Peddar's Way, Ringstead, North-West Norfolk.

The photograph was taken from position Ordnance Survey TF 707 412 on 21st.May 2001 at 17.25 hrs.

Peddar's Way is the ancient roadway dating from Roman times, and where it passes through the village of Ringstead, has over the centuries become diverted from its original path.   The track still appears at certain times either after ploughing, or as crop marks.   In this photograph the path can be seen faintly visible across the field, leading from bottom right towards an existing section of  Peddar's Way alongside the yellow field where it disappears over the horizon.     The faint whiteness of the path in the ploughed field of the foreground is the chalk that once formed the road surface, still visible after centuries of  disuse. It would seem that the village developed to the west of the old Peddar's Way, around the ruined church at Ringstead Bury and the existing church in the High Street.    The old Roman Road might then have fallen into disuse, and gradually become abandoned to agriculture.

Peddar's Way can be traced on the map from Holme-next-the-Sea to Castle Acre, and then on to connect with the Icknield Way near Thetford.

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