NHER 68092 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Earthwork sections of probable Roman road or medieval to modern boundaries

March 2024. Wendling Beck and Fransham Aerial Investigation and Mapping (AIM) Project.
Sections of a probable Roman road are visible as low earthworks on visualised lidar data (S1). As the lidar survey was flown relatively recently (2017) it is likely that the features still survive. It is also possible that the features may relate to a medieval to post medieval parish boundary or a post medieval to modern boundary bank and ditch. The features probably relate to sections of a Roman road which is recorded more broadly as NHER 3697. The features are also on a similar alignment to further earthwork sections of probable Roman road recorded to the north (NHER 68093) and south (NHER 68071). However, the earthworks follow the alignment of the parish boundary between the parishes of Great Dunham, Kempstone and Lexham. It is therefore possible that the earthworks may relate to a former medieval to post medieval parish boundary. The features also follow the alignment of a post medieval to modern boundary recorded on the Ordnance Survey 1st edition 6" map (S2), the Ordnance Survey 2nd edition 25" map (S3) and the modern Ordnance Survey master map. Finally, it is possible that the mapped ditch feature may relate to a post medieval to modern drainage ditch, which are also visible across the area on the visualised lidar data.
J. Powell (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 14 March 2024.