NHER 39662 (Monument record) - 13th century salt works, Clenchwarton Road

September 2003. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site. Contexts 1-126.
Investigations revealed dumped waste and a pit associated with salt production. A sherd of pottery of 13th-15th century date was retrieved from a deposit which directly overlaid some of the dumped waste, but there is no clear indication of date. The waste material from salt production formed a mound seen in the south western corner of the area of the evaluation. Three undated gullies identified nearby may be related to salt production.
Other archaeological remains were restricted to a refuse pit of 17th to 18th century date on the east side of the site.
See report (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 25 January 2005.

March to May 2004. Excavation.
Excavation of area in south-west corner of site. From context 200.
The excavation revealed five additional gullies, channels or ditches, two pits and a pond, all thought to be associated with salt production and all of 13th century date. The mound discovered during the evaluation was proven to be the overbank deposits of an extinct channel, likely to be the edge of an old course of the River Great Ouse. A fragment of lead waste retrieved from one of the gullies may have been part of a lead boiling pan. Briquetage retrieved from the site represents only the second known example of the use of ceramic equipment in saltmaking in the area in this period, although the exact method of salt production used at this site is unclear.
See report (S3) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S4).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 24 May 2007.

A combined archive comprising material from both phases of archaeological work at this site has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2016.342).
P. Watkins (HES), 23 June 2019.