NHER 50943 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of undated, but potentially late prehistoric, possible rectilinear enclosures and field boundaries

March 2008. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of enclosures and field boundaries of probable late prehistoric or Iron Age date are visible on aerial photographs to the south of Thieves’ Bridge Road, Watlington (S1-S3). These cropmarks would appear to be overlain by enclosures (NHER 50944) contemporary with the late Iron Age to Roman settlement at 60 Acre Field and Police House Field, Watlington (NHER 39457-8).

The site appears to consist of a rectilinear enclosure, cut by the Thieves’ Bridge Road, measuring approximately 75m by 50m. This may be conjoined to another enclosure or enclosures, but the fragmentary nature of the site makes it hard to be certain. A small oblong enclosure, 7.5m by 5m, is located to the west of this main enclosure. A number of similarly aligned ditches and possible trackway fragments are also possibly visible. Fragmentary features following a similar alignment are visible to the north of the road, within the main settlement complex (NHER 11724).

The cropmarks recorded under this number represent particularly fragmentary features, many of which are only visible on one aerial photograph. There must therefore be a certain degree of uncertainty over the archaeological nature of some of these features. However the excavations to the north of the road (NHER 39457) have proved the poor cropmark development over archaeological features in this area and gravel over mudstone conditions. It is therefore feasible that these fragmentary cropmarks do indeed indicate underlying archaeological features. The cropmarks confident recognition of archaeological features on (S2) was also complicated by the fact that the area of the probable ditches has been cultivated in narrow strips, with different crops in each strip. Only some of these crops were creating a cropmark response, creating very a very fragmented view of any possible linear features.
S. Massey (NMP), 05 March 2008.