NHER 26593 (Monument record) - Medieval to post medieval occupation, Baltic Wharf, Mountergate

September 2001 and November-December 2002. Trial Trenching. Context 1000-1049.
Evaluation at the Baltic Wharf, Mountergate.
The neighbouring archaeological investigations indicated that the site has high potential for remains dating from the Late Saxon, medieval and early post-medieval periods. The archaeological deposits are sealed by substantial (1.5m to 1.7m below existing ground surfaces) recent overburden and are well preserved. This overburden almost certain derives from the destruction of the previous 19th century works during German bombing in June 1942, and the subsequent clearance prior to construction of the present warehouse which currently occupies this site.
A substantial pit of late 15th to 16th century date, cutting several layers and deposits characteristic of land reclamation/dumping activity. Partially-revealed brushwood, tentatively identified as a platform or trackway, was recorded in the northern corner of Trench 1. It may have facilitated access to the waterfront and then been truncated by the cutting of the pit. Trench 2 revealed a sequence of substantial dumping and reclamation deposits. The tip lines of several of these deposits indicate that they may represent dumping in or at the edge of the contemporary river edge during the 15th and 16th centuries.
See reports (S1) and (S2) for further details (these reports also include information from a geotechnical investigation of the site). The results of this work are also summarised in (S3) and (S4).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2007.299).
J. Allen (NLA), 12 March 2003. Amended by Ruth Fillery-Travis (NLA), 13th March 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 5 May 2019.