NHER 68427 (Monument record) - Medieval remains possibly associated with common-edge settlement

February 2021. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
The five trenches excavated revealed numerous ditches and several pits, most, if not all of which probably medieval or post-medieval in date (earlier finds being limited to several undiagnostic prehistoric flint flakes).
Features of probable medieval date included a number of roughly east-to-west aligned ditches and at least one of the pits. A small assemblage of medieval pottery recovered dates entirely to the first half of the period, consisting largely of early medieval wares and slightly later Blackborough End-type wares. Other finds recovered from the features of probable medieval date included an iron horseshoe, iron nails, fragments of fired clay, mussel shells and a small amount of animal bone. Samples taken from three deposits produced charcoal and small numbers of charred cereal grains and seeds. Hammerscale from iron working was also noted in one sample.
Several ditches are thought to have been associated with later, post-medieval activity, although finds of this date were limited to a small number of pantile fragments. Ceramic drains were though encountered in several features.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 August 2024.

May 2021. Excavation.
Excavation of site of lagoon within previous previously evaluated area.
This work revealed numerous ditches and a number of probable pits - the vast majority of which appear to have been medieval in date. Evidence for earlier activity was limited to a small number of undiagnostic prehistoric worked flints (the majority recovered from samples) and several Late Saxon pottery sherds.
A broad band of intercutting east-to-west aligned ditches appears to have represented a significant boundary during the medieval period, with the vast majority of the other medieval remains lying to the south of these features. The other medieval features included numerous ditches (the majority also aligned roughly east-to-west) and various pits. It is suggested that a small number of ditches at the western end of the site may have represent an initial, early medieval phase of activity but the bulk of the features uncovered could only be assigned to a broad 12th- to 14th-century phase of activity. The quantity of pottery recovered from some of the more southerly ditches and pits is suggestive of occupation in the vicinity, although there was no surviving evidence for buildings or other structures at this particular location.
The stratigraphically latest of the ditches are thought to represent a final, late medieval (late 14th- to mid-16th-century) phase of activity. These include several east-to-west aligned ditches and three north-to-south aligned ditches extending to the south – with the presence of the latter indicating at least a minor reorganisation of the landscape during this period. It should though be noted that the dating of this final phase of activity is somewhat speculative given that the site produced only a single sherd of late medieval pottery.
The majority of the 200 medieval pottery sherds recovered are of 11th- to 14th-century date, with the bulk of the assemblage comprising of mix of handmade wares classified as 'early medieval' and wheel-made greywares classified as 'medieval' – the two methods of manufacture likely overlapping during the 12th to 13th centuries. Although the proportion of glazed wares is relatively high for a rural site of this date the material is nevertheless dominated by unglazed bowls and jars. Several of the medieval sherds from this site were submitted for chemical analysis as part of a wider Historic England-funded research project, the purpose of which was to compare them with sherds from the known production sites. A principal components analysis suggests that the selected early medieval ware, North Norfolk sand oxidised ware and Blackborough End-type ware sherds from Watton form a tight group and probably had a similar origin – most likely an as yet undiscovered local production site.
Other finds recovered from the medieval features included fragments of lava quern, oyster and mussel shells and fragments of animal bone. Material initially thought to be iron slag was shown by X-Ray Fluorescence analysis to have a high calcium context – suggesting it was mostly likely heat-affected mortar or plaster. Samples taken from the fills of medieval features again produced only sparse assemblages of charred plant remains.
There was again little evidence for significant post-medieval activity at this location, with finds of this date limited to a small assemblage of brick fragments (many of which were probably intrusive from the ploughsoil) and a single clay pipe bowl. Only a single pit was regarded as being of likely post-medieval date.
There was no evidence to suggest that the remains uncovered at this site were associated with Rokeles Hall to the east, which is thought to have had a medieval precursor (NHER 8788). They were most likely associated with an area of common-edge settlement – it being clear form Faden’s map of 1797 (S2) that the site had lain lay on the margin of Carbrooke Common. It is quite possible that the substantial recut boundary that marked the northern limit of medieval activity had actually been the boundary of the common itself.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 August 2024.

An archive comprised of material from both phases of work at this site has now been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2021.33).
P. Watkins (HES), 5 August 2024.