NHER 27340 (Monument record) - Possible post-Roman field system

1 August 1977. NAU air photography.
Cropmarks. One ring ditch and cropmarks of field system.
See aerial photographs (S1) and record card (S2).
These cropmarks were previously recorded under NHER 12166.
The ring ditch is now recorded under NHER 27355 and the field system is now recorded under this number.
D. Edwards (NAU), 18 March 1981. Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 15 July 2019.

April 2005. Norfolk NMP.
Many of the cropmarks described below were previously recorded as NHER 12166.

Part of an undated field system is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs (S3)-(S10), centred around TG 4933 1621. It is part of a larger cropmark complex (NHER 27259) comprising field systems, enclosures and trackways of various dates. Parts of this complex represent field systems of Bronze Age and Iron Age/Roman date (NHER 27338 and 27339 respectively). The cropmarks described here also form a distinct group but the morphology of the site contrasts with the two dated field systems, indicating a different phase of activity. Given this, a post Roman date is postulated, with a possible association with the Early Saxon settlement identified 50m to the south (NHER 34025; S11, Site 8W).

The field system lies to the east of the earlier field patterns but like them overlies, and to some extent respects, the site of a postulated Bronze Age barrow cemetery (in this case NHER 27350) as well as an isolated ring ditch (NHER 27355). It shares the same broad alignment as the Iron Age/Roman field system NHER 27339 but has a contrasting morphology. This is characterised by long, slightly sinuous, near parallel boundaries, aligned approximately east to west. The double ditched boundary visible between TG 4913 1639 and TG 4939 1633, is probably a trackway. Multiple short subdivisions centred around TG 4943 1611 may relate to some specialised activity taking place at this spot.

The site is visible across an area measuring approximately 500m by 435m. It almost certainly continues to the east as NHER 17673; some the cropmarks mapped to its southwest (part of NHER 27259), which share the same orientation, may also be part of the same phase of activity.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 27 April 2005.

April-August 2013. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks at former meterological station to west of North Road (TG 4923 1619).
Stripping of several areas revealed two ditches that clearly represent the continuation of features associated with the west-north-west to east-south-east aligned cropmarks at TG 4919 1625 and TG 4917 1620. Both terminated within the excavated area, with the northern ditch turning southwards at its eastern end, onto a north-to-south orientation (which gave rise to the suggestion that these features represented an enclosure).
Significantly, these ditches and the majority of the discrete features around them appear to have been of Middle Bronze Age date. The northern ditch was the better dated of the two, producing 15 sherds of Middle Bronze Age Deverel-Rimbury pottery.
See report (S12) and NHER 64695 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 24 March 2021.