NHER 18184 (Monument record) - Multi-period finds, medieval stonework, undated building remains and timbers

10 June 1982. Field Observation.
New gravel pit visited by A. Lawson and A. Rogerson. Dragline operator reported a stone wall "six feet thick" with top immediately below topsoil and "nine feet deep", aligned NW-SE. Lumps of wall with chalk mined flint set in very hard mortar seen by A. Rogerson at sorting plant. Width not measurable. Approximately 15m long length of wall reportedly removed by dragline. Several limestone blocks with mortar kept by quarrymen, including several colonettes. Early medieval pieces (12th-13th century?) reworked in later walling? See report and photographs in file.

At a depth of "ten feet" (i.e. minimum of six feet [1.8m] below top of natural) wood fragments were found by dragline, from same general area as stone wall. These included a rough plank, two stakes and several rough timbers. Possibly from a building but difficult to envisage how they would have been used. See report and photographs in file.

The following finds were recovered from a topsoil dump:
2 ?Palaeolithic flint flakes (possibly Palaeolithic but very dubious).
1 undatable prehistoric flint flake.
1 ?Romano-British jar rim
3 Thetford type ware sherds (2 bowl rims, 1 jar rim)
66 Thetford type and medieval body sherds
3 medieval unglazed rim sherds
2 unglazed bowl rims (probably Blackborough End ware c. 12th century)
1 Grimston-Thetford bowl rim
21 glazed Grimston sherds, mostly late medieval
2 medieval glazed body sherds (regional import)
8 sherds (7 joining) of jar with handle surviving (late medieval)
1 post-medieval glazed sherd
1 post-medieval stoneware sherd
These finds are now held by the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1983.361). The topsoil dump also included patches of chalky clay, some burnt, suggesting pise or clay lump building or hearths. Medieval bricks were also present, none of which were retained.
E. Rose, A. Rogerson and A. Lawson (NAU), 15 June 1982.
Information from notes in file and (S1). These discoveries were reported in (S2) and the potentially Palaeolithic flints are also noted in (S3) and (S4).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 17 June 2013.