NHER 63375 (Monument record) - Prehistoric boundary ditch, medieval enclosures and other remains

2004-2005. Desk-based Assessment.
Archaeological assessment of western route options for Norwich Northern Distributor Road.
See reports (S1) and (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 July 2019.

2007. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Phase 1).
This site was chosen for examination due to the presence of cropmarks that likely to represent a series of rectilinear enclosures (NHER 30315) and a substantial linear feature (now recorded separately as NHER 52382).
The first of the three trenches excavated was positioned to target the large linear cropmark. The corresponding feature was found to be a substantial ditch that was at least 1.30m deep (possibly up to 1.70m). Unfortunately no dating evidence was recovered. A small pit located 5.10m to the east of the ditch contained part of a human skull belonging to a middle-aged (35-50 year old) male. Due to plough damage it was impossible to determine whether this individual had been deliberately decapitated or whether the skull had been reburied following its removal from a primary burial.
The two cropmark enclosures investigated were also found to be associated with surviving ditches, which produced medieval pottery sherds of 11th- to 14th-century date. A cluster of small pits also contained medieval pottery.
Other features included two intercutting ditches, one of which produced a sherd of Roman pottery and may therefore have been associated with an earlier phases of activity (particularly given the absence of medieval finds).
Finds recovered included a small assemblage of Late Prehistoric (late Neolithic to early Iron Age) worked flints and three joining fragments of Early Neolithic or Iron Age flint-tempered pottery recovered from an unstatified context.
See report (S3) for further details. See also (S4).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.362).
Previously recorded under NHER 30315.
S. Howard (NLA), 24 November 2009. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 9 May 2019.

2013. Desk-based Assessment.
The cropmarks associated with the large boundary ditch do not continue much beyond this site, so its exact line and length remain uncertain (although its size alone suggests that its was probably reasonably extensive). Additional research does however suggests that to the north-east its line may be fossilised in a somewhat sinuous section of the Drayton/Felthorpe parish boundary. It is also suggested that it might form part of the boundary between Taverham and South Erpingham hundreds. The available evidence therefore points to this having been a significant landscape feature, perhaps of a similar nature to the linear earthworks known elsewhere in the county such as the Fossditch (NHER 1089), the Panworth Ditch (NHER 1002), the Launditch (NHER 7235)and Devil's Ditch (NHER 6115). These earthworks are generally regarded as being either Iron Age or Saxon in date.
See report (S5) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 15 May 2019.

April-August 2015. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Field T7).
All ten of the trenches excavated in this field revealed archaeologically significant remains.
The large north-east to south-west aligned ditch was identified in two trenches, with its presence in the northernmost conclusively demonstrating that it continued beyond the mapped extent of the associated cropmarks (NHER 52382). As during the earlier work this was shown to be a deep, substantial feature, although a small number of later prehistoric flints were the only finds recovered from the single slot excavated. Several sherds of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pottery were however also recovered from the surface of the unexcavated section in the second trench. The ditch could not be located in the southernmost of the three trenches excavated across its line leading to the suggesting that there was a break somewhere along its length - something that was shown to be false by the subsequent excavation (see below).
As during the earlier trial trenching the cropmarks thought to represent medieval or later enclosures were virtually all found to be associated with surviving sub-surface remains, as were many of the other linear cropmarks mapped in the surrounding parts of the field. Finds were however limited to a single medieval pottery sherd, an iron horseshoe, an iron nail and a small number of presumably residual worked and burnt flints. It was therefore not possible to convincingly date any of the ditches investigated.
Discrete features identified included a number of possible pits and post-holes and at least one probable tree-throw hollow. These features also produced little in the way of dating evidence.
See report (S6) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 9 May 2019.

January-September 2016. Strip Map and Sample Excavation.
Excavation of site on route of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Area 1 West).
This phase of work saw a relatively large area stripped, fully exposing the previously identified medieval enclosures as well as substantial lengths of associated, more extensive boundaries to the north.
As during the earlier work at both this and the adjacent site (NHER 61117) there was evidence for at least limited activity during several prehistoric periods. The earliest finds were worked flints of Mesolithic/Early Neolithic date, the largest assemblage of which was recovered from a probable tree-throw hollow that also produced a large amount of burnt flint. A number of Neolithic/Bronze Age worked flints were also recovered and another probable natural feature contained sherds of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age Beaker pottery and Early Bronze Age pottery. Also retrieved from a natural feature was an oblong fired clay object which was similar in form to the pedestals associated with some Late Iron Age/Early Roman pottery kilns. A single Roman tile was the only other find of this date recovered.
The excavation exposed a substantial length of the large north-east to south-west aligned ditch that had been investigated during both phases of trial trenching (NHER 52382) and can now be reasonably regarded as a prehistoric feature. The six additional slots excavated across this large ditch produced exclusively prehistoric finds including more than 100 worked flints and sherds of ?Early Bronze Age, Middle Bronze Age and Late Bronze Age pottery, as well as a notable quantity of burnt flint. A Middle Bronze Age or later date for this substantial feature is supported by the worked flint assemblage, which largely consists of pieces typical of Middle Bronze Age to Iron Age industries. The condition and composition of the assemblage suggests that at least some of the material had entered the ditch not long after manufacture. One of the environmental samples taken from this feature also produced evidence for contemporary activity in its vicinity, with a significant amount of charcoal present, along with small amounts of charred cereal grain. Unfortunately radiocarbon dating of the charred grain recovered from this ditch failed to return an accurate date (another attempt is to be made).
A pair of parallel west-north-west to east-south-east aligned ditches that appeared to predate the medieval remains are also suggested as possible Bronze Age features, although this is largely based on their possible association with features in the adjacent field, which are themselves not necessarily prehistoric (see NHER 61117 for further discussion of these features).
The two medieval enclosures both appeared to be three-sided, with their eastern sides seemingly formed by Furze Lane itself. The northern enclosure was sub-divided by an east-to-west aligned ditch and additional, smaller rectangular areas were defined by ditches running parallel to the western sides of both enclosures. The northern side of the northern enclosure was formed by a much more extensive ditch that extended westwards from Furze Lane and continued beyond the limited of the excavation. There was a sizable gap between this ditch and a parallel pair of parallel and presumably contemporary ditches to the north. A perpendicular ditch running between these feature would appear to have demarcated another enclosure of some kind adjacent to Furze Lane. Potentially contemporary discrete features identified within the main enclosures included a cluster of post-holes though to represent some form of structure, a deep feature interpreted as a well and at least one pit.
Apart from a small number of mostly residual Late Saxon sherds the pottery recovered was almost exclusively of medieval date, with the lack of late medieval wares suggesting that activity had probably ceased (or at least significantly declined) by the mid to late 14th century. Other finds recovered from medieval features included animal bones, iron nails, lava quern fragments and several pieces of fired clay kiln or oven lining. The majority of the samples taken from medieval features produced varying amounts of charred grain, with the largest assemblage comprising a mix of oats, free threshing wheat, barley and rye.
Interestingly two disarticulated human bones were also recovered from medieval ditches. The date of these bones is uncertain but it is presumably likely that they were related in some way to the skull found during the 2007 trial trenching.
Information from draft assessment report. HER copy awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 15 May 2019.