NHER 65143 (Monument record) - Saxon to medieval pits and other, Late Iron Age/Roman, post-medieval and undated remains

May 2014. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of potential impact of proposed development.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 July 2023.

March 2019. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development area at western end of site (Area 2).
This survey identified no anomalies of archaeological interest.
An area of ferrous responses at the northern end of the site corresponds with a small wooded area that was cleared between 2018 and 2019.
There was no evidence for remains associated with the World War Two anti-tank ditch known to have run along the southern boundary of the site (NHER 51893). Much of this area was though obscured by anomalies caused by vehicles parked nearby.
Although numerous discrete anomalies were recorded these were mostly either areas of magnetic enhancement associated with changes in the natural geology or dipolar responses caused by ferrous material in the soil (most likely modern debris).
See report (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 19 July 2021.

July-August 2019. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of central and eastern parts of site.
This survey identified no anomalies of definite archaeological significant. The only responses of possible interest are a number of scattered, short linear anomalies classified as being of undetermined origin. These could potentially represent archaeological remains, although it is thought more likely they are the result of either modern agricultural activity or natural variations in the soils and superficial geology.
Various discrete ferrous-like dipolar anomalies were probably caused by ferrous material on or close to the ground surface (most likely modern debris).
A west-north-west to east-south-east aligned linear cropmark visible crossing the easternmost part of the site on aerial photographs (NHER 51918) can now be seen to have been caused by a modern service (it had previously been interpreted as potentially a medieval to post-medieval ditch feature with associated bank).
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 6 July 2023.

March and September 2020. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of central and eastern parts of site.
The seventy trenches excavated revealed a number of discrete and linear features, the majority of which produced little or no dating evidence.
Of greatest interest were a number of scattered sub-circular pits with charcoal-rich fills, several of which had heat-scorched margins indicative of in-situ burning. Finds were limited to a small number of burnt flints and samples taken from their fills contained large quantities of wood charcoal (predominantly oak heartwood) but little else of the way of charred plant macrofossils or other debris. Similar features have been identified at numerous sites in the Norwich environs and it is now thought likely that many were associated with Saxon and medieval charcoal production. This appears to have been the case for at least the majority of the charcoal-filled pits at this site, with three producing a tight group of Middle to Late Saxon dates of 147 cal BC-68 cal AD at 95.4% probability (Beta-581633; 2030 ± 30 BP), 774-990 cal AD at 95.4% probability (Beta-581635; 1150 ± 30 BP) and 776-994 cal AD at 95.4% probability (Beta-581636; 1120 ± 30 BP). Another pit produced a later, Late Saxon/early medieval date of 992-1154 cal AD at 95.4% probability (Beta-581632; 1000 +/- 30 BP). It is potentially notable that the composition of the charcoal assemblage from this feature was different from that of the other pits, with proportionally more oak sapwood and a few pieces of oak roundwood identified. The samples from this pit also contained a greater diversity of other material including a small assemblage of charred seeds (including fat hen), charred grass/cereal culm fragments and pieces of oyster and cockle shell – all suggesting it is at least possible this feature contained debris from some another activity. A much more anomalous result was a Late Iron Age/early Roman radiocarbon date of 147 cal BC-68 cal AD at 95.4% probability (Beta-581633; 2030 ± 30 BP) obtained for a pit with a charcoal-rich fill that had appeared identical to those associated with much more recent dates. This is difficult to interpret, particularly given the complete lack of other evidence for activity at this time.
Another pit with a charcoal-rich fill in the central part of the site was found to contain two sherds of late post-medieval or modern pottery, although it is possible that this was intrusive.
Other discrete features recorded included a number of undated pits with unremarkable apparently sterile fills and three undated possible post-holes, all of which lay in the easternmost part of the site.
Four north-west to south-east aligned ditches were recorded, two of which correspond with former field boundaries depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition Six-inch map (S3). The other north-west to south-east aligned ditches produced no finds but were probably also of relatively recent date, as was a single, perpendicular, north-east to south-west aligned ditch.
There was little correspondence between the results of this work and those of the preceding geophysical survey, with none of the linear anomalies of undetermined origin found to be associated with sub-surface remains.
The small number of unstratified finds recovered include several prehistoric flint flakes (one of likely Mesolithic/Early Neolithic date) and three handmade pottery sherds of possible Early Neolithic date.
See report (S4) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2020.132).
P. Watkins (HES), 6 July 2023.

September 2020. Watching Brief.
Maintained during installation of new water pipeline along northern edge of field.
Two north-west to south-east aligned ditches were recorded, one at TG 2718 1155 and the second at TG 2725 1158. Although no finds were recovered the western ditch corresponds with a former field boundary depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition Six-inch map (S3) and it is likely that the adjacent feature was of a broadly similar date.
Although the line of the pipeline appears to have coincided with the site of a World War Two structure visible on aerial photographs at TG 2719 1155 (NHER 51917) no remains associated with this possible pillbox or heavy machine gun emplacement were encountered. Later aerial photography suggests this structure has been demolished at some point prior to 1988.
Unstratified finds were limited to several sherds of late post-medieval pottery and a small assemblage of modern metalwork.
See report (S5) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 7 July 2023.

June-July 2021. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site at western end of site (Trenches 1-14).
The 14 trenches excavated at this location revealed a small number of linear and discrete features, the most notable of which were two sub-circular pits with charcoal-rich fills and evidence for in-situ burning. As with the similar features recorded to the east in 2021, samples from these pits contained large quantities of wood charcoal that appeared to consist primarily of oak heartwood. Finds were limited to quantities of burnt flint. One of the pits produced a Middle Saxon radiocarbon date of 657-775 cal AD at 95.4% probability (SUERC-102129; 1312 ± 24 BP) and charcoal from a similar pit revealed during the evaluation of a site immediately to the south-east (NHER 65142) returned a Late Saxon date of 885-993 cal AD at 95.4% probability (SUERC-102130; 1121 ± 24 BP) - providing further evidence these features were predominantly associated with Saxon charcoal production.
Two ditches were also recorded, one of which – a north-east to south-west aligned feature at the northern end of the site – corresponds with a former field boundary depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition Six-inch map (S3). Fragments of post-medieval brick and several pieces of animal bone were recovered from its fill. The second ditch was a north-to-south aligned feature at the southern end of the site that contained modern brick. The only other feature was a pit containing brick rubble and other modern debris.
See report (S6) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2021.123).
P. Watkins (HES), 6 July 2023.