NHER 39347 (Monument record) - Prehistoric trackway, Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age pits and undated ditches

January 1998. Desk-based Assessment.
Study of proposed South Gorleston Development Area.
An aerial photographic assessment undertaken as part of this work identified and mapped a range of potentially archaeologically significant cropmark features. Those at this location included a sinuous probable trackway and a range of other field boundaries.
These cropmarks are now recorded separately - the trackway as NHER 43529 and the various field boundaries under NHERs 43495, 45056 and 45057.
See report (S1) for further details. This assessment is also noted in (S2).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 7 January 2019.

August 1998. Trial Trenching.
Partial evaluation of southern half of site (South Gorleston Development Area Stage 1; Trenches 6-8 and 10-13).
The seven trenches excavated at this location were primarily positioned to target the previously identified cropmark features.
Two trenches located to coincide with the sinuous features now thought to represent a prehistoric trackway (NHER 43529) both exposed a number of corresponding ditches, although unfortunately finds were limited to a small number of worked flints.
Trenches elsewhere revealed a number of other ditches, as well as a range of discrete features. Two of the ditches corresponded with cropmarks now thought to potentially outlying elements of a Roman field system (NHER 43495), although finds were limited to three flint flakes and a single sherd of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age Beaker pottery. It is also possible that at least one of the roughly east-to-west aligned undated ditches exposed in the easternmost trench corresponded with cropmarks now recorded under NHER 45057.
Although various probable pits and post-holes were identified these were all of uncertain date, with finds being limited to a small number of worked flints. It was noted that several had charcoal-flecked fills.
See report (S3) for further details. The results of this work are also noted in (S4).
Previously recorded under NHER 11788.
P. Watkins (HES), 7 January 2019.

December 1998. Trial Trenching.
Partial evaluation of northern half of site (South Gorleston Development Area Stage 2).
Five of the six trenches excavated were positioned to target previously identified cropmark features.
Three of the trenches were placed across the sinuous cropmarks associated with the probable prehistoric trackway (NHER 43529), all of which were again found to be associated with sub-surface remains. Although these ditches were reasonably substantial, finds were limited to two sherds of Iron Age pottery, a single possible Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age sherd and a small number of prehistoric worked flints.
Trenches placed to investigate north-to-south and north-north-east to south-south-west aligned cropmarks (both now recorded under NHER 45056) failed to identify any corresponding features.
A trench excavated to the west of the cropmarks identified at this time revealed a cluster of features, including ditches and a number of possible pits and post-holes. Finds were limited to a small number of potentially prehistoric pottery sherds and a single worked flint. Possible pits were also identified in several of the other trenches, although these were all fairly unremarkable and produced no dating evidence. It is possible that one of the ditches in this trench was associated with a subsequently mapped north-north-west to south-south-east aligned cropmark (recorded under NHER 45057).
See report (S5) for full details.
Previously recorded under NHER 11788.
P. Watkins (HES), 15 March 2019.

February-March 1999. Excavation.
South Gorleston Development Area (Construction Phase 1).
Excavation of areas to be affected by construction of new roads and drainage works within South Gorleston Development Area.
Notable discoveries included six pits of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age date, five of which forms a distinct cluster. The pits in this group were all sub-circular with steep sides and fairly flat bases. Their fills contained patches of black silt and charcoal and they produced significant amounts of Beaker pottery as well as several hundred worked flints. A number of pieces of fine-grained sandstone were also recovered, including an elongating rubbing stone and another with flat grinding surfaces. The worked flint assemblage was consistent with a Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age date and included two fragments from a polished axehead. The pottery comprised sherds from at least five vessels and had not been deposited immediately after breakage, with many of the fragments showing signs of ancient weathering. At least one join was identified between sherds in different pits, suggesting they had been open at the same time. The isolated pit was of similar character to those in the main group and also produced a large number of abraded Beaker sherds, along with a small number that could have been from an Early Bronze Age Food Vessel or Collared Urn.
This work also provided another opportunity to examined some of the previous identified cropmarks. Sections of ditches associated with both sides of the probable prehistoric trackway (NHER 43529) were investigated and although these were again shown to be substantial features no dating evidence was recovered. Two of the other ditches excavated correspond with north-north-west to south-south-east and east-north-east to west-south-west aligned cropmarks now through to represent some of the northernmost elements of an extensive field system of probable Roman date (NHER 43495). Both features had been investigated during the Phase 1 evaluation and as then no clear dating evidence was recovered. The only other ditch identified was associated with the field boundary that had formerly bisected the site.
Although a large number of other discrete features were identified most, if not all, were of probable natural origin.
See report (S6) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S7). The Beaker pits are amongst those considered in (S8).
Previously recorded under NHER 11788.
P. Watkins (HES), 15 March 2019.

A combined archive comprising material from the three phases of fieldwork undertaken between 1998 and 1999 has now been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2016.194).
P. Watkins (HES), 18 June 2020.

June 2001. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks at Plot 2A, South Gorleston Business Park (a relatively small area in the south-west corner of the site.
A number of relatively recent probable drainage features were recorded.
The finds recovered were almost exclusively of late post-medieval to modern date.
See report (S9) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S10).
Previously recorded under NHER 11788.
D. Gurney (NLA), 5 October 2001. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 14 May 2018.

May 2003. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of topsoil stripping for housing development. Contexts 1 to 8.
Apart from a few post-medieval or modern field drains and an undated pit no features of archaeological interest were observed.
Finds recovered included a small number of Late Prehistoric worked flints, post-medieval pottery sherds and post-medieval and modern metalwork.
See report (S11) for further details.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.433).
S. Spooner (NLA) 6 December 2005. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 20 July 2019.