NHER 65928 (Monument record) - Potentially Roman and undated remains

October 2017-March 2018. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site on proposed route of onshore cable for Norfolk Vanguard and Boreas Offshore Wind Farms (Area F59).
This survey identified a number of potentially archaeologically-significant linear anomalies, including adjoining east-to-west and north-to-south aligned responses likely to represent ditches forming the corner of a large enclosure. One of these features is visible as a cropmark on aerial images, as is a potentially contemporary, roughly east-to-west aligned linear anomaly recorded to the west (both part of a group of undated remains recorded as NHER 64271). A pair of adjacent east-north-east to west-south-west aligned linear anomalies at the southern edge of the site are also associated with cropmark features (NHER 66772). These are likely to represent the ditches bounding a trackway. Although several additional linear cropmarks have been identified at the southern end of this site (all part of the group recorded as NHER 64271) no corresponding geophysical anomalies were identified.
A north-east to south-west aligned linear anomaly at the eastern end of the site was seen to continue into the field to the east (NHER 65924).
None of the discrete anomalies recorded at this location are regarded as being of archaeological interest. A number of scattered dipolar anomalies were probably caused by ferrous material on or close to the surface (most likely modern debris). The remaining discrete anomalies are thought to be of probable natural, geological origin.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 30 September 2024.

October 2020-June 2021. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed route of onshore cable for Norfolk Vanguard and Boreas Offshore Wind Farms (Area F170; Trenches 131-135 and 450).
Six trenches were excavated at this location, one of which was positioned to coincide with the geophysical anomalies likely to represent the north-west corner of a rectilinear enclosure. Although two corresponding ditches were recorded neither produced any dating evidence.
A trench at the southern end of the site uncovered two ditches that both corresponded with previously identified linear cropmarks (part of the group recorded as NHER 64271), one aligned north-north-east to south-south-west and the other north-west to south-east. The former produced two sherds of Roman pottery.
No evidence was uncovered for surviving sub-surface remains associated with cropmarks likely to represent a former trackway (NHER 66772), despite the presence of corresponding geophysical anomalies. This was also the case with a roughly east-to-west aligned cropmark recorded to the north, which was also associated with a geophysical anomaly.
The easternmost trench exposed what proved to be series of intercutting quarry pits, one of which was found to contain a single sherd of late medieval/early post-medieval pottery and an iron nail.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 30 September 2024.