NHER 1016 (Monument record) - Late Saxon building and medieval kiln site, Pott Row

1964.
Medieval/Post medieval pottery kiln found.

1968.
Medieval pot found.

Excavation. 1970.
Carried out by K. Wade for Norfolk Research Committee and D.o.E., revealed the floor of a pottery-kiln which had four flutes. A large quantity of organic material which includes leather, wood and cloth were recorded along with eighteen complete glazed jugs. Unstratified material from the top soil is able to inform about what types of vessels being produced. However, below the medieval and levels on the site there where a number of features which contained Thetford ware of the Grimstone type. It has been suggested from this evidence that Pott Row had been established as a pottery from at least as early as the 1100 and was still in use until 1500.
See (S4) for further information.
M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 23 May 2013.

Excavation. 1971.
Carried out by K. Wade for Norfolk Research Committee and D.o.E. on the remaining part of the site produced three phases of activity.
In the phase l of activity ranging from the12th to the mid-13th century, there were thirteen ditches which ran across in a north-south orientation; two semi-circular features were also recorded. Fifteen post-holes, where also recorded in this phase of which formed a structure 6 by more than 7 m. Pottery found in this phase included Thetford ware of Grimston type and early glazed wares confirm that pottery production was continuous from Saxon-Norman to medieval times.
In phase ll ranging from the 13th to the 14th century, a clunch-lined and flint well was built, there was also a timber building which consisted of six large post-holes, which formed a rectangle measuring 7 by 4 meters and was erected south of the well. In this phase the associated pottery include 'decorated' green-glazed ware, commonly associated with Grimston kilns.
In phase lll which ranges from the 15th to the 16th century, a large building measuring 20 by 5 meters was recorded, this building has a hard clay floor that had an average thickness of 30 cm and was resting on a hard core of broken pottery. At the end of the period and also of the pottery production the well silted up and a building was erected facing onto Ashwicken Road.
See (S2) for more details and information taken from (S5).
See drawing (S7).
S. Spooner (NLA) 17 January 2006 amended by M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 23 May 2013.

1973.
Medieval sherds found.

1974.
Survey produced kiln debris and Late Saxon ditch.

1996 or before.
Miniature medieval jar. See drawing (S6).
See full details, photographs and (S1) in file.
D. Gurney (NLA) 8 May 1996.

February 2012. Excavation.
Archaeological Solutions Ltd (AS) carried out an excavation on land south of 21 Ashwicken Road, Pott Row (TF 7055 2175; Context numbers 1000-1041).
The site incorporates areas C, G and H of the excavation of 1970 described above and in (S2). Eighteen features were excavated, principally ditches, the earliest of which was a pit feature containing Late Saxon-medieval pottery. No evidence of the post-built structures identified in the excavation of 1970 was encountered. Almost the entire pottery assemblage was identified as Grimston-Thetford or Grimston ware.
See report (S3) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S9).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2013.38).
E. Bales (HES) 28 May 2012. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 16 May 2019.