NHER 4199 (Find Spot record) - Neolithic and Middle Saxon to post medieval finds

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Summary

Fieldwalking and metal-detecting at this location between 1969 and 2025 recovered a Neolithic flaked flint axehead; Middle Saxon, Late Saxon, medieval, medieval/post-medieval and post-medieval pottery sherds; undatable copper alloy casting waste and lead metal-working debris; a medieval coin and a range of other, Late Saxon to post-medieval metal objects. These metal finds include a Late Saxon to post-medieval lead spindle whorl; medieval to post-medieval dress accessories; a medieval thimble, bell, hinge plate, copper alloy seal matrix and lead pot mend; a medieval/post-medieval purse bar, candlestick, copper alloy vessel fragments, a copper alloy sieve, strainer or filter and lead weight or spindle whorl and a post-medieval probable sword-belt fitting, book clasp and lead cloth seals.

Protected Status/Designation

None recorded

Location

Map sheet	TF81SE
Civil Parish	LITTLE DUNHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

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Full Description

1969. Fieldwalking
Field 15. Context 1 at [1].
Surface scatters of Thetford ware and medieval pottery 15th to 16th and one Ipswich ware were recorded.
Information taken from (S1)
P. Wade-Martins (NAU), 1975 amended by M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 22 May 2013.

7 September 1971. Ordnance Survey air photography.
Soilmarks. Rectangular enclosure. Soilmarks correspond with context 1. Outer ditched enclosure still extant on RAF 1946. Inner square soil mark looks like a levelled earthwork.
D. Voisey (NLA), 15 January 1996.

Earlier 1994. Context 2, whole field (Finder's field 15). [2].
Medieval and post-medieval sherds, many fresh, on surface of field.
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 12 June 1994.

January 1995. Metal-detecting find. [3].
Late medieval purse bar, swivel loop and short bar (Type B) with parts of framed attached at each end.
E. Rose (NLA), 1 March 1995.

1995.
Pottery sherds noted on evening stroll within 2m of east edge of field.
Four unglazed medieval sherds, including one rim.
Identified by A. Rogerson (NLA).
B. Cushion (NLA), 31 May 1995.

November 1996. Metal-detecting finds. [4].
Medieval coin.
Medieval seal matrix (+ S. ALICIE : GRIM :), (S2).
Medieval belt chape.
Medieval bell.
Undated binding/ferrule.
See form and list in file.
D. Gurney (NLA), 12 December 1996.

July-August 2011. Metal-detecting.
Medieval lead pot mend.
Medieval/post-medieval copper alloy vessel handle and lead weight or spindle whorl.
2 undatable lumps of copper alloy casting waste and 2 pieces of lead metal-working debris.
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (HES), 13 September 2011. Expanded by P. Watkins (HES), 13 August 2025.

March 2025. Metal-detecting. [5].
Neolithic large flaked flint axehead.
3 medieval buckles, a strap mount, domed thimble and hinge plate.
Medieval/post-medieval lathe-finished candlestick and copper alloy vessel fragment.
3 post-medieval buckles and a probable sword-belt fitting.
Information from PAS import.
Extended to whole field. Previous extent recorded as Context 2.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 July 2025 and 9 February 2026.

March 2025. Metal-detecting. [6].
Late Saxon to post-medieval lead spindle whorl.
2 medieval buckles and a strap end.
Medieval/post-medieval buckle, 2 copper alloy vessel repairs and a copper alloy sieve, strainer or filter.
Post-medieval buckle, 'peasant' finger ring, book clasp and 2 lead cloth seals.
Information from PAS import.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 July 2025.

