NHER 66631 (Monument record) - Saxo-Norman, post-medieval and undated remains

April and July 2015. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with construction of new residential dwelling on ground adjacent to Kings Head House (NHER 43947).
The stripping of the footprint of the new dwelling revealed a group of features of probable Saxo-Norman date comprising six post-holes of varying form and an adjacent east-to-west aligned linear feature. The latter was potentially also structural, possibly representing the remains of a slot for a timber sill beam. Although the small pottery assemblage recovered from these features was mostly Late Saxon, the presence of a single early medieval sherd suggests they were potentially of 11th, rather than 10th-century date. Also found within one of the post-holes was a fragment of fired clay that was possibly from a kiln or oven lining. A shallow, north-to-south aligned linear feature exposed in the confines of an electrical cable trench to the west of these remains was also interpreted as potentially structural. This though produced no dating evidence.
Other remains exposed included a flint and mortar well, the infill of which contained numerous post-medieval roof tiles, suggesting it was deliberately filled prior to the construction of the now-demolished houses shown at this location on 19th-century maps. The well was overlain by one of the walls associated with these buildings. Also recorded were two large probable extraction pits. These also lay beneath 19th-century structures but were otherwise undated.
Surviving structures associated with the 19th-century buildings included rough brick, flint and mortar wall footings, brick floors and a brick storage cellar or cess pit. A small rubbish pit of probable late 19th- to early 20th-century date was also noted. Brick rubble spread across much of the site related to the demolition of these buildings and lay directly beneath modern levelling deposits.
Other finds of note included a fragment of medieval worked stone found within the well infill. This piece of moulding is made from what appears to be English limestone (?Cadeby) and has been identified as being from a 'knibbed shaft' dating from after AD 1170. This was presumably derived from the local Benedictine Priory (NHER 8005). Reused medieval masonry has been noted in a number of post-medieval buildings in the area, including the 19th-century former Mission Room (NHER 12248).
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 December 2022.