NHER 50991 (Monument record) - Linear cropmarks, possible ridge and furrow and overlying possible enclosure ditches

Two possible phases of linear features were visible as cropmarks on aerial photos (S1)-(S3), located on pasture land in the south of Beeston Park (NHER 30495). It is possible that these features, centred at TG 2582 1376 relate to the formal gardens or park that has been in existence since the seventeenth century (NHER 8174) (S4), and as such they have been tentatively assigned a date in the post medieval period, but they may equally relate to previous activity on the site, or even later agricultural activity, and have therefore been recorded with an unknown date also.

The earliest features visible appear to be a series of parallel banks, with possible ditches between, that may relate to a ridge and furrow field system from the medieval to post medieval period, preserved by virtue of their location within the pasture land to the south east of Beeston Hall. However, these features only appear to be visible on photographs from one year (S1)-(S2), and therefore have been recorded with a note of caution.

Overlying these east-west banks and ditches is part of a possible enclosure ditch system, which must be post medieval at the earliest, and may possibly relate to formal park features such as those recorded in NHER 50990, being arranged on a similar (north-west to south-east) alignment to them. Equally, these features did not show up on as many photographs as those to the west (NHER 50990) (S1)-(S3), and have been recorded with a note of caution as they may represent more recent agricultural activity.
E. Bales, (NMP) 29 October 2008.