NHER 49757 (Monument record) - Prehistoric, Roman, post-medieval and undated features

2004-2005. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road.
See reports (S1) and (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 28 July 2015.

December 2006-January 2007. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Areas 7 and 8).
Several discrete positive anomalies were noted in the western half of the field but it is uncertain whether these represent archaeologically significant features.
See report (S3) for further details.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 18 September 2009. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 3 April 2018.

October 2007. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Phase 2).
Two trenches were excavated in order to investigate discrete anomalies identified during the earlier geophysical survey.
Both of the anomalies investigated were found to correspond with large features of probable natural origin.
See report (S4) for further details.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.362).
S. Howard (NLA), 25 November 2009. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 29 July 2015 and 20 June 2019.

January 2010. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of section of proposed Postwick Hub (Site PH; Trenches 2-4).
Two of the three trenches excavated in this field revealed archaeologically significant features. These remains included two undated ditches and a probable tree throw hollow. A deep colluvial deposit was also present in the westernmost trench.
A trench positioned in order to investigate two previously identified north-east to south-west aligned linear cropmarks (NHER 52038) failed to reveal any corresponding sub-surface features.
Unstratified finds recovered during this work included a potentially Mesolithic/Early Neolithic flint core fragment, a small number of later prehistoric worked flints and a post-medieval thimble and buckle.
See report (S5) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S6).
P. Watkins (HES), 29 July 2015.

January-February 2010. Trial Trenching
Evaluation of site of proposed contractors' compound for the Norwich Northern Distributor Route.
The single trench excavated in this field (Trench 33) revealed two shallow possible ditches, both of which appeared to terminate within the trench. Neither produced any finds.
See report (S7) for further details and NHER 60055 for information on the other trenches excavated in the field to the north.
P. Watkins (HES), 19 March 2018.

April-June 2014. Strip Map and Sample Excavation.
Excavation of two relatively small areas prior to construction of new road hub at Postwick (Area 1).
This excavation revealed several ditches and a range of discrete features, although unfortunately little in the way of dating evidence was recovered.
Two parallel north-north-west to south-south-east aligned ditches appear to represent the continuation of fragmentary cropmarks recorded to the south (NHER 52038). These cropmarks appear to represent a trackway that was probably associated with a pair of rectilinear enclosures at its southern end (NHER 52039). The excavated ditches were undated, producing only a small number of prehistoric worked flints. As the cropmarks have been tentatively dated as Late Iron Age/Roman the lack of later material is notable. This is now one of several sites where features associated with these and other, similarly-aligned cropmarks have been found to contain only small amounts of Neolithic to Bronze Age material.
Probable pits of varying size and shape were scattered across the excavated areas, displaying little obvious clustering. The majority produced either no finds or only small numbers of prehistoric worked flints. The one exception was a feature described as a ‘burnt pit’ from which several Roman pottery sherds were recovered.
A number of possible post-holes and several probable natural features were also recorded.
See report (S8) for further details. Published article and archive report awaited.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.248).
P. Watkins (HES), 3 April 2018. Amended 19 May 2019.

April-May 2015. Trial Trenching.
Excavation of eight evaluation trenches in south-east portion of field, to north of Heath Farm (Trenches 1-7 and 11).
A single undated post-hole was the only archaeologically-significant feature observed. Although two of the trenches were positioned in order to investigate previously recorded fragmentary linear cropmarks (NHER 52038) no corresponding sub-surface remains were identified.
No unstratified finds were recovered.
See report (S9) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 27 March 2018.

November-December 2019. Trial Trenching.
Two trenches excavated at southern edge of site, along proposed route of new access road within Broadland Gate development (Trenches 1-2).
The only feature identified was a probable east-to-west aligned ditch in the western trench that produced post-medieval brick fragments, post-medieval iron nails and a fragment of late post-medieval/modern bottle glass. Much of this trench was covered with rubble and other material deposited to create firmer ground for farm machinery using an adjacent gate.
Although the trench to the east coincided with several previously recorded north-north-west to south-south-east aligned linear cropmarks (part of group recorded as NHER 52038) no associated sub-surface remains were recorded.
See report (S10) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2020.10).
P. Watkins (HES), 9 March 2021. Amended 3 July 2021.

June 2020. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development plot within Broadland Gate development (Plot 2a).
This phase of work saw the excavation of nine trenches in the north-eastern part of the site. These revealed a number of ditches, included several that appear to have been associated with previously mapped linear cropmarks (part of a group recorded as NHER 52038). The most notable of these was a north-to-south aligned feature that could be convincingly dated to the Roman period - the various slots excavated producing a total of 33 Roman pottery sherds. A single Roman pottery sherd recovered from one of two perpendicular, east-to-west aligned ditches was the only other find of this date recovered. The main Roman ditch was almost certainly associated with one of the cropmarks mapped at this location. Samples taken from this feature produced a range of carbonised plant remains (albeit at low densities), with this material likely to represent background debris from arable and/or domestic processing activity. Cereal remains present included glume bases of spelt wheat, the primary Roman wheat species.
The remaining, undated features included a north-east to south-west aligned ditch that coincided with one of the previously recorded cropmarks and a small curvilinear feature partially exposed at the end of a trench that may have represented the remains of some form of ring-ditch.
A small number of Early Neolithic and Late Neolithic/Bronze Age worked flints provide some evidence for prehistoric activity at this location, although this material was all either unstratified or likely to be residual in later features. A single sherd of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age Beaker pottery in relatively unabraded condition was also found in the main Roman ditch.
Other unstratified finds recovered included a small number of unremarkable post-medieval, modern and undated metal objects.
See report (S11) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 9 March 2021.

