NHER 40196 (Monument record) - Medieval building, probable merchant's premises, Stonegate Street

February to March 2004. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site. From context 1.
The earliest evidence comprised peat deposits interspersed by flood deposits. These provided good preservation conditions which allowed the survival of the remains of an early timber revetment, which places the north bank of the Millfleet some 15m further north than was previously thought, or the presence of a small wharf to the north of the Millfleet.
Evidence for occupation took the form of floor surfaces interspersed by flood deposits. A substantial limestone wall running north-south demonstrated several phases of rebuilding.
See report (S1) for further details.
J. Allen (NLA), 5 March 2004. Amended A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 9 May 2019.

May 2004. Excavation.
Exposure and sample excavation of medieval building revealed during preceding trial trench evaluation. Contexts 200-216.
The objective of this excavation was to uncover and map but not fully excavate the medieval structural remains identified in the evaluation in order that these may be preserved through appropriate redesigning of the proposed development. The surviving elements of this substantial building comprised two north-south aligned walls spaced approximately 5.4m apart and representing the east and west walls of a probable rectangular structure of more than 23m in length. There was no clear evidence of door openings on either of these walls. This building appears similar to an L-shaped hall and chamber block excavated at Baker Lane (NHER 1219). Finds from the excavation suggest a 14th century date for this structure., a crushed mortar floor surface was identified adjacent to the east wall of the building and appeared contemporary with the construction of the wall. This floor was sealed by flood deposits suggesting a severe flooding episode most likely followed by the abandonment of the hall as there was no evidence of raised or reestablished floor surfaces. The building was aligned with its gable towards the Millfleet/Miln Lane (modern Stonegate Street). It is feasible that the structure was a merchant's hall, set back from Miln Lane and the Millfleet where possibly wharves and a waterfront were situated.
See report (S2) for further details.
Draft publication (S3) pushes the construction of the building into the 15th century, noting 15th-16th century from a secure context beneath the structure's floor. (S3) also notes that the Millfleet was further north than had previously been assumed (see NHER 1133 and results of evaluation above) and therefore this building would have been very close to the channel, rather than lying back from it. This further supports the assertion that this was a merchant's property, as many such complexes are known to have been undivided, with warehouses and passages linking the main house to an associated quay. The use of limestone suggests that whoever commissioned this building was relatively wealthy. (S3) refutes the assertion by the excavator (S2) that flooding is likely to have resulted in the abandonment of the property but instead proposes that its demise may have resulted from the owner's relocation, and that by 1600 most merchants are thought to have moved to more northerly parts of the town as the waterways became silted up.
The results of this work are also summarised in (S4).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2018.191).
J. Allen (NLA), 8 June 2004. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 29 June 2015 and 27 April 2019. Amended by A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 9 May 2019.