NHER 35382 (Monument record) - Medieval hearth and pits and multi-period finds

The Norfolk Heritage Explorer is a filtered version of the Norfolk HER intended for casual research. Please contact us to consult the full record.

Summary

An evaluation excavation in 2000 uncovered a medieval hearth and three medieval pits. The contents of the pits included oyster shells, pottery and tiles. It is possible that the pits were used to dispose of domestic waste, but as there is no evidence of nearby medieval habitation, it might be that they were water filled and used for the temporary storage of shellfish.

Protected Status/Designation

None recorded

Location

Map sheet	TF84SW
Civil Parish	BURNHAM OVERY, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Map

Find a placename, postcode or grid reference

Map layers

Base layers

Info

Record list

Tools

Full Description

May 2000. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of proposed development site.
See report (S1) for further details.
D. Gurney, (NLA) 18 August 2000.

July 2000. Trial Trench.
No evidence of wharfs or quay side structure. The trench did however reveal three relatively substantial pits and a hearth; all of probable 13th- or 14th-century date. The nature of the finds assemblages within the pits suggested that they may have been storage features, possibly water-filled 'oyster pits' used to store shellfish.
The only other find of note was a single Mesolithic or Neolithic retouched flint flake.
See report (S2) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S3).
D. Gurney, (NLA) 21 August 2000. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 15 December 2013.

Associated Sources (4)

--- SNF8804 Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1> SNF58260 Unpublished Contractor Report: Hall, N. 2000. Norfolk House, Burnham Overy Staithe, Norfolk. An Archaeological Desk Based Survey. RPS Consultants.
<S2> SNF58262 Unpublished Contractor Report: Masefield, R. 2000. Norfolk House, Burnham Overy Staithe. An Archaeological Evaluation. RPS Consultants.
<S3> SNF82555 Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 2001. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 2000. Norfolk Archaeology. XLIII Pt IV pp 707-728. p 710.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (5)

Object Types (7)

RETOUCHED FLAKE (Early Mesolithic to Late Neolithic - 10000 BC? to 2351 BC?)
OYSTER SHELL (Undated)
POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)