NHER 52392 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of fragmentary undated ditches

November 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a group of ditches and trackways sections of unknown, but potentially of Iron Age to Roman date, are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S2). The site is centred on TG 2979 0342 and is located on the valleyside overlooking a minor watercourse, the Beck, to the north. The cropmarks are located within the area of a medieval to post medieval field system (NHER 49529) and are assumed to pre-date all of these boundaries.
An enclosure or farmstead recorded to the east (NHER 49531) has been interpreted as being late Saxon to post medieval in date, although this is far from conclusive, an Iron Age to Roman date was also suggested, which would fit with the morphology of the cropmarks. Roman date finds have also been recovered from the general vicinity of the cropmarks (NHER 25107).
The irregular and curvilinear trackway, running from TG 2989 0339 to TG 3000 0329, was only visible as a soilmark in 1970 (S1). The positioning of the feature on the edge of the aerial photograph and the lack of suitable rectification control, meant that the ditches were sketched rather than accurately mapped. However the relationship between the ditches and mapped features, such as the pond near the western terminus, meant that this could be done with a reasonable degree of confidence. It must be noted that this trackway-like feature does not show as clearly on other aerial photographs and therefore the possibility remains that the soilmark was either entirely or in part the result of recent activity in the field, such as vehicle movement to and from the pond. The remainder of the components of this site were mapped from cropmarks visible in 1967 (S2) and were more conclusively of an archaeological origin, representing fragments of boundary ditches and, where parallel stretches of double ditches, trackways.
S. Horlock (NMP), 03 November 2009.