NHER 69189 (Monument record) - Late Saxon to early medieval remains and overlying medieval and later deposits

December 2023. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
There was clear evidence for Late Saxon activity, with pottery of this date recovered from features in all four of the trenches excavated, including various pits and several ditches. The presence of small amounts of early medieval pottery within several of these features suggests this phase of activity continued into the 11th century. Other finds included pieces of fired clay and fragments of animal bone, while samples taken from three of these features produced charred cereal grains, burnt bone and other material likely to represent domestic waste. Ferrous spherules likely derived from nearby smithing were also noted, along with a number of possible slag fragments.
There was little evidence for significant subsequent medieval activity on the site, with the small assemblage of high medieval and late medieval pottery recovered coming almost exclusively from unstratified contexts. The only notable exceptions were a small number of 12th- to 13th-century sherds found in the upper fill of what was potentially an earlier pit. This marked decline in activity from the 12th century onwards almost certainly correlates with the construction of the castle immediately to the south (NHER 3307) and many of the excavated features were sealed beneath layers of redeposited natural sand likely to represent upcast generated during the construction and/or maintenance of the adjacent earthworks. These layers were mostly sterile, finds being limited to a single medieval pottery sherd. The various overlying deposits were probably at least partly the result of later attempts to level the area.
There was a similar absence of evidence for post-medieval or later activity on the site, with features of this date being limited to a small number of probable garden features.
Due to the depths of the deposit sequences present a number of undated features and deposits were only recorded in section. These included two discrete features that displayed evidence of burning and therefore potentially represented the remnants of hearths or ovens. In the easternmost trench one of the deposits of redeposited natural was overlain by a relatively thin sandy clay deposit interpreted as a possible floor layer.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 9 June 2025.

January 2024. Excavation.
Excavation of soakaway trench in northern part of site.
This small square trench revealed two pits and a ditch, which between them produced only two Late Saxon pottery sherds and a small assemblage of animal bone. It is notable that although these remains lay beneath a deep sequence of deposits none were similar to the redeposited natural seen in the trenches to the south (thought to represent upcast generated during the excavation or maintenance of the adjacent castle ditches).
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 9 June 2025.

May-August 2024. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with construction of several new residential dwellings.
The foundation trenches for the new buildings did not reach the natural geology, the earliest deposit encountered being a layer interpreted as a former topsoil. This deposit contained a mix of Late Saxon and high medieval pottery and was overlain by much lighter-coloured sand deposits though to represent material redeposited during maintenance of the adjacent castle ditch. Similar material was also revealed within a service trench excavated immediately to the north of the house plots. A thin light grey clay deposit observed in this trench at the eastern end of the site potentially represented a floor surface, although no associated features or deposits were observed. This possible floor was overlain by a subsoil layer that contained two roof tile fragments of probable medieval date. A single linear feature observed in this trench was probably a modern service trench associated with the dwelling that had previously occupied the site.
A small number of unstratified medieval iron objects were recovered during this work, including a padlock case, timber dog or staple and horseshoe nail.
See report (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 9 June 2025.

An archive comprising material from all three phases of work at this site has now been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2024.27).
P. Watkins (HES), 9 June 2025.