NHER 52240 (Monument record) - Cropmarks and soilmarks in and around site of Roman villa

March 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks and soilmarks in and around site of the Stoke Holy Cross Roman villa (NHER 43199) visible on aerial photographs (S1-S4) have been recorded under this number, as the relationship with the actual villa site is uncertain. The only cropmarks that would appear to relate to the villa itself – an elongated light-coloured soilmark visible in 1969 (S4) – have been recorded under NHER 43199. The site is centred on TG 2468 0182. To the north of the villa location is a possible parallel bank or wall-like feature visible as a parchmark in 1996 (S4). It must be stated that this feature has been mapped due to its proximity to a major Roman building and identified within a different context, it may have been dismissed as relating to underlying drainage. A few fragments of similar parchmarks have also been mapped to the south of the villa site, although again these are of uncertain archaeological significance and may relate to the underlying geology. To the east of the villa site a possible series of ditches and a small square ditched enclosure, approximately 7m across and in the area of TG 2470 0183 (S3), were tentatively identified on the edge of an aerial photograph taken of a site to the south. However due to uncertainty over the archaeological nature of these marks, they were not mapped. Additionally two sets of angular and linear parchmarks visible in 1946 (S1) within the area of the villa site were omitted from the mapping due to the high level of certainty that they were of non-archaeological origin, but given the context the possible presence is worth recording.
S. Horlock (NMP), 23 March 2009.