NHER 12919 (Monument record) - Medieval land reclamation and 17th century bell pit, Corn Exchange

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Summary

Archaeological investigations carried out during the renovations of the Corn Exchange in 1995 revealed evidence of the medieval waterfront and various phases of land reclamation, as well as a post medieval bell-casting pit.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TF62SW
Civil Parish KING’S LYNN, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

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This record contains details of below-ground investigations on the site of the Corn Exchange.
See NHER 63559 for details of the Market House previously recorded under this number.
See NHER 63560 for details of the Corn Exchange previously recorded under this number.
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 10 February 2020.

June-July 1994. Geotechnical Investigation.
Site investigations (boreholes, test pits and limited desk-top) in advance of proposed development. Suggested 2m of made ground above silts.
See report (S2) for further details.
D. Gurney (NLA), 28 July 1994.

March-April 1995. Trial Trench.
Trench excavated inside Corn Exchange (NHER 63560) prior to demolition of Market Hall (NHER 63559) and conversion of Corn Exchange to Concert Hall.
Upper 2m of deposits were rubble backfill and make up. Beneath this were deposits which had accumulated on the former river bank - dumps of cess and refuse and river deposited sands. Cut into the top of these deposits a bell casting pit was partly excavated - probably 17th century date. One wall was excavated crossing trench south-west to north-east possibly medieval in date. Finds.
The bell pit is the same size as that of a bell cast in 1611 by James Edberry for St Nicholas' Chapel.
See published article (S3) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S4) and (S5.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.568).
S. Bates (NAU). Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 17 May 2019.

July 1995.
Older rear part of building demolished.

October-November 1995. Watching Brief.
Carried out by B. Hatton (CCCAFU) on behalf of NAU.
Machine excavation of stalls area and orchestra pit for new building. Organic silts recorded and a possible former stream channel.
Some sherds of late medieval/Post medieval pottery recoverd.
See published article (S3) for further details.
S. Bates (NAU), January 1996.

Press cuttings in file.

The Old Customs House formerly covered this site as well as the adjacent NHER 12918. See NHER 12918 for details.
E. Rose (NLA), 1 December 2003.

  • --- Documentary Source: King's Lynn Town Scheme, Grants for the restoration and improvement of Historic Buildings..
  • --- Fiche: Exists.
  • --- Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 477-478.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1993. [Articles on the refurbishment of the King's Lynn Corn Exchange].
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1995. [Photograph of the Corn Exchange, King's Lynn]. 8 August.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1995. New role for bountiful goddess. 28 June.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1997. Architects praise Corn Exchange. 25 September.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1989. [Photograph of the interior of the Corn Exchange]. 20 June.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1993. [Articles on the refurbishment of the Corn Exchange into an arts venue].
  • --- Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1993. [Photograph of the Corn Exchange, King's Lynn]. 11 January.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1994-1995. [Articles on the excavation undertaken at the Corn Exchange, King's Lynn].
  • --- Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1994. Battle to save 'secret' building. 13 December.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1997-1999. [Articles on the awards received by the Corn Exchange for the conversion into an arts centre].
  • --- Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1997. [Photograph of King's Lynn's Tuesday Market Place]. 9 September.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1999. [Photograph of interior of the Corn Exchange from the 1950s]. 30 December.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1999. 100 Years Ago. 3 August.
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Recording Form: Heywood, S. 1995. Norfolk County Council Site Visit Record - Corn Exchange, Tuesday Market Place, Kings Lynn.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • <S1> Correspondence: James, E.M.. 1994. Letter to Andrew Derrick. 23 November.
  • <S2> Unpublished Contractor Report: S.I.C. (East Anglia) Ltd. 1994. Site Investigation Report. King's Lynn, Tuesday Market Place (No. 20) (Corn Exchange). S.I.C. (East Anglia) Ltd. 6284.
  • <S3> Article in Serial: Bates, S. 1998. The Waterfront at King's Lynn: recent excavations. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIII Pt I pp 31-61. pp 31-61.
  • <S4> Article in Serial: Nenk, B. S., Margeson, S. and Hurley, M. 1996. Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1995. Medieval Archaeology. Vol XL pp 234-318. p 273.
  • <S5> Article in Serial: Gurney, D. (ed.). 1996. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1995. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLII Pt III pp 397-412. p 402.
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Unknown date)
  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Unknown date)
  • MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Unknown date)
  • NAIL (Unknown date)
  • QUERN (Unknown date)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Unknown date)
  • WORKED OBJECT (Unknown date)
  • BRICK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FURNITURE FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • KNIFE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • ROOF TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WHETSTONE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FLOOR TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • ROOF TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • VESSEL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WHETSTONE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Jul 21 2023 12:13AM

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