Monument record LUD 008 - Cropmarks and soilmarks of rectilinear enclosures, field boundaries and trackways of uncertain date

Cropmarks of field systems, multi-period, indistinct, rectilinear. NAU AP, 1975 (S1).

January 2014. Lothingland, Lowestoft and North Suffolk Coast and Heaths National Mapping Programme.
The cropmarks and soilmarks of rectilinear enclosures, field boundaries and trackways of uncertain date, but potentially Roman through to medieval to post medieval date, are visible on aerial photographs (S3-S9, S13). The site is centred on TM 5156 9927. It is not possible within the current project scope to attempt to refine the phasing of some of the complex areas of cropmarks and this site is likely to represent several phases of boundaries and tracks. Although boundaries related to a broadly different phase have been separated out and are recorded under LUD 050. Cropmarks of a similar alignment have been recorded to the north and west (LUD 016) and to the southeast (for example LUD 018). The trackway running across these enclosures follows the same alignment as the parallel tracks within LUD 008 and is likely to represent part of the same extensive landscape. Some bank and ditch features previously recorded by the Norfolk Coast NMP have been added into the northeastern edge of this site. These originally formed part of NHER 45165 (S11-S12).
Although none of these boundaries are depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition map (S10) and in many cases appear to underlie them – in particular those cut by Jay Lane – the general orientation of them in places is the same as the surrounding medieval to post medieval boundaries, although this may just reflect the continuing influence of earlier features in landscape development. The western part of the site clearly incorporates elements of features, relating to the phase of fields recorded as part of SOL 010 and LUD 018. Whilst it is feasible that this cropmark landscape represents a historic one that has been subject to a massive degree of boundary change. On morphological grounds these enclosures, trackways and fields could be interpreted as being Roman in date, in particular to those enclosures within the eastern part of the site, which potentially have internal roundhouses or similar circular structures, see LUD 043 for details. Although it is worth noting that Middle Saxon pottery has been found within the eastern part of the site (LUD 005).
S. Horlock (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 28th January 2014.

March 2023. Assessment of the Character and Significance of East Anglian Field Systems project.
The site described above was included in the dataset analysed for the Historic England-funded Assessment of East Anglian Field Systems project. See the project report (S14) for further details.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk County Council Environment Team), 21 March 2023.