Late 19th century counter wall, Blue House Farm Nature Reserve (EHER 19589)

One of two counter walls (see also EHER 82914) which survives intact, though cut by the railway line, defining a discrete block of land with natural watercourses outside it on all but the northern side.

March-May 1999. Fieldwalking survey. One of two counter walls (see also EHER 82914) which has several short spur banks on the fleet side, forming causeways across the flanking ditches which allowed for safe passage of man and beast onto the fleet pasture when the drains were full. In many cases the causeways are lower than the tops of the counter walls, perhaps indicating that they relate to an earlier phase of wall, even in those places where there is no visible evidence for heightening. Formerly there were many more ways across the drainage ditches: the 1814 maps indicates several 'crossing points' one of which corresponds to a causeway visible in the field. This record records 'wall 15' which survives intact, though cut by the railway line, defining a discrete block of land with natural watercourses outside it on all but the northern side. It looks to have been driven south from higher ground in Purleigh to reclaim land up to the edge of the fleet. The two northern ends lead onto trackways which lead to the Woodham-Althorne road. A short stretch of a spur off of this wall was recorded (wall 16). <1>