NHER 65082 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Potentially prehistoric ring-ditch, post-medieval trackway and undated field boundaries

5 July 1976.
'Cropmarks' noted on Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs list.
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU), 22 October 1985. Information from (S1).
Previously recorded under NHER 21843.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 June 2021.

Grid reference confirmed as centre of field containing ring ditch ([1]) and trackway and enclosure marks, not recently removed field boundaries as are the marks to south.
Compiled by D. Edwards (NAU), 10 December 1985 and E. Rose (NAU), 7 September 1987. Information from (S1).
Previously recorded under NHER 21843.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 June 2021.

18 April 1996. Field Observation.
May/June 1995. Attempt to implement outline planning permission, granted 1990, for supermarket on western half of site. Fences erected, some topsoil stripped and four trenches excavated. Subject of legal dispute between developer and local planning authority. See sketch plan in file and local press articles (S2).
Previously recorded under NHER 21843.
D. Gurney (NLA), 19 April 1996. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 14 June 2021.

May 2016. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of archaeological implications of proposed development.
It is noted that at least some of the cropmarks visible on the 1976 aerial photographs can be seen on Google Earth aerial imagery dated 25 May 2011 (S3). These include the ring-ditch at [1] and various fragmentary north-west to south-east and north-east to south-west aligned linear features in the western half of the site.
An enclosure map drawn in 1808 (S4) shows the site crossed by a north-west to south-east aligned trackway that is absent on later maps. Close to the northern edge of the site the trackway is shown to turn abruptly to follow the line of a north-north-east to south-south-west aligned former subdivision of the field. This may represent a late post-medieval division of an earlier route way that once ran to the north-west corner of the field. Several of the cropmarks may correspond with this trackway and it is potentially notable that all of the other linear cropmarks lie to one side of its line.
No features of archaeological or historical significance were recorded during a brief walkover examination of the site.
See report (S5) for further details, including cropmark plot.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 June 2021.

September 2016. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development site.
This survey identified a range of archaeologically-significant responses, including a weak, positive curvilinear anomaly that clearly corresponds with the ring-ditch visible as a cropmark on aerial imagery. All of the linear cropmarks visible on the 2011 Google Earth imagery were also associated with geophysical anomalies. However, although these cropmarks appeared to represent only fragments of a field system, the geophysical identified little evidence for other contemporary remains. The most notable exception was a north-west to south-east aligned linear anomaly that extended into the north-west corner of the field.
Other responses of interest included a pair of parallel north-west to south-east aligned linear anomalies that clearly correspond with a former trackway shown on a map of 1808 (demonstrating that the similarly-aligned cropmarks were not directly associated with this feature). A north-north-east to south-south-west aligned linear anomaly corresponds with a former field boundary shown on 19th-century maps and it is likely that a parallel, weaker linear anomaly at the eastern end of the site represents a feature of broadly similar date.
The various other anomalies identified were not thought to be archaeologically significant. These include several weak linear anomalies and an area of enhanced dipolar response in the north-western part of the site that correspond with the foundation trenches excavated in 1995. An area of magnetic disturbance in the south-west corner of the site is also likely to be associated with the aborted construction work that took place around this time. A second, more extensive area of magnetic disturbance in the south-east corner of the site is thought to represent modern made ground.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 June 2021.