NHER 62692 (Monument record) - Medieval deposits and post-medieval vaulted brick structure

August 2015. Trial Trench.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
A sequence of sandy silt deposits was recorded in the base of the single trench excavated, the earliest of which were poorly understood, being waterlogged and only encountered in an auger survey. The overlying silts contained pottery of 12th- to 15th century date, with a sample from one deposit producing evidence of food waste and a range of other debris including a small amount of hammerscale from iron smithing. It is suggested that these deposits could represent either garden soils or material that had been dumped in order to help raise and consolidate the land. These medieval layers were truncated by the remains of a vaulted subterranean chamber or conduit. This structure was built from bricks of 17th- to 19th-century date, with finds recovered from the fill of its construction trenches suggesting it was probably built after the early 19th century. Its full size could not be established but it must have been more than 11m long and at least 2.3m wide. The presence of groundwater within the structure and the weathered appearance of its internal walls suggest that it was most likely a culvert for a drain or sewer. This subterranean chamber was sealed by more compact and consolidated deposits, above which were thin, discontinuous mortar spreads; the latter possible traces of floors associated with the buildings that had occupied the site until the mid 20th century.
See report (S1) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2022.229).
P. Watkins (HES), 20 April 2018. Amended 20 May 2023.

October 2015. Watching Brief.
Maintained during construction of several new residential dwellings.
As the main construction would be on driven piles the only work monitored was the excavation of a service trench close to and parallel with the north-western boundary of the site. This trench was dug to a maximum depth of 0.75m and revealed no archaeologically-significant remains, with only a modern made-ground deposit exposed. Brick and limestone fragments were noted within this layer, along with modern pottery and other recent finds.
Information from report uploaded to OASIS. HER copy awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 1 November 2024.