NHER 18618 (Monument record) - Roman burials and pottery sherds, ballast pit next to former railway siding

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Summary

During the 19th century a number of pits were dug adjacent to the West Dereham road at the side of a railway siding. During the removal of 24,800 tons of ballast, three skeletons and a number of skulls were found by workmen along with pieces of Roman pottery. The siding was removed shortly after this work and no trace of it could be found when the area was visited in 1982. It is possible that this site is the same as other recorded on the Historic Environment Record (see NHER 4407 and 4394).

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TF60SE
Civil Parish WEREHAM, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

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May 1882. 'A service siding left the main line on the down side some 137m (150yds) east of Abbey station.
The siding ran approximately 1 mile across fields to a ballast pit near the West Dereham road, owned by Hugh Aylmer'.

'Pits adjacent to the West Dereham road. During the removal of 24,800 tons of ballast, three skeletons and a number of skulls in a good state of preservation, were found by workmen together with items of Roman pottery…' 'The siding was removed soon afterwards and there is now (1982) no trace of its route'. (S1)

This could be the same site as NHER 4407 (Roman sherds in NCM from pits dug in around 1880).

Or even NHER 4394. (Roman firebars from gravel pit at West Dereham). The site is in an arm of Wereham parish, but the station is in West Dereham, but one cannot of course be certain of that.
E. Rose (NAU) 17 January 1983.

  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • <S1> Publication: Paye, P.. 1982. The Stoke Ferry Branch. pp 70, 16.
  • KILN FURNITURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Record last edited

Jan 4 2011 4:27PM

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