NHER 69256 (Monument record) - Post-medieval and undated ditches

March 2023. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site on route of proposed West Winch Housing Access Road (Sections 12-14).
The more notable responses included a cluster of fragmentary roughly east-north-east to west-south-west and north-north-west to south-south-east aligned linear anomalies in the northernmost part of the site. The alignments of these possible ditches suggest that may relate to a rectilinear enclosure of probable Roman date identified to the north of Chequers Lane (see NHER 69255). Several similarly-aligned linear anomalies to the south are though clearly associated with former field boundaries depicted on the North Runction tithe map (S1) and West Winch tithe map (S2)
It is suggested that a series of widely-spaced, parallel linear anomalies in the north-westernmost part of the site may represent the traces of former ridge and furrow cultivation.
A large discrete area of magnetic disturbance in the southernmost part of the site corresponds with a small wetland area shown at this location on the Ordnance Survey First Edition Six-inch map (S3) – possibly a former pond.
See report (S4) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2023.118).
P. Watkins (HES), 4 August 2025.

September 2023. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of potential impact of proposed West Winch Housing Access Road.
See report (S5) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 August 2025.

April-May 2025. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on route of proposed West Winch Housing Access Road (Trenches 215-239).
The 15 trenches excavated at this location revealed a number of ditches but little else in the way of the significant remains. These ditches included a group of north-north-west to south-south-east aligned linear features at the northern edge of the site that potentially related to a cluster of linear anomalies identified by the preceding geophysical survey. No dating evidence was recovered, although it is suggested that a particularly broad feature may represent a continuation of a possible trackway recorded in the field to the north (see NHER 69255).
The majority of the other ditches recorded were north-north-west to south-south-east and east-north-east to west-south-west aligned features that corresponded with former field boundaries shown on the North Runction tithe map (S1) and West Winch tithe map (S2). All contained ceramic drain pipes and finds were limited to single sherds of post-medieval and late post-medieval/modern pottery and a glass beer bottle of early- to mid-20th century date.
Deposits likely to be associated with the probable former pond at the southern end of the site produced a fragment of post-medieval clay tobacco pipe stem and an oyster shell.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 August 2025.