Monument record SOL 035 - Cropmarks of possible Roman settlement site

September 2013. Lothingland, Lowestoft and North Suffolk Coast and Heaths National Mapping Programme.
The cropmark of a double-ditched enclosure and associated ditches and pits, possibly representing a farmstead or higher status settlement of Roman date, is visible on aerial photographs (S1-S2). The site is centred on TM 5079 9746 and was formerly recorded under SOL 002, which now relates to a field system of probable later prehistoric to Roman date, part of which either underlies or overlies this enclosure. The morphology of this site would fit well with it representing a small settlement of Roman date. The regularity of the site, level of internal sub-division and the presence of the external double-ditches could suggest a settlement of some status and perhaps even a villa. Although there is no definite evidence of stone-buildings or anything to definitively indicate the presence of a villa visible on the aerial photographs, it is worth noting that several possible sub rectangular parched areas were visible across the site in 2006 (S2), although the archaeological significance of these was unclear and these were not mapped. A cluster of large sub-rectangular pits is located in the southwestern corner of the site and may relate to sunken features structures. Roman and Saxon finds have been recovered to the east of this site (for example BLN 025 and BLN Misc – MSF14588 & MSF12043).
S. Horlock (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 12th September 2013.

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 (S3) for further details.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk County Council Environment Team), 21 March 2023.