NHER 66430 (Monument record) - Undated possible charcoal pits

May 2020. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development site.
This survey identified no anomalies of definite archaeological significance.
Four faint fragmentary positive linear anomalies potentially represented archaeological remains but this was far from certain. The same was true for numerous positive anomalies recorded as possible pits or natural features.
A number of discrete dipolar anomalies and areas of magnetic disturbance at the margins of the field are likely to represent ferrous material on or near the ground surface (most likely modern debris).
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 2 November 2022.

August 2020. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
The nine trenches excavated recorded only five possible pits, none of which produced any dating evidence. These features all contained either moderate or large amounts of charcoal but little else to indicate their original purpose. They are therefore only tentatively interpreted as fire/cooking pits or the result of land clearance. It should though be noted that they share a number of characteristics with features seen elsewhere that are now thought to represent the traces of small-scale charcoal production (such as the absence of significant evidence for in situ burning and the lack of finds). This is supported by several samples taken from the fills of these pits, which produced significant quantities of oak charcoal but little else in the way of charred plant macrofossils. This, and the apparently deliberate selection of oak are typical of the probable charcoal pits recorded elsewhere. These features generally appear to be associated with Saxon and medieval industries and have been identified a numerous locations in the vicinity of Norwich.
There was no correspondence between the results of the trenching and those of the preceding geophysical survey, with none of the pits coinciding with the many discrete anomalies recorded. All of the anomalies investigated proved to have no associated sub-surface remains, including several of the potentially archeologically-significant linear responses.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 2 November 2022.