Monument record ADT 003 - Prehistoric or Roman cropmark settlement site consisting of enclosures and trackways. (Preh)

A Prehistoric or Roman settlement site and possible field system can be seen on aerial photographs to the north-west of Alderton House (S1)(S2).
The complex pattern of possible Prehistoric or Roman ditched trackways and settlement enclosures referred to above can be seen on aerial photographs, centred on TM 32474116. The site consists of three main curvilinear trackways which are converging at TM 32424162, TM 32444109 and TM 32604116, forming a roughly triangular area in the centre of the site. To the southern end of the site are a number of partially visible curvilinear enclosures, including one large enclosure around 75m in diameter at TM 32414102. Inside these enclosures there are a number of pits which have not be plotted as they could be natural or archaeological in nature. A possible hut circle is also visible at the south end of the site at TM 32484105. A large rectilinear enclosure is also visible at TM 32394113. The majority of the enclosures appear to be related to the curvilinear trackways although this site is undoubtedly multi-phase and there are part of the trackways that appear to have been recut on slightly different alignments. There are a number of feature which may be partially visible enclosure boundary ditches. The linear ditched feature running roughly east to west across the site (TM 32384107 to TM 32554113) may be the remnants of a much later phase of land division. In the field to the east, centred on TM 3288411, there are also a number of linear ditches which may be related to the settlement site or its associated field systems. The linear which cuts the ring ditch (see ADT 029) appears to continue on the alignment of one of the trackways (S1) (S2) (S3). (S5)
Also various pieces undated metalwork found metal detecting (S4).
Also BA, IA, Sax strapend, Rom scatter.
These finds may not be directly related to the cropmark site. (S5)
See ADT 029 for ring ditch.

February 2016. Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Beauty National Mapping Programme.
A significant number of additional features have been added to the mapping of this site from Google Earth imagery (S6). In particular the area of dense subdivisions and enclosures within the main triangular area defined by trackways. Also defined within this area were some sub-rectangular areas of differential ground level or compaction. The transitional reversal effect on the cropmarks visible (S6) makes it hard to completely certain, but these would appear to be either sunken or perhaps more nutrient rich. This may suggest that some of these enclosed areas were being used as paddocks or stock enclosures or perhaps for a particular activity. A similar level of subdivision is recorded to the west of the main north-south trackway also. A number of small sub-rectangular and curvilinear enclosures were also mapped. A possible area of pit-like features or ground disturbance was identified to the north of the north eastern trackway (defined by an extent of feature polygon). It is interesting to note that this corresponds with any area of finds, including Saxon material and could feasibly indicate Saxon settlement and/or funerary activity at the site.
The site has been extended slightly to include additional mapping. Although the division between the more fragmentary cropmarks on the periphery is fairly arbitrary as features continue into RMS 011 and ADT 090.
S. Horlock (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 16th February 2016.