NHER 34581 (Monument record) - Saxon and medieval ditches, Ulph Place

July 1999. Trial Trenching.
Towards the western end of the site, excavations revealed medieval pits below later soils. To the rear of any 'urban' plots, excavation revealed a series of soils which had been cut through by a large east-west ditch and the remains of a possible wattle and daub structure. Finds recovered from these features included Middle Saxon, Late Saxon and early medieval pottery sherds, and pointed to a Late Saxon or early medieval date for these features, with Middle Saxon activity taking place nearby.
Trenches in the eastern part of the site revealed a series of soils, probably of Middle Saxon and later date. An extensive silty clay deposit is likely to be the result of freshwater flooding in the medieval period. No archaeological features were recorded in this part of the site.
See report (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).
E. Rose (NLA), 8 July 1999 and A. Cattermole (NLA), 30 April 2008.

June 2000. Excavation.
August, October and November 2000 and April 2001. Watching briefs. Contexts 500-665.
Features recorded included a probable wall footing, pits, ditches and post holes.
Late Saxon, early medieval and post medieval pottery sherds were recovered, as well as ceramic building material, animal bone and quantities of shell. Two residual Mesolithic/Neolithic worked flints were also found.
Several deposits of creamy yellow silt were excavated which may have been deposited during episodes of flooding, or may have been deliberately laid as a levelling surface.
See report (S3) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S4).
D. Gurney (NLA), 25 May 2001.

March 2002-February 2003. Watching Brief.
Observations of groundworks at Ulph Place generally confirmed earlier conclusions concerning the deposit sequence on the site, with natural gravels overlain in places by flood deposits (of possible medieval date), over which developed a coarse loamy soil. In one place, a rectangular clay lined pit of unknown date and function was recorded, sealed by the putative flood deposit.
See report (S3) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S4).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2016.186).
M. Horlock (NLA), 11 March 2003. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 21 June 2019.