NHER 6392 (Monument record) - Late Saxon/medieval iron working site/features

A group of 'Weybourne Pits' or Shrieking Pits, probably ancient iron workings, are mentioned as being on Aylmerton Heath. According to (S1), this group is at the above grid reference.
See (S2), (S3), (S4) and (S5).

See NHER 6280 and NHER 6292 for main groups.

Harrod excavated at Weybourne in 1852 and Spurrell dug thirty-seven pits at Beeston and Runton (S6). Excavation by Cox at site not given in 1919 (S7) and (S8). All called them pit dwellings or hut circles; Cox said Iron Age. See NHER 6396 for Sainty and Watson's excavation.

In 1932 member of the public [1] called pits Roman iron workings: Spurrell had thought of this but concluded that at least some pits were 'older than the local iron manufacture'.

R. R. Clarke (NCM) thought pits were for mining of ferruginous conglomerate in gravel.

February 1986.
This group on Aylmerton Heath have all been destroyed by ploughing.
P. Wade-Martins (NAU) 28 February 1986.

But on (S9) the remains of this group to northwest of marked site, across parish boundary in Beeston Regis.
E. Rose (NAU) 13 April 1992.

However this latter remnant were destroyed by a mineral quarry between 1972 and 1993.
E. Rose (NLA) 23 March 1993.

Norfolk NMP. July 2003.
A series of pit remains relating to the iron working taking place on the site can be seen on RAF aerial photographs from 1946 (S10 and S11) and Cambridge University Committee for Aerial Photography images from 1955 (S12). The area is also visible on NLA aerial photographs from 1977 (S13) and Ordnance Survey images from 1968 (S14). The full extent to this site cannot be seen due the adjacent woodland. The site is indicated by an extent of area with only the clearest of the pits being plotted individually. The date of the site is uncertain, however, similar nearby sites seem to range between Roman and Late Saxon to medieval in date. This area has now been destroyed by quarrying.
H. Clare (NMP) 24 July 2003.