Monument record COR 012 - Cropmarks of a field system and trackway of unknown but possible Roman date

Field system of rectilinear form. A rectilinear enclosure (COR 013) is formed on one of the E-W boundaries and using the boundary as one arm. A trackway forms part of the system (S1).
Cropmarks of the field system and trackways are visible on 1976 aerial photographs (S2).
The cropmark landscape, centred on circa TM53019899, is also visible on an aerial photograph of 1996 (S3). The cropmarks are probably the remains of a ditched field system, possibly of Medieval or Post Medieval date as the orientation of the boundaries is similar to that of the current fields. It is also probable that more than one phase is represented, as the ditched trackway immediately to the west of the enclosure COR 013 appears to cut, or to be cut by, the boundary cropmarks. The cropmarks extend into the adjacent fields in all directions and probably form a much larger cropmark landscape than is visible on the limited sources available (see COR 014 and COR 017).

January 2014. Lothingland, Lowestoft and North Suffolk Coast and Heaths National Mapping Programme.
Further assessment of aerial photographs for this site has revealed additional cropmarks visible on aerial photographs to the west of those already mapped (S5-S8). These fields and enclosures form part of a system recorded under COR 014. The field system appears to form a continuation or extension of the extensive co-axial field system recorded to the north in Norfolk (NHER 43495) – or at least orientated and arranged in the same manner. The extensive fields and enclosures recorded to the west (LUD 016) are also aligned the same and are likely to be broadly contemporary. A Roman date has been put forward for both these areas of fields, although further assessment is needed. While it is feasible that a medieval to post medieval date is possible (as suggested in the above NMP entry), however the fact that these fields are located on an area shown as being predominantly on common on Hodskinson’s map of 1783 (S9), - as are the dense strip of fields to the north in Norfolk (NHER 43495) – and the fact that they do not respect or relate to the two parish boundaries running through the site, would seem to indicate an earlier date for many of the field boundaries.
This site also includes some fragmentary ditches likely to be part of a different phase of fields, potentially earlier in date.
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 (S9) for further details.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk County Council Environment Team), 21 March 2023.