NHER 50884 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of a possible section of Roman road

March 2008. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a double ditched linear feature, interpreted as the possible roadside ditches defining a Roman road, are visible on aerial photographs to the south of Riverside Farm, Billingford (S1). The site is centred on TG 0080 1938. This possible road is located close to the Roman bridge (NHER 2984) associated with the Roman town at Billingford (NHER 7206). It is possible that these cropmarks represent the remains of a continuation the road known to run down towards the bridge to the north. However there is some doubt over the archaeological nature of these cropmarks and further aerial photograph evidence would be required for the features to be identified confidently. It is interesting to note that the road (if the site is archaeological and not agricultural) that it does not appear to head towards the Roman fort to the east (NHER 17486).

The site consists of a pair of parallel double ditches running for approximately 155m south from the River Wensum and the near to the location of a Roman bridge (NHER 2984). The inner ditches are 11m apart and the outer ditches are 17m apart. In places the two ditches appear to merge into one broad ditch. This spacing of these outer ditched is broadly consistent with the spacing of the roadside ditches of the Roman road excavated at the Billingford Roman town (NHER 7206) (S2), that runs down towards the bridge to the north of the river, following a similar alignment to these cropmarks. It is therefore possible that these linears represent a continuation of the route to the south. However it must be noted that the cropmarks match up with the tramlines in the field and therefore may be completely agricultural in origin. It is likely that they would not have been mapped if there were not the possible relationship with the northern road and the Roman bridge. It is also possible that the cropmarks merely relate to medieval to post medieval date field boundaries. However the feature is not depicted on the 1814 Hoe and Worthing Enclosure (S3).
S. Massey (NMP), 03 March 2008.