NHER 53493 (Monument record) - Multi-period linear cropmarks and possible enclosure and trackway

April 2010. Norfolk NMP.
Several linear ditches, at least some of which may relate to an Iron Age to Roman field system, are visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs (S1-S4). The linear features are visible across several fields, centred on TG 2337 1409. Those which are oriented northeast-southwest may be Iron Age to Roman in date, as they are on a similar alignment to a postulated Roman camp situated approximately 500m to the south (NHER 16451). A possible rectilinear enclosure is also visible, centred on TG 2345 1437, and a fragment of possible trackway, stretching from TG 2362 1400 to TG 2375 1414, which consists of parallel ditches approximately 6m apart.
The linear ditches which are oriented east-west are likely to be medieval to post medieval in date, as they appear to be continuations of field boundaries visible on the Tithe Map (S5).
E. Bales (NMP), April 2010.

March-June 2009. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey on proposed line of the Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Site S3).
This survey identified an extensive weak linear anomaly that possibly corresponded with the linear cropmark at TG235 11415 (the line of which is continued to the east by a former field boundary marked on the tithe map).
A former field boundary that appears to coincide with the short pair of parallel ditches at TG 2356 1423 was found to be associated with a line of discrete dipolar anomalies of the kind usually caused by the presence of fired or ferrous debris. This can be seen as further evidence that this boundary was once a trackway of some kind.
See report (S6) and NHER 63584 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 July 2019.

October 2009-February 2010. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Site S3).
The trenches excavated revealed a number of ditches, several of which potentially corresponded with ditches in this group. These included north-east to south-west aligned ditches that were probably associated with similarly-aligned cropmarks at TG 2339 1416 and TG 2369 1409, the latter of which produced a post-medieval tile. Another undated ditch was probably associated with the east-to-west aligned cropmark at TG 2346 1414. The former field boundary that was potentially related to the short pair of parallel ditches at TG 2356 1423 was found to be associated with a single undated ditch - which would appear to count against the evidence suggesting this was once the route of a trackway (see above).
See report (S7) and NHER 63584 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 July 2019.

April 2012-April 2013. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Block 29).
This survey failed to identify any evidence for the single east-north-east to west-south-west aligned cropmark that crossed the area examined. No other potentially archaeologically significant anomalies were present.
See report (S8) and NHER 63584 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 August 2015. Amended 13 July 2019.

April-September 2015. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of sites on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road.
One of the trenches excavated in the field immediately east of St Faiths Road (Field S2) revealed a north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditch that appeared to continue the line of the similarly-aligned cropmark at TG 2340 1418. This ditch produced a single sherd of Roman pottery.
See report (S9) and NHER 63583 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 July 2019.

January-September 2016. Strip Map and Sample Excavation.
Excavation of two sites on route of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Areas 6 and 7).
The eastern site (Area 7) revealed two parallel north-east to south-west aligned ditches that clearly corresponded with the cropmarks mapped at TG 2373 1413. These were regarded as potentially Roman, although each produced only a single sherd of Roman pottery.
The western site (Area 6) saw further investigation of the similarly-aligned cropmark at TG 2339 1416, which was found to be associated with two adjacent, parallel ditches both of which terminated close to what appeared to be a contemporary perpendicular, north-west to south-east aligned ditch. It is possible these features represented a linear arrangement of fields or enclosures, the eastern sides of which were potentially formed by a pair of parallel north-east to south-west aligned ditches exposed during the earlier 2009/2010 trial trenching. The gap in the excavated ditches therefore potentially represented some form of staggered entrance into one of these fields/enclosures. Although no finds were recovered these features were also regarded as potentially Roman in date.
See NHER 63584 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 July 2019.