NHER 60823 (Monument record) - Neolithic to Bronze Age pit and undated ditches and pits

November 2008. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development area.
This survey failed to identify any anomalies of likely archaeological signficance. Modern agricultural features were detected across the majority of the survey area and two modern service pipes were also identified.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 January 2017.

October 2013. Trial Trenching.
Ten trial trenches were excavated within a 5.75ha area in advance of proposed residential development. Eight archaeological features were identified in five of the trenches.
The only datable feature recorded was a pit located in Trench 5 at the western edge of the site. The primary fill of the pit contained four pottery sherds from a Neolithic to Bronze Age vessel with cordon and groove decoration and a soot residue, ten struck flints (mostly flakes) dated to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, and six fragments of animal bone identified as long bones from one or more large mammals. A sieved sample from this feature recorded an additional 65 tiny flint flakes and chips. Approximately half of these are believed to be from flint-working (the remaining naturally occurring). The find assemblage from the pit is indicative of Neolithic to Bronze Age domestic activity and flint-working.
Three trenches (1-3) located along the northern edge of the site contained undated features comprised of a shallow north-northeast to south-southwest ditch, a substantial north-south aligned ditch, and a cluster of four features tentatively identified as shallow pits. One additional undated ditch was located just southeast of the centre of the investigation area (trench 7). This substantial feature was aligned east-west and had a stepped profile near its base indicating that it may have been re-cut. The nature and layout of the ditches suggests the presence of a field system. Whilst undated, several of the ditches are on a similar alignment to field boundaries on historic maps and therefore the system may be post-medieval. The Tithe map for this area (S2) depicts three separate fields, and it is highly likely that the ditches in trench 2 and trench 7 represent these boundaries, which had been removed by the late 19th century (S3). However, it remains possible that some of these features are connected to the Roman villa located immediately to the north of this site (NHER 9270).
The only unstratified find recorded was a single sherd from a Grimston Ware jug.
See report (S4) for further information.
H. Hamilton (HES), 1 June 2015.

November 2014-January 2015. Strip Map and Sample Excavation.
Excavation of narrow strip at eastern end of site, on route of Little Melton to Hethersett Pipeline (Area 1).
This excavation revealed two possible pits and several irregular features of probable natural origin - none of which produced any dating evidence.
See report (S5) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 19 May 2021.