NHER 30864 (Monument record) - Roman brooch making debris, a coin hoard and multi-period finds

1994. Metal-detecting.
Roman brooch mould with brooch still in it.
At least four more (one brooch and three catch plates) with residue still attached.
At least three casting sprues.
Ten more pieces - some or all may be part of the process of making brooches.
One more bronze blob and one lead? From area in July.
Hoard of seven Republican coins - see list in file (not sent).
Identified by J. Davies (NCM).
See (S1). For details of subsequent specialist analysis and archaeological work on the site see below.
W. Milligan (NCM), 6 May 1994. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 8 April 2015.

October 1994. Excavation
Excavation of possible Roman brooch factory site where brooches and moulds previously found.
No archaeological features recorded.
Prehistoric flints and post-medieval finds.
See published article (S2) for further details. See also specialist reports (S15)-(S16) and drawings (S4)-(S14). The results of this work are also summarised in (S17).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.124).
M. Dennis (NLA), 15 May 2006. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 8 April 2015.

October 1994. Geophysical Survey.
Gradiometer and magnetic susceptibility survey, including area north of road.
The survey indicates a low level of response to isolated ferrous anomalies. There are no clear concentrations of archaeological anomalies although one possible pit has been detected near the centre of the survey area. The magnetic susceptibility survey also indicated very little variation.
See published article (S2) and report (S3) for further details.
M. Dennis (NLA), 15 May 2006.

The seven coins mentioned above, plus another seven (details to come) were declared Treasure Trove 11 January 1995.
Information from W. Milligan (NCM).
E. Rose (NLA), 12 January 1995.

November 1995. Metal-detecting.
Brooch mould fragment.
Two brooch fragments.
Bronze fragment - ?Bronze Age.
From a larger area around:
Casting jet, waste metal.
Republican denarius fragment (two-thirds).
Middle Bronze Age spear tip.
See (S1) and (S4) in file.
W. Milligan (NCM), 30 November 1994.

December 1995. Metal-detecting.
Seven more coins from hoard (four republican, one Mark Antony, two Augustus, enlarging total to twenty one) returned to finder.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 15 January 2003.

1996. Metal-detecting.
One medieval coin find within 45m (50 yards) of mould site.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 7 February 2001.

Excavation, geophysical survey and metal-detecting have revealed little evidence for other Roman activity in the area. The brooch making debris may have been moved here during large scale movement of topsoil during creation of the nearby airfield or the moulds were a casual loss probably from an itinerant craftsman. The brooch typology dates this loss to before 150 AD. Only one other Roman metal mould has been found in the country and other parts of the Western Roman Empire. Amazingly this also comes from Norfolk (NHER 34732). The association of the Old Buckenham moulds with other part finished artefacts, however, further enhances its importance.
See (S2).
M. Dennis (NLA), 15 May 2006.

August 2010. Metal-detecting.
1 Roman coin, additional to hoard found in 1994.
See report in file.
This coin was submitted as potential Treasure (Treasure case 2010 T727). See report in file.
A. Rogerson (HES), 23 November 2011 and E. Darch (HES), 10 February 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 31 May 2020.

3 February 2012. Metal-detecting. [2].
Roman copper alloy incomplete blank for a Colchester Derivative type brooch, (S18).
Information from PAS import.
A. Beckham (HES), 5 February 2013.