NHER 21103 (Monument record) - Medieval salt works and brickworks at Six Mile House

February 1985. Field Observation.
Circumstances of this site visit are unknown, but was likely in response to reports of finds by the homeowner.
Six Mile House is situated on a mound of earth incorporated into the southern flood bank of the River Bure.
The homeowner reported to Norfolk Archaeological Unit (NAU) staff that excavations for sewers and cable trenches have revealed part of the nature and depth of the mound, which was reported to have a diameter of 100 to 200 feet and reach a maximum height of about four and a half feet. When laying floors in the centre of the house, a thick layer of burnt red earth was encountered interspersed with layers of charcoal. Fragments of thin lava quern consisting of a base stone with handle and central fittings and a portion of top stone were recovered from the top of the red earth. NAU staff took samples from a small exposed area.
Excavation of a manhole in the northeastern angle of the house revealed layers of black soot, pottery sherds identified by NAU staff as mid to late 13th century, and five pairs of articulated sheep bones which may have been remains from butchering.
Where exposed, the top of the mound was covered covered with straw-impressed clap-fired bricks. The homeowner stated that a pavement of similar bricks mortatred together was exposed within a cable trench to the west of the house. NAU staff observed a small area of similar bricks several feet away from the in-filled trench. One sample brick was retained.
The mound of burnt red earth is indicative of coastal salt-boiling sites such as that recorded nearby at NHER 4322 and excavated in 1948. The presence of mid to late 13th century pottery could place the salt-boiling activity in this period. The bricks appear to post-date the salt-making but pre-date the construction of the house, which is believed to be an 18th-century riverman's house. It has been suggested that the site may have been used for brick-making sometime after the 13th century. 15th-century brickmaking is known from a nearby site (NHER 8688).
See upublished notes (S1) for further details including full pottery description.
These finds were later reported in the Eastern Daily Press (S2).
E. Rose (NAU), 7 February 1985.
Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 27 November 2018.

September 1998.
Foundation of late medieval brick kiln exposed on west side of farm.
See (S3) for further details. See also newspaper article (S4) and photographs (S5).
This discovery is also noted in (S6).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 28 September 1998.

July 2006. Field Observation.
Recording work after the owner of the house reported a second possible salt-making kiln.
This second feature is at right angles to that recorded in 1998, is not well defined, is mainly of heaped clay and has few bricks used in its construction. A stoke hole was located, but lack of heat damage suggests that it may not have been fired more than a few times. It was cut by the foundations of the Victorian structure beside the house. There were no indications as to its function, and no dating evidence was recovered.
See report (S7) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S8).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2011.398).
D. Gurney (NLA), 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 16 May 2019.

April 2008-June 2010. Trial Trenching and Watching Brief.
Monitoring of works undertaken as part of the Broadland Flood Alleviation Project (Compartment 11).
The removal of topsoil from the adjacent flood bank took place under close archaeological supervision but no debris from saltmaking was observed within the bank material.
Work undertaken prior to and during the excavation of a new soke dyke immediately to the west of this site also revealed nothing of archaeological interest – see NHER 52761.
See report (S9) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 2 December 2025.