NHER 52045 (Monument record) - Three large undated pit features or possible sunken featured buildings

April 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a cluster of three pit-like features are visible on aerial photographs (S1) centred on TG 2926 0872, to the south of a possible enclosure ditch (NHER 52037). Whilst it is possible that these cropmarks are derived from natural features, it has been suggested that they are the remains of Saxon sunken-feature buildings, or grubenhauser.

These cropmarks are only visible on one aerial photograph (S1) and therefore must be viewed with caution. This field is also marked with a variety of non-archaeological cropmarks and it is entirely possible that the pit-like features are actually pockets of deeper soils sitting within the gravels. It is also possible that the pits could have been created through episodic gravel extraction.

The pit-like features are all sub-rectangular in shape and they vary in size from 5m by 8m to 8m by 12m, and are perhaps a little too large to be grubenhauser. When compared with the similar feature to the south (NHER 52046), which is even larger, it seems possible that all these features may be related to quarrying or extraction.
E. Bales (NMP), 7 April 2009.