NHER 66386 (Monument) - Roman enclosures and associated remains

September 2002. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of proposed mineral extraction area.
Remains of Roman date may extend across the assessment area, particularly given the proximity of a possible temple site immediately to the east (NHER 9743). For the medieval period there is little to suggest that Mangreen was anything but small and marginal, despite its perceived importance.
See (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 24 January 2023.

January 2003. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetic susceptibility survey followed by detailed magnetometer in two targeted areas (Areas 7 and 8).
Most of the area surveyed appeared to contain anomalies associated with recent agricultural activity. In two areas broad cut features were identified which may be of archaeological interest.
See report (S2) for further details.
Previously recorded under NHER 37651.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 7 January 2009.

2010. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed quarry extension area in southern half of field and possible route of access road to north.
The most notable responses were a pair of parallel east-to-west aligned linear anomalies identified within a narrow strip examined in the northern half of the field. These were approximately 21m apart and may well represent ditches that once flanked some form of trackway. A small number of scattered discrete anomalies were the only other responses of possible archaeological interest at this location.
Report awaited (details from report on 2011 trial trenching).
P. Watkins (HES), 23 January 2023.

August-October 2011. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed aggregate extraction area (Field 2; Trenches 19-32).
The most notable remains were two Roman features exposed within the single trench excavated in the northern half of the site. The first was a reasonably substantial ditch that coincided with the northernmost of the two ditches recorded by the preceding geophysical survey. This ditch produced a small assemblage of late Roman, 4th-century pottery and sherds of a similar date were also recovered from an adjacent large pit or ditch terminus. These features also contained several pieces of Roman ceramic building material (including tegula and imbrex roof tiles), a small amount of fired clay and fragment of ?window glass and an iron object. A sample from the fill of the possible pit was found to contain abundant charred cereal grains (primarily hulled barley and emmer wheat).
The thirteen trenches excavated in the southern half of the field revealed only two ditches, one aligned north-west to south-east and the other north-to-south. Neither produced any dating evidence, although the latter appears to have coincided with the line of a former field boundary depicted on the Swardeston tithe map (S3).
See report (S4) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S5).
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2011.554).
Previously recorded under NHER 37651.
See NHERs 9749, 37650, 57922 and 66663 for results of work in Fields 1 and 3-5.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 January 2023.

May 2018. Desk-based Assessment.
Environmental Impact Assessment of the potential impacts of the proposed Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm on the historic environment. This study incorporated the results of an initial walkover survey and the first phases of geophysical survey.
See relevant chapter of Environmental Statement and associated appendices for further detail (S6).
P. Watkins (HES), 25 January 2023.

November 2021-March 2022. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site on proposed route of Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm onshore cable (Area 8102).
This survey identified a significant cluster of distinct east-to-west and north-to-south linear anomalies in the northern half of the site that clearly represent ditches associated with a group of interlinked rectilinear enclosures. The southern portion of this group was unfortunately obscured by an extensive area of magnetic disturbance. It does though appear that this group comprises a larger central enclosure with smaller adjoining, 'annex' enclosures to the west, north and east. The northern sides of the main enclosure and the smaller one to the north had both been identified by the 2010 survey, with the evidence uncovered during the 2011 trial trenching suggesting these remains were almost certainly associated with a late Roman phase of activity. It is likely that a number of discrete anomalies recorded in the vicinity of the enclosures represent additional discrete features of Roman date.
Although various scattered linear anomalies were recorded across the remainder of the area examined these were mostly weak and regarded as being of undetermined origin. The one exception is a north-north-east to south-south-west aligned anomalies in the southern half of the field that is likely to represent a former field boundary.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 25 January 2023.