NHER 65670 (Monument record) - Site of sewage works associated with Downham Market airfield

Aerial photographs taken in 1946 show a probable sewage works at this location, which was presumably constructed to serve the nearby accommodation areas associated with Downham Market airfield (NHER 2455). A circular filtration tank can be seen, along with at least one other structure and a number of associated roads. The site is shown as open ground on an Ordnance Survey Six Inch map revised in 1938 and marked as 'Filter Bed (Downham Market UDC)' on one of 1952 (S1). Although the site is no longer in use the remains of the filtration tank are still marked on modern Ordnance Survey mapping.
See NHER 66482 for details of another sewage works associated with the World War Two airfield, which lay approximately 1.5km to the north-east, at TF 6358 0303.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 May 2022. Amended 20 November 2022.

May 2011. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development area (Field 1).
This survey identified several large dipolar anomalies in the area of this site which presumably represent buried structural remains such as brick or reinforced concrete footings. A north-east to south-west aligned positive anomaly approaching the site from the west corresponds with a faint feature visible on the 1946 aerial photographs. This probably represents the traces of an associated access track; perhaps one used during the construction of the sewerage works.
See report (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 May 2022.

April 20165. Trial Trenching.
During the evaluation of the surrounding field it was noted that the brick wall of the circular filtration tank still survives. A photograph included in the report shows the tank to be waterlogged and partially filled with rubbish and other debris.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 May 2022.