NHER 56767 (Negative evidence record) - Site of negative survey, Mendham Lane, Harleston

October-November 2011. Geophysical Survey.
A detailed magnetometry survey was carried out over two arable fields. The only magnetic response of possible archaeological interest was a small positive anomaly in the eastern field interpreted as a possible pit.
Other responses in the eastern field included traces of a former north-south field boundary depicted on the Harleston tithe map and Ordnance Survey mapping, two further possible field boundaries running parallel to the known field division, disturbances caused by two former ponds (now in-filled), and the route of a modern pipe.
The western field was dominated by two large areas of magnetic noise indicating the presence of building rubble and other modern debris. This is believed to be derived the from the remains of two former buildings known to have stoof in this area during the last century. No magnetic anomalies of archaeological interest were observed in the western field.
See report (S1) for further details.
S. Howard (HES), 24 February 2012. Updated by H. Hamilton (HES), 09 March 2015.

July-August 2013. Trial Trenching.
Eighteen trial trenches were excavated within two fields in advance of proposed development.
In the western field, trenches 1, 2 and 6 were positioned to target ferrous anomalies previously identified via geophysical survey. Trenches 1 and 6 revealed only modern field drains, but the drains contained modern ferrous debris which may be the source of the anomalies detected in these areas. Building debris was visible in the topsoil and subsoil in trenches 2, 4, and 5 and was likely the source of additional magnetic responses.
In the eastern field trench 12 was positioned to investigate the possible pit noted during the 2011 geophysical survey but no evidence of this feature was encountered. Traces of the former field boundary (also detected during the geophysical survey) were present in trenches 9 and 18 but this feature was not excavated as it was deemed to be modern, having been removed sometime between 1975 and 1991.
Features across the remainder of the excavated areas were limited to modern plough scars and field drains. No archaeological finds were recorded.
See report (S2) for further information.
H. Hamilton (HES), 27 November 2014.