NHER 26464 (Monument record) - Early medieval to post medieval occupation, Cannon Wharf

September 1997. Trial Trenching.
The results of this evaluation demonstrated that buried soils of early Norman date survive along Norwich's King Street frontage. These were overlain by a medieval masonry building which may have been partly destroyed during Kett's rebellion of 1549. Yard surfaces which may have formed the entrance to the New Common Staithe were found to the north of the building, along with evidence for a gate securing the staithe. The buildings were replaced in the 19th century by brick-built warehouses.
To the east of the building, 1.5m depth of waterlogged medieval material designed to reclaim the river margin survives. This buildup appears to have begun in the Norman period and contained a series of timber revetments, boardwalks and mooring posts which would have allowed shallow keeled vessels to be unloaded away from the river's edge. The process of reclaiming the river margin was accelerated during the 14th century (probably as a result of the purchase of the site by the City in 1379), when the level of the wharf was deliberately raised using locally quarried materials.
Finds from the site include Late Saxon and medieval pottery and 12th century leather-working debris.
This excavation demonstrated that intrusive modern development in this area has not damaged the earliest archaeological deposits.
See report (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2024.134).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 3 July 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 26 August 2024.

See NIAS (Norwich Industrial Archaeology Society) survey on fiche of cottages dated 1847, with cellars but
perhaps older.

2007-2008. Window Sampling and Watching Brief.
Several areas were monitored during the redevelopment of this site. These included a trench for a lift-pit excavated in 2007 and a series of piling trenches near to the street frontage that were excavated in 2008. A a programme of window sampling was also undertaken in 2007, with 19 cores drilled and examined in order to assess the stratigraphic sequence across the site.

A brief assessment of the structural and stratigraphic data recovered on the site has resulted in the identification of a number of phases.
Phase 1: 11th-13th century remains, including evidence of revetment and deposits laid in order to raise the level of the foreshore of the River Wensum in the 11th-13th centuries, as well as the possible remains of a landing stage.
Phase 2: 14th and 15th century activity included a flint boundary wall and a revetment and possible landing stage.
Phase 3: 16th-early 18th century deposits contained the demolition debris of medieval walls, and included at least two possible landing stages.
Phase 4: Late 18th -19th Century building remains including chalk surfaces and possible postholes may also relate to a landing area.
Phase 5: Late 19th and 20th century remains included remains of industrial buildings and services.
Further archaeological evidence recovered during this excavation has been recorded under NHER 41776.
See assessment report (S3) for further details.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2010.293).
E. Bales (HES), 17 September 2012. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 26 March 2015.