NHER 55679 (Monument record) - ?Roman, medieval and post-medieval features and multi-period finds

May 2010. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of proposed development site.
See report (S1) for further details.
S. Howard (HES), 30 August 2011.

January 2011. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development site.
This survey identified a number of linear anomalies likely to represent field boundaries of unknown date. Possible rectilinear enclosures were identified in the western part of the site, with several other, similarly-aligned linear features present to the east. It is possible that at least some of these features are related to the extensive series of undated cropmark enclosures and linear boundaries that have been identified on the opposite site of the Yarmouth Road (NHERs 45139 and 45140).
See report (S2) for further details.
S. Howard (HES), 12 June 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 13 January 2015.

August-September 2011. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
The 20 trenches excavated revealed a total of 37 archaeologically significant features. The greatest concentration of remains was in a trench at the southern edge of the site, close to the Yarmouth Road. Here a number of pits, ditches and gullies were exposed, the majority of which could be dated to the medieval period (12th to 13th century). These remains were not detected by the geophysical survey due to the presence of an overlying layer of hard-core and the proximity of a gas pipe. The presence of pottery, fired clay/daub and a quern stone fragment suggested nearby domestic activity, although the densities of artefacts were low and an environmental sample taken from one of the pits yielded poor results. The intercutting nature of some of the linear features suggests at least two phases of medieval activity are represented by these remains.
In most cases the geophysical anomalies were found to be associated with corresponding ditches, although dating evidence was sparse. One of these features - part of a possible enclosure - did however produce a small amount of Roman pottery and it is therefore possible that some boundaries were of this date (albeit clearly some distance from any form of settlement focus). The finds in two of the ditches suggested they were probably the remains of post-medieval field boundaries.
Features identified elsewhere that had not been detected by the geophysical survey included three parallel potentially Roman gullies (?planting beds), a medieval quarry pit, undated ditches, an undated pit and several probable tree throw hollows.
Limited prehistoric activity on the site was indicated by a small assemblage of 11 worked flints, a number of which were associated with a blade-based industry of Mesolithic or Early Neolithic date. Several of the flakes are however cruder and suggestive of a later Neolithic/Early Bronze Age industry. These piece were all either from unstratified contexts or residual in later features. A number of brick and tile fragments and sherds of post-medieval pottery were also recovered from unstratified contexts.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 January 2015.