NHER 45329 (Monument record) - Late Roman and Middle Saxon activity, Uplands

June 2006. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site located on the eastern side of the Roman 'Saxon Shore' fort at Caister on Sea.
Three trenches excavated. Contexts 1-67.
A sequence of deposits related to the disuse of the defences of the Roman 'Saxon Shore' fort was recorded in section.
Some dating material was extracted from the infill of one of the defensive ditches.
A Middle Saxon pit was found within the perimeters of the fort which contained large quantities of residual Late Roman pottery and other refuse.
Several other features nearby were excavated which also produced Late Roman pottery but which may actually relate to Middle Saxon activity.
See report (S1) and (S2) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S3).
Note that deposits within these trenches were machined rather than hand excavated as intended - see newspaper article (S4).
J. Allen (NLA), 13 March 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 22 July 2015.

June-July 2008. Excavation.
Hand excavation of foundation trenches for two new residential dwellings and detached garage. Contexts from 100.
Features including an early road surface predating the Roman rampart, two probable middle Saxon burials that may form the eastern edge of an intramural cemetery and a possible late Roman/middle Saxon building or fence line were located during excavation. The recovery of flint artfacts including a blade, flakes and burnt flint indicate later Neolithic or possible Bronze Age activity within the vicinity. The pottery and ceramic building maerials recovered dated to the Roman and post-medieval periods. 36 Roman coins and a copper disc were found by metal detector survey of the features and spoil during the excavation. The condition was very poor and identification would only be possible using X-ray. A middle Saxon 'E' sceatta was also recovered.
See assessment report (S5) for further details.
See also (S6).
S. Howard (NLA), 9 December 2009.

A combined archive comprising material from both phases of archaeological work at this site has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.111).
P. Watkins (HES), 18 May 2019.