NHER 36802 (Monument record) - Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age pits and gullies, Iron Age pits, Roman field system, Saxon settlement, Grange Farm Borrow Pit

February 2002. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed aggregate extraction site (Grange Farm Borrow Pit). Contexts 1-239.
Thirty-four trial trenches were excavated, nineteen of which contained archaeological evidence.
Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age axe-hammer or macehead.
Late Neolithic or Iron Age flint artefacts.
Two intercutting pits contained mid to late Iron Age pottery and burnt flints.
Two possible Early Saxon featured buildings.
Pits, one of which was medieval, could have been used for industrial practices that required direct access to water.
Medieval or post-medieval row of twelve post-holes.
Ditches of Roman, medieval and later date were also excavated.
See report (S1) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.89 and NWHCM : 2017.489).
M. Horlock (NLA) 29 August 2003. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 18 May 2019.

February-April 2002. Excavation.
Excavation of two areas on site of proposed borrow pit. Contexts 300-1299 used.
Evidence of human activities from the prehistoric to post medieval periods.
Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age pits, gullies and post-holes were identified, as were Middle to Late Iron Age pits and a possible ring ditch.
An Early Saxon settlement, comprising sunken-featured buildings and pits and incorporating metalworking (possibly iron smithing), was present.
Field systems dating to the Roman, medieval and post medieval periods were observed.
Pits of medieval and post-medieval date may have been associated with industrial activity.
See published article (S2) and publication draft (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 : 2017.89 and NWHCM : 2017.489).
D. Robertson (NAU), 29 October 2003. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 18 May 2019.

August 2011. Desk-based assessment.
Assessment of archaeological potential of site of proposed biomass plant, which lies immediately to the south of the previously excavated area.
See report (S5) for details.
S. Howard (HES), 7 September 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 11 May 2015.

August-September 2011. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site of proposed biomass plant (an area that was also examined during the earlier trial trenching evaluation).
The earliest feature encountered was a ditch terminal or elongated pit containing 2nd - 4th century Roman pottery and a small quantity of animal bone. The ditch was cut by a large ditch which had two separate phases of use over an extended period of time containing medieval pottery and an ornate 'turret' brooch closely datable to the 13th century. A small pit to the east of the medieval ditch, possibly one of a series aligned along the south eastern edge of the ditch, contained both 11th to 12th century and 12th to 14th century pottery. A modern flint trench contained a residual sherd of medieval pottery and a fragment of tile of 12th to 14th century date. The north-west side of this trench contained medieval pottery, animal bone and a fragment of a large quern or millstone and a buckle brooch all dating roughly to the 14th century.
See report (S6) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S7).
S. Howard (HES), 29 February 2012.

January 2014. Excavation.
Details to come.
A. Beckham (HES).

A combined archive associated with the 2011 and 2014 phases of work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2023.95).
P. Watkins (HES), 12 July 2023.

February 2015-October 2016. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with installation of effluent discharge pipe.
An undated north-east to south-west aligned ditch was recorded at the southern end of the pipeline route, at approximately TM 0064 9126.
Other associated works within the Snetterton Renewables Energy Plant compound were also monitored, including the creation of a new access road. The only feature recorded was a small undated pit.
Information from report uploaded to OASIS. HER copy awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 1 June 2021.