NHER 53227 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of an elongated enclosure, possibly a Neolithic mortuary enclosure

December 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of possible elongated enclosure, which could potentially represent the remains of a Neolithic mortuary enclosure, are visible on aerial photographs to the north of Caistor Lane, Caistor St Edmund (S1). The site is centred on TG 2545 0358. The northern end of the enclosure is broadly coincidental with the line of a probable Roman road, which runs from the northeast to the location of the enclosure (NHER 9904 & 53212). Unfortunately the lack of visible remains of the road at this point onwards, means that it is impossible to speculate on the relationship between the road and the enclosure. Another enclosure (NHER 53228) to the northeast for example would appear to post-date the road. In morphological terms alone this elongated enclosure could feasibly represent the remains of a Neolithic mortuary enclosure or plough-levelled long barrow. Finds recovered from the wider area of the cropmarks include prehistoric worked flints and potboilers (NHER 29000, 30311). However it is possible that these features may represent part of the fragmentary field boundaries of possible later prehistoric or Roman date recorded within this area under NHER 53226.
The enclosure is visible as a narrow enclosing ditch forming the northern part of an elongated rectangular enclosure, measuring 20m by at least 60m. The southern arm of the enclosure is hard to detect. It is feasible that the L-shaped ditch to the southeast may represent the opposing end of the enclosure, which would suggest an enclosure 20m by 110m. However, the cropmarks are not as well-defined, are broader than those to the north and may in fact relate to geological cropmarks. The enclosure is located within an area of geological cropmarks and therefore a number of linear ditch-like cropmarks that could feasibly relate to additional components of this enclosure were not mapped, due their similarity to other obviously non-archaeological cropmarks in close proximity to the site. These include additional sections of the north-eastern ditch, running from TG 2544 0360 to TG 2547 0356 and a possible circular cropmark at TG 2542 0361, 9m across (S1).
S. Horlock (NMP), 29 December 2009.