NHER 67190 (Monument record) - Probable prehistoric 'burnt mound'

September and October 2016. Field Observation.
Burnt flints were exposed at this location during the excavation of a small pool by the Norfolk Rivers Trust. Subsequent archaeological investigations confirmed the presence of an extensive deposit of burnt flints, with only its western edge falling within the excavated area. This burnt flint deposit lay 0.45m below the present ground surface and had a maximum thickness of at least 0.75m. It is therefore highly likely to be the remains of a prehistoric 'burnt mound' – an accumulation of flint that had been used to heat or boil water drawn from a nearby water source. Patches of pale cream sand could be seen above the flints, which was overlain by a dark brown peaty soil. Finds were limited to a small number of worked flints recovered from the excavated spoil. These included a crested blade-like piece, the form and condition of which is indicative of a Mesolithic or early date. The remaining pieces are though likely to be of a later, Late Neolithic to Bronze Age date and therefore potentially contemporary with burnt flint deposit. These later pieces include an irregular fragment struck a few times to create a shallow notch, a crude denticulate made on a burnt fragment and several squat, thick flakes.
See report (S1) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2022.171).
P. Watkins (HES), 6 August 2023. Amended 24 August 2025.