NHER 64823 (Monument record) - ?Roman and undated remains

March 2018. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey on route of proposed A47 Blofield to North Burlingham upgrade works (Area BLO7).
A curvilinear anomaly at the eastern edge of the site is the only response of potential archaeological interest.
Numerous fragmentary linear anomalies across the remainder of the site are thought to be of agricultural origin.
Small, scattered ferrous anomalies are likely to represent modern ferrous debris within the topsoil.
Information from report uploaded to OASIS. HER copy awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 March 2021.

May-July 2020. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of route of proposed A47 Blofield to North Burlingham upgrade works (Trenches 57-58)
The two trenches excavated at this location both revealed multiple ditches, with a cluster of pits and a possible oven also recorded in the western trench. The majority produced no dating evidence, the one exception being the possible oven, which contained single sherds of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age and Roman pottery – suggesting it was potentially associated with the Roman ditch recorded in the field to the west (NHER 64822). This feature had baked clay at its base and its dark, charcoal-rich fill contained numerous fragments of fired clay (including some potentially structural pieces) and burnt flints. The bulk of the fired clay was recovered from a sample taken from this deposit, which also contained small numbers of charred wheat and barley grains, along with charred grass and possible cabbage seeds. The three nearby pits were potentially contemporary with the possible oven, although it is noted that one contained delicate pottery that did not survive lifting – which would be more indicate of a prehistoric date.
The ditches were all aligned roughly north-to-south or east-to-west suggesting many were probably associated with a single phase of activity. The north-to-south alignment of several of these features is though shared by both the Roman ditch recorded to the west and the nearby extant field boundaries. A prehistoric flint flake was the only find recovered from these features.
See report (S1) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2020.103).
P. Watkins (HES), 26 June 2023. Amended 27 July 2023.