Monument record STN 169 - Ridges, of unknown but possible post medieval or modern date

December 2017. 'Brecks from Above' and Breckland National Mapping Programme.
Ridges reminiscent of ridge and furrow are visible as earthworks on imagery from a lidar survey flown in 2015 (S1). Their date is uncertain, but a post medieval to modern date seems probable as they share their orientation with boundaries depicted on historical Ordnance Survey maps (such as S2; or are aligned perpendicular to them). Two alignments are evident, orientated at 90 degrees to each other; these may represent two phases of ridging, or cross ridging in successive years. They may be the vestiges of former cultivation of the heathland, either for arable agriculture or to grow forage crops for rabbits. However, given their potentially 19th or early 20th century date, they are perhaps more likely to be ridges for an earlier plantation. The ridges may be contemporary with at least some of the undated, probably post medieval tracks and boundaries mapped across the same area (SHER STN 171); other areas of ridging have been identified nearby (SHER STN 168 and STN170).
S. Tremlett (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 11th December 2017.