NHER 38600 (Monument record) - Possible Saxon settlement site

April 2004. Norfolk NMP.
Cropmarks of over thirty pits, possibly early Saxon grubenhauser, are visible on aerial photographs (S1and 2). The pits extend for a distance of 300m along a ridge and are clustered into four groups centred on TG 3680 2892. The visibility of the cropmarks was mainly restricted to the area of different geology along the ridge and other pits may be present to the north and south. Many of the pits are rectangular or sub rectangular in plan and they vary in size from 2m by 1.5m up to 7.5m by 4.5m. Pits in the upper half of this size range may be grubenhauser associated with an early to middle Saxon settlement. The easternmost group of pits, located at TG 3690 2895, contains a mixture of small and large pits, some of which overlap. A short section of ditch between the largest two pits in this group appears to continue the line of an undated ditch further to the east (NHER 38599). The second group around TG 3684 2895 comprises mainly of small pits. The third group is located immediately southwest of Vicarage Road around TG 3680 2892. One of the pits in this group is positioned on the line of an enclosure ditch of unknown date (NHER 38607). The most western group of pits is dispersed over 115m around TG 3668 2886. The site lies around a small round barrow cemetery (NHER 21836, 38597, 38598) and probable medieval to post medieval field system (NHER 38599). Further possible grubenhauser are located 0.5km to the southwest (NHER 36758). Interpretation of the pits at this site as grubenhauser is based on their generally rectangular shape. It is however possible that they represent dispersed gravel extraction along the ridge at an unknown date.
See also adjacent cropmarks NHER 38599, 38607, 39185, 21836, 38597, 38598 and 36758.
(S1 and 2).
J. Albone (NMP), 8 April 2004.