NHER 50710 (Monument record) - Cropmark enclosures and field boundaries of unknown date

Some of these cropmarks were previously recorded under NHER 1018.

November 2007. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a series of rectilinear enclosures and field boundaries of unknown and multi-period date are visible on aerial photographs to the south of Clayhall Cottages, Foxford (S1-S6). At least some of these enclosures are likely to be Roman in date, although others may represent medieval to post medieval date field boundaries. The main cluster of enclosures is located to the immediate southwest of a probable Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age hengiform monument (NHER 1018), a large circular enclosure (NHER 50706) and a pair of ring ditches (NHER 50707-8). The site is centred on TG 0961 1878 and some of the cropmarks were previously recorded under NHER 1018.

The main focus of the site is centred on TG 0961 1878 and consists of a series of rectilinear enclosures and boundaries. It is assumed that these postdate the hengiform site they are situated next to (NHER 1018). Although there is no direct evidence of the rectilinear ditches cutting across those associated with the other monument. The fact that the rectilinear enclosure appears to enclose the hengiform site suggests that it was still an extant earthwork at this period. The date of the enclosures and boundaries is not known, although the presence of a Roman date find in the general area (NHER 40531) could suggest a broadly Roman date for this component of the site. A small square enclosure to the south of these enclosures (NHER 50709) follows the same alignment and may be broadly contemporary. It is possible that this enclosure had a domestic or agricultural function, although a potential funerary interpretation has also been suggested (see NHER 50709 for details). Boundaries following a similar alignment to the northwest of the site may also represent associated features of this date. Although a medieval to post medieval date cannot be discounted and the linear ditches identified in the area of TG 0960 1903 could represent relatively late drainage ditches given their location next to the watercourse.

To the south of Heath Lane the cropmarks are much more fragmentary and are likely to represent a palimpsest of several phases of ditches, boundaries fragmentary and rectilinear enclosures, in particular at TG 0974 1876 and TG 0981 1874. It is possible that these are late prehistoric to Roman in date. Significant amounts of geological cropmarks were also visible within this area making the confident identification of archaeological features problematic.
S. Massey (NMP), 19 November 2007.

January 2012. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
This work revealed ditches and pits which were considered to be post-medieval to modern in date. See report (S7) and NHER 57980 for further details.
E. Bales (HES), 27 August 2012. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 9 September 2015.