NHER 3089 (Find Spot record) - Bronze Age metal hoard

The Foulsham Hoard.

1953. Stray Find.
Found while cutting drains 500 yds [457m] east of Millhill Farm at depth of 9 to 18 inches [23cm to 45cm] in clay soil:
Late Bronze Age hoard comprising 141 copper alloy socketed axeheads. R. R. Clarke (NCM) visited the site on 9 January 1953 and excavated the spot.

The Norwich Castle Museum received 128 of the axeheads (NWHCM : 1953.40), with the other 13 recorded as being in private hands at this time, including:
6 held by [1](Nos 1-6). See drawings (S1) and (S2).
1 held by [2] (No 135). See drawing (S3).
1 held by [3] (No 136). Subsequently purchased by NCM (NWHCM : 1990.224 : A). See drawing (S4).
1 held by [4] (No 137). See drawing (S5).
3 held by [5] (Nos 138-140). See drawings (S6) and (S7)
1 held by [6] (No 141) - see drawing (S8) and rough sketch (S9).
The NCM hold 19 plaster copies of axeheads from this hoard, thirteen of which appear to be the objects that were in private hands in 1953 (NWHCM : 1953.40.1-6 and NWHCM : 1953.40.135-141).

See photographs (S10) in file [7], including one that shows six axeheads that were "in private possession" - perhaps those held by [1].

The following is a rough classification compiled by R. R. Clarke of the 128 axeheads held by the NCM in 1953 and the six that were in the possession of [1]: -
Three with winged ornament.
One with two ribs.
Thirty five with three ribs.
Five with four ribs.
One with five ribs.
One with three ribs and deep collars.
Nine facetted.
Fifty seven plain with one rib round neck.
Two plain with two ribs round neck.
Twelve plain.
Plain one rib round neck with sharp corners.

All the axes were drawn for (S11) in 1958.

Information from (S12).
The excavation of this hoard is brief described in (S13) and (S14) and it was also the subject of local press article (S15). It is also amongst the Bronze Age finds listed in (S16).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 4 June 2018.

At an unknown date the Norwich Castle Museum recorded a Late Bronze Age socketed axehead that was in the possession of [8]. See drawings (S17) and (S18).
This axehead was recorded as being potentially from the Foulsham Hoard but the reason for this suggestion unclear and the drawings suggest that it is not any of one of the previously drawn objects in private ownership.
See note by E Rose (NAU) on (S19).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 4 June 2018.

2014.
One of the socketed axes from this hoard is in the HES handling collection (NWHCM : 1953.40.62) [9].
C. Bradshaw (HES), 20 August 2014.