NHER 50731 (Monument record) - Earthworks of medieval to post medieval date including platforms, drains and water meadows

December 2007. Norfolk NMP.
The earthworks of a series of earthwork platforms, drainage ditches and possible water meadows of medieval to post medieval date are visible on aerial photographs to the north of Church Street, Elsing (S1). A possible moated enclosure has tentatively been identified, although this may necessarily have ever enclosed a medieval domestic structure. The site is centred on TG 0523 1665. The topography and historic map evidence would indicate that this site is located alongside a minor beck or tributary of the Wensum which ran to the west of Elsing, the line of which is depicted on Faden’s map of 1797 to the north of the site, a line of drains now marks this channel.

The main component of the site is a system of conjoined drainage channels and ponds centred on TG 0516 1674. A main channel runs down the centre of the site with a series of drains and channels coming off to either side, feeding water off to various areas of meadow. A possible rectangular platform at TG 0515 1673 is defined by two arms of a broad channel. It is possible that this represents a moat-like enclosure, although given the character of the site this is unlikely to have been a domestic site, it is more likely associated with water management or possibly the former site of an industrial structure.

To the west of the main area of earthworks is a probable catchwork water meadow system, centred on TG 0556 1659. The site consists of two principal carrier drains, running off of which are a series of diagonally arranged carrier drains. These earthworks are now plough levelled. These water meadows are likely to date to the post medieval period and appear to have been linked to the main western area of earthworks by a drain that is still in use, however it seems likely that these water meadows are a later addition to the site. Photography from 1988 (S3) would suggest that many components of this site still survive as low earthworks, although the vegetation cover makes it hard to discern individual features. The southwestern part of the site appears to have been re-landscaped and only some of the original channels remain.
S. Massey (NMP), 05 December 2007.