NHER 37613 (Monument record) - Early or Middle Saxon fish trap on Holme Beach (fish trap IV)

Holme fish trap IV.

First noted late 2001.
200m or so west of NHER 33771. (Location is approximate pending survey).
Irregular group of timbers, about 40cm high, emerging from eroding peat bed. Not at right-angles to the shore, and not an old groyne. Some with piddock holes.
See digital photographs (S1)-(S2) in file and on digital archive shelf.
D. Gurney (NLA), 9 January 2003.

2003. NAU survey.
Structure seen and recorded.
One of eleven posts partially destroyed by visitors during survey. Seven timbers have now been identified as oak. Comparable in shape and alignment to fish trap nearby (NHER 38042).
(S3)-(S4).
J. Allen (NLA), 17 February 2003.

September 2003. Site visit.
Twenty nine posts observed. Twenty seven had been seen previously, two were new.
D. Robertson (NAU), 20 October 2003.

January/February 2004. Monitoring survey.
Beach surface around monument, in general, seen to have eroded – most of the posts were more visible than in November 2003. Erosion scours may have formed – this is suggested by the presence of deep wet mud and standing water.
Eastern arm - Wet mud concealed many of southern posts. Three posts measured – northern two less proud above beach surface (due to the presence of standing water/wet mud) and southern one less so.One post sampled for timber identification.
Western arm - Many posts concealed or difficult to access due to standing water and wet mud. Five posts measured – four more prominent above beach surface, one less so. Three posts sampled for timber identification – two of the samples were submitted for radiocarbon dating.
The two radiocarbon samples returned calibrated dates of cal AD 430-660 and cal AD 530 to 670.
See (S5).
D. Robertson (NLA), 30 May 2006.

January 2006. Casual observations made while bird watching on Holme Beach.
Seven of the fishtrap timbers were visible. Six of these were in the northeastern part of the monument (close to the angle of the V). To the southwest of these was a single post (part of the northwestern arm). The posts were surrounded by sand.
D. Robertson (NLA), 23 January 2006.

For further information on the Holme Beach walkover and monitoring surveys see final report (S6). The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2010.321).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 11 May 2019.

2017.
Grid reference corrected [3].
P. Watkins (HES), 27 March 2017.