Associated Sources (10)

--- SNF48032 Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1971. OS 71-482.
--- SNF73787 Photograph: JHT 1, 2, Medieval seal matrix..
--- SNF87261 Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Early Saxon. Dunham (Little).
--- SNF87263 Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Dunham, Great.
--- SNF89884 Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Middle Saxon. Dunham, Little.
--- SNF89829 Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Post-Medieval. Dunham (Little).
--- SNF57722 Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
--- SNF8804 Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1> SNF8625 Article in Serial: Wilson, D. M. and Hurst, D. G. 1972. Medieval Britain in 1970. Medieval Archaeology. Vol XV (for 1971) pp 124-179. p 129.
<S2> SNF86467 Article in Serial: Geake, H., Rogerson, A. and Ashley, S. 1999. Medieval Seal Matrices from Norfolk, 1996-1998. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIII Pt II pp 353-358. no 15, p 354.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (9)

Object Types (63)

FLAKED AXEHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
CASTING WASTE (Unknown date)
FERRULE (Undated)
METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Unknown date)
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
BRACELET (Roman - 200 AD to 409 AD)
POT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
SPINDLE WHORL (Late Saxon to 16th Century - 1000 AD to 1600 AD)
SPINDLE WHORL (Late Saxon to 16th Century - 1000 AD to 1600 AD)
BELL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
POT MEND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
PURSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
SEAL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
SPINDLE WHORL (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
VESSEL (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
WEIGHT (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
HINGE (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1500 AD)
SIEVE (Medieval to 17th Century - 1200 AD to 1700 AD)
BUCKLE (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1400 AD)
STRAP END (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1500 AD)
STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1400 AD)
VESSEL (Medieval to 17th Century - 1300 AD to 1700 AD)
VESSEL (Medieval to 17th Century - 1300 AD to 1700 AD)
VESSEL (Medieval to 17th Century - 1300 AD to 1700 AD)
VESSEL (Medieval to 17th Century - 1300 AD to 1700 AD)
VESSEL (Medieval to 17th Century - 1300 AD to 1700 AD)
VESSEL (Medieval to 17th Century - 1300 AD to 1700 AD)
VESSEL (Medieval to 17th Century - 1300 AD to 1700 AD)
VESSEL (Medieval to 17th Century - 1300 AD to 1700 AD)
THIMBLE (Medieval - 1330 AD to 1400 AD)
BUCKLE (Medieval - 1350 AD to 1500 AD)
BUCKLE (Medieval - 1350 AD to 1500 AD)
BUCKLE (Medieval - 1350 AD to 1500 AD)
BUCKLE (Medieval - 1350 AD to 1500 AD)
RING (Medieval to 16th Century - 1350 AD to 1600 AD)
RING (Medieval to 16th Century - 1350 AD to 1600 AD)
THIMBLE (Medieval - 1350 AD to 1500 AD)
BUCKLE (Medieval - 1400 AD to 1500 AD)
CANDLESTICK (Medieval to 16th Century - 1400 AD to 1600 AD)
CANDLESTICK (Medieval to 16th Century - 1400 AD to 1600 AD)
THIMBLE (Medieval - 1400 AD to 1450 AD)
VESSEL (Medieval to 17th Century - 1400 AD to 1700 AD)
BUCKLE (Medieval to 16th Century - 1450 AD to 1550 AD)
BUCKLE (Medieval to 16th Century - 1450 AD to 1600 AD)
BOOK FITTING (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
BUCKLE (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
BUCKLE (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
BUCKLE (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
BUCKLE (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
BUTTON (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
BUCKLE (16th Century to 17th Century - 1550 AD to 1650 AD)
SWORD BELT (16th Century to 17th Century - 1550 AD to 1700 AD)
BUCKLE (16th Century to 17th Century - 1570 AD to 1700 AD)
CLOTH SEAL (16th Century to 17th Century - 1575 AD to 1700 AD)
CLOTH SEAL (16th Century to 17th Century - 1575 AD to 1700 AD)
CROTAL (16th Century to 18th Century - 1600 AD to 1800 AD)
FINGER RING (16th Century to 18th Century - 1600 AD to 1800 AD)
FINGER RING (16th Century to 18th Century - 1600 AD to 1800 AD)
SHOT (16th Century to 19th Century - 1600 AD to 1900 AD)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Apr 4 2026 2:20PM