NHER 38043 (Monument record) - Probable Early or Middle Saxon fish trap on Holme Beach (fish trap II)

May 1999. NAU survey.
Revealed a line of stakes formerly recorded as timber structure 85 (NHER 33771 context 85), with stakes recorded as context 73 and 86.
Thirteen posts in a southwest to northeast line on foreshore. Possible fish trap or sea defence.
Two timbers sampled for dendrochronology and radiocarbon C14 dating.
J. Allen (NLA), 17 February 2003.

August 2002. Norfolk NMP.
The site of a Saxon date fish trap is located within the intertidal zone on Holme beach and is visible on oblique aerial photographs taken in 1999 and 2000 (S1)-(S5). The trap comprises a linear arrangement of thirteen randomly spaced timbers. A second, V-shaped, fish trap is located approximately 50m to the south east (NHER 38042). The fish trap structure runs intermittently from TF 7129 4527 to TF 7132 4529 for 31m. The site is centred on TF 7130 4528. This northern fish trap is referred to as 'fish trap 85' in the NAU excavation report of the nearby Bronze Age timber Circle (NHER 33771) (S6).
Timber from the two posts produced a radiocarbon date of cal AD 250 to 540 and cal AD 660 to 890 (S6). The southern fish trap also produced Early to Middle Saxon dates, cal 669 to 900 and AD 420 to 650. These dates would indicate that the fish traps were in use over several centuries.
This pair of fish traps did not appear to be visible on any of the vertical aerial photographs consulted. The only aerial photographs where the structures could be discerned were 1999 to 2000 oblique aerial photographs taken of the timber circle excavations and site. Due to the intertidal location of these features the aerial photographs did not provide sufficient control for NMP mapping. Therefore the mapping was located using survey plans (S7) from the Holme timber circle excavation in 1999 (NHER 33771).
H. Clare (NMP) & S. Massey (NMP), 30 August 2002.

2003. NAU survey. Visited a number of times.
Timbