Monument record HRK 007 - Enclosure East of Nether Hall

Cropmarks reveal an irregular enclosure with internal trackways of a type rarely seen in this part of E Anglia. The site was under cultivation at the time of the visit and nothing was seen on the ground (S1).
Roughly D-shaped enclosure with straight side to E. Entrance in approx centre of W side, whence ditched track runs into interior. Interior contains other sets of parallel ditches and at least one large dark patch (S1). Enclosure and rest of field criss-crossed by other linear crop marks, drains ? Field also contains possible periglacial features (S1). (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s)(owner) says that large dark patch visible was a gravel pit within his lifetime. Field occupies a S-facing slope overlooking the Stour estuary and has gravel subsoil. E-centre, where D-shaped enclosure lies, is slight natural plateau. Field under sugar beet at time of visit, with bare soil between rows well-weathered; but no trace of soil marks or artefacts could seen (S1).
1991: Said to be maintained. West side in good condition, trimmed recently. South side very thin, perhaps changed by wind. Only two sides remain." (S4).
A possible Bronze Age or Iron Age settlement enclosure is visible as the cropmarks of ditches on aerial photographs, centred on (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) in the field to the east of Nether Hall in Harkstead parish. The main enclosure ditch forms an irregular 'D' shape and encloses an area of approximately 140m by 90m. To the west, on the curved side of the 'D', an entrance is visible defined by the inturn of the main enclosure ditch and a narrow ditched trackway which runs parallel to the main enclosure ditch to the north before running through the entrance into the enclosure and then turning south. The enclosure is divided internally by a number of ditched trackways and boundaries. A number of these divisions, including the trackway that runs through the entrance, appear to continue beyond the enclosure, suggesting more than one phase of activity. A narrow ring ditch is visible within the main enclosure at (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s). The ring ditch encloses an area of 12m in diameter and may be located within a rectilinear compound defined within the main enclosure. The ring ditch may represent the foundation trench or eaves-drip gully of a round house. Another sub-circular ring ditch is visible just outside the main enclosure ditch, to the south of the entrance at (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s). The ring ditch encloses an area of 8m in diameter at its widest point and the eastern side of the ditch appears to respect and run parallel to the main enclosure ditch, suggesting that the sub-circular ring ditch was constructed after the main enclosure ditch. The general layout of the enclosure suggests that it may be a small settlement of Bronze Age or Iron Age date though there is no supporting evidence for this interpretation. The site sits on a spur of level ground with the land sloping down to the Stour estuary on the south, east and west sides. The enclosure does not appear to be directly related to the field system cropmarks that are also visible in this field (HRK 072). A Post Medieval field boundary runs through the centre of the site (HRK 073). (S5-S10)