40-70m wide. A possible trackway, indicated by two parallel ditches appears to run towards and alongside the western enclosure. Other more fragmentary ditches recorded within the site are likely to be the remains of boundaries associated or broadly contemporary with the enclosures. A group of similarly aligned enclosures and ditched boundaries are visible on aerial photographs approximately 550m to the northeast (NHER 50610) and these have also been interpreted as being of possible Iron Age to Roman date.

The area of this site was also covered by a World War One to Two date military area (NHER 50618) and it is possible that some of these apparent ditches indicated by the cropmarks may in fact be the remains of World War Two trenches, in particular some of the ditches identified towards the east of the site. Although, none of the features can definitely be attributed to this period, it must remain a possibility. A number of geological cropmarks were also evident within the area of this site and this again made the secure identification of archaeological features problematic. Only those cropmarks that could confidently be interpreted as archaeological were mapped and it is therefore possible that other man-made features were erroneously omitted from the mapping.
S. Massey (NMP), 12 September 2007.