November-December 2020. Excavation.
Final phase of archaeological mitigation prior the development of Broadland Gate Plot 2a.
Although the remains exposed were primarily Roman there was also important evidence for prehistoric activity, with a probable tree-throw hollow found to contain a semi-complete Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age Beaker vessel. Similar finds elsewhere suggest this was likely to represent a deliberate act of deposition. An east-to-west aligned ditch has been identified as potentially prehistoric, although it appears this is probably largely on stratigraphic grounds. The limited number of other prehistoric finds recovered included a single sherd of grog-tempered possible Early Bronze Age pottery and a small assemblage of worked flints.
This work saw further investigation of the north-to-south aligned Roman ditch that had been identified during the preceding trial trenching at this location. The bulk of the Roman pottery recovered came from this feature, along with two sherds of handmade Iron Age or Early Saxon pottery, fragments of Roman tile, pieces of daub, lava quern and a fragment of potentially Roman vessel glass. Other features of likely Roman date included a probable corn drier and an east-north-east to west-south-west aligned ditch at the northern end of the site. The Roman pottery is a mixed assemblage that comprises some early material of probable mid 1st to early- to mid-2nd-century date, along with a later Roman group.
Post-Roman remains appear to have been limited to a single post-medieval ditch.
Unstratified finds (some from a made ground deposit) included small amounts of Late Saxon, medieval, medieval/post-medieval, post-medieval and post-medieval/modern pottery; fragments of Roman or post-medieval tile, at least one medieval brick, post-medieval pantiles and pieces of clay tobacco pipe.
Information from brief assessment report (S12). Final reports awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 30 November 2023.

May 2021. Trial Trenching and Excavation.
Evaluation of site of proposed development area in central part of site (Broadland Gate Plot 1b), followed by targeted excavation.
One of the trenches revealed a large pit-like feature which was the focus of a small targeted excavation that took place immediately after the completion of the evaluation. The other seven trenches revealed nothing of archaeological interest, including one positioned to coincide with a north-west to south-east aligned linear cropmark mapped at this location (part of a group recorded as NHER 52038). Although this cropmark coincided with a linear feature this was deemed to be geological.
The subsequent phase of work saw the large pit-like feature fully exposed. This feature was sub-ovoid in plan with sides that became almost vertical towards its base. It proved impossible to fully excavate, being in excess of 1.2m deep. A number of sherds of Late Bronze Age pottery were recovered from the primary fill, along with a single probable Late Iron Age sherd. The extensive deposit filling much of the remainder of the feature also contained Late Bronze Age pottery, along with a single possible Iron Age sherd, two Roman sherds and a Roman or medieval sherd. A number of grog-tempered Bronze Age sherds and several Roman pottery sherds were also found pressed into apparently undisturbed natural deposits at the margins of this feature. It is noted that the Roman sherds are all small and abraded. A number of prehistoric worked flints were also recovered from the fills of this feature, along with more than 100 burnt flints. At least some of the flints were potentially contemporary with the Bronze Age pottery, although a number were almost certainly earlier, including two Upper Palaeolithic to Early Neolithic blades, an Early Neolithic core and a number of flakes of probable Neolithic or Early Bronze Age date. A sample taken from the main fill contained only a single charred barley grain and a small amount of charcoal. Although it is suggested the steep angle of rest of the primary fill indicates this was potentially a deliberately dug pit with some form of lining, its form is also be consistent with it having been a natural solution feature.
A number of other features were also revealed within the small excavation area, including two shallow pits with charcoal-rich primary fills and heat-scorched margins. Although described as fire pits they appear to have been very similar to features seen elsewhere in the Norwich environs that are now thought to have been associated with small-scale Saxon and medieval charcoal production. This suggestion is supported by the samples taken from the fills of these pits, which produced flots almost entirely composed of charcoal fragments, the bulk of which were oak. Charcoal from one of the pits returned a Middle Saxon radiocarbon date of 657-7756 cal AD at 95.4% probability (SUERC-107426; 1311 ± 24 BP).
The other features recorded included a shallow north-north-west to south-south-east aligned linear feature. This cut the fills of the large hollow but was otherwise of uncertain date, finds being limited to a single sherd of Late Bronze Age pottery and a small number of flints.
Unstratified finds recovered during these two phases of work included a small number of prehistoric worked flints, fragments of iron slag, a post-medieval pottery sherd and a small number of post-medieval to modern and undated metal objects.
See report (S13) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 10 December 2023.

September 2024. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development area in south-west corner of site (Broadland Gate Plot 1a).
The five trenches excavated revealed nothing of definite archaeological significance. There was evidence for considerable modern disturbance with deep track or type marks encountered in several of the trenches. It is possible that the single linear feature recorded was associated with this recent disturbance.
No finds were recovered.
See report (S14) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 8 January 2024.