NHER 64440 (Monument record) - Medieval and undated features

May-June 2018. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
The seven trenches excavated revealed a number of ditches, pits and possible post-holes, that majority of which are likely to have been associated with medieval phases of activity. Late medieval and post-medieval material was notably absent.
Although Late Saxon pottery sherds were recovered these were small in number and mostly recovered from features that also produced later material. As a result none of the excavated features could be convincingly dated to this period. A significant proportion of the pottery recovered does however date to the early medieval period and a number of features are potentially as early as 11th century in date, having produced a mix of Late Saxon and early medieval sherds. Remains of possible early medieval date included two north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditches, several pits and a particularly convincing post-hole. It is notable that all those that produced Late Saxon pottery all lay in the easternmost part of the site and it is therefore possible that a number of other features in this part of the site were also associated with this initial phase of activity (including another north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditch and several post-holes). Features of probable high medieval date included ditches and several pits. Bulk samples (taken primarily from what were most likely high medieval contexts) produced only small assemblages of charred plant macrofossils likely to represent low densities of domestic debris. A small amount of hammerscale from iron smithing was also identified in one of the samples.
A range of other features produced no dating evidence, including ditches, post-holes and a number of pits. Given the virtual absence of earlier or later material it is reasonable to assume that these were also associated with Late Saxon to medieval activity on the site.
The shallow nature of many of the excavated features suggests that they had probably been truncated, most likely by agricultural activity in the recent past.
See report (S1) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2018.89).
P. Watkins (HES), 20 August 2020.

February-March 2019. Excavation.
Excavation of substantial proportion of eastern half of field, prior to construction of residential development.
Details awaited.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2019.282).
P. Watkins (HES), 20 August 2020. Amended 9 December 2022.