NHER 51987 (Monument record) - Earthworks of medieval to post medieval boundary, hollow way or drainage ditch

March 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The earthworks of medieval to post medieval date boundaries and a possible drainage ditch or hollow way are visible on aerial photographs leading to Maltkiln Farm Cottages, Stoke Holy Cross (S1-S2). The site is centred on TG 2346 0044. A broad, 3.5-5.5m wide, earthwork ditch is visible running alongside the edge of the base of the valley of a tributary of the River Tas to the south of Holy Cross Church. This earthwork runs from the cottages towards a drainage ditch of at least post medieval date, both features are depicted on the 1844 Stoke Holy Cross Tithe map (S3). This relationship with the drain could indicate that the feature mapped is in fact a post medieval drainage dyke also. However the broad with of the earthwork and the fact that it appears to leads towards housing rather than into the main drainage network, would suggest that it perhaps pre-dates the post medieval drain. The broad nature of the earthwork could indicate that it acted as a major boundary and/or routeway or hollow way. It is worth noting that the medieval settlement known from aerial photographs to the north (NHER 41984) has a series of curvilinear ditches running along the valley side below the village. It is possible that this broad, curvilinear ditch represents a continuation of these boundaries.
S. Horlock (NMP), 11 March 2009.