A boundary bank in Thetford Warren, Norfolk

This represents a survey of a linear earthwork, that originally curved around for 700 me­tres, enclosing an area of gravel terrace and valley bottom peat fen adjacent to the Little Ouse River. It is shown on O.S as a dark line, running around an area named 'New Plantation'. The boundary is not shown on the 1805 Thetford Enclosure Map (held at the West Suffolk CRO), but is shown as an area of plantation on the 1906 O.S 1:2500 map. Subsequently, the boundary bank does appear to date to the 19th century, and is simply a woodland boundary bank.

Forestry operations are damaging the bank. In recent years, a 130 metre long section has been totally destroyed where it crossed a part of compartment 5040 that has been re­stocked, leaving only a sand-mark. This despite the restocked area not being destumped. A further 11 gaps have been made in the bank: 3 for paths, and 8 for access during past forestry operations. Although this earthwork is of minimal archaeological value, the survey does show how unrecorded earthworks can be damaged, even in non-destump areas of the forest.

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A microlith was recovered from the sand-mark, where the 130 metre long section of bank had been removed, at TL 8504 8455. Next Image