NHER 2030 (Monument record) - Walsingham Early Saxon cremation cemetery

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Summary

This is one of two suggested locations for the Walsingham Early Saxon cremation cemetery excavated by Sir Thomas Browne in 1658. Over 100 cremation urns and many Early Saxon objects were recovered. The location of the site is uncertain, however, and it may overlap with NHER 2024 to the north. An alternative suggested location is at NHER 14303 in Little Walsingham, but this is less likley. Metal detecting has recovered Roman, Late Saxon and medieval finds from the area thought to be the location of the cemetery.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TF93NW
Civil Parish WALSINGHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

1658. Excavation.
Anglian cremation cemetery in a field. Forty to fifty urns. Charcoal, small boxes (?thread boxes), combs, bronze long brooches, tweezers, long brooches; clasps, opal etc, crystal beads. Not a 90cm (a yard) deep in dry and sandy soil. Location of site not now known. See Notes
R. R. Clarke (NCM).

Sir Thomas Browne (S5) says 'in a field at Old Walsingham'. Great Walsingham parish not Little Walsingham.
E. Rose (NLA).

Pot once in 'Tradescants Ark'. Nucleus of Ashmolean Collections (now at Ashmolean Museum) is perhaps from Walsingham. Probably from Norfolk in any case. In British Museum Townley Collection are two urns possibly from this site.
R. R. Clarke (NCM).

Blome 1673 (S6) says 100 urns of ashes within three roods of ground.
E. Rose (NLA).

1989. Metal detecting. Within area enclosed by ink as NHER 2030 on Norwich Castle Museum Record Map (S2).
One samian decorated.
One Roman colour coated.
Three Roman greyware.
Two Thetford type jar rims.
Four bases Thetford type.
Eight medieval unglazed including bowl with circular depressions below square sectioned rim (form common in southeast Norfolk to northeast Suffolk).
Three glazed Grimston.
Late 14th to 15th century dagger chape, with leaf-shaped border, silvered copper alloy, see similar example in (S17).
Medieval stirrup shaped hasp, copper alloy.
Medieval repousse 'M' mount with leaf border above 'M', copper alloy.
Crudely engraved discoidal harness pendant, probably medieval, copper alloy
Identified by S. Margeson (NCM).
A. Rogerson (NAU), August 1989.

  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • <S1> Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Early Saxon. Walsingham (North).
  • <S10> Publication: Leeds, E. T.. 1913. The Archaeology of the Anglo-Saxon Settlements. p 38.
  • <S11> Monograph: Brown, G. B. 1915. Saxon Art and Industry in the Pagan Period. The Arts in Early England. Vol IV. pp 793-794.
  • <S12> Publication: 1932. A Handbook of the Prehistoric Archaeology of Britain. pp 62, 64.
  • <S13> Article in Serial: Leeds, E. T. 1933. The Early Saxon Penetration of the Upper Thames Area. Antiquaries Journal. Vol XIII No 3 pp 229-251. p 235.
  • <S14> Article in Monograph: Sainty, J. E. 1935. Norfolk Prehistory. British Association for the Advancement of Science. Report of the Annual Meeting, 1935. Norwich, September 4-11. British Association for the Advancement of Science. Appendix pp 60-71. pp 70-71.
  • <S15> Monograph: Collingwood, W.G. & Myers, J.N.L.. 1937. Roman Britain and the English Settlements.. p 484.
  • <S16> Article in Serial: Clarke, R. R. 1940. Norfolk in the Dark Ages, 400-800 A.D., Part II. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXVII Pt II pp 215-249. pp 231-232.
  • <S17> Monograph: Margeson, S. 1993. Norwich Households. The Medieval and Post-Medieval Finds from Norwich Survey Excavations 1971-78. East Anglian Archaeology. No 58. No 1856.
  • <S2> Map: NCM. NCM Record Map.
  • <S3> Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 93 NW 5 [2].
  • <S4> Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • <S5> Article in Monograph: Browne, T., Sir.. 1862. Hydriotaphia: Urn-Burial, or A Discourse of the Sepulchral Urn Lately Found Lately in Norfolk [1658]. The Writings of Sir Thomas Browne. Evans, J.. Chapter II.
  • <S6> Publication: Blome. 1673. Britannia. p 12.
  • <S7> Monograph: Douglas, J.. 1793. Nomina Britanica.. pp 131-177.
  • <S8> Monograph: Fausett, B.. 1856. Inventorium Sepulchrale: an account of some antiquities in the county of Kent from AD 1757 to AD 1773.. p 1iy 2 map /3.
  • <S9> Monograph: 1901. The Victoria History of Norfolk. The Victoria History of the Counties of England. Vol 1. p 331 /4.
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BEAD (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BOX (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • COMB (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • POT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • SLEEVE CLASP (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • TWEEZERS (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • FURNITURE FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • HARNESS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • HASP (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • SCABBARD (Medieval - 1350 AD to 1499 AD)

Record last edited

Jun 8 2026 5:46PM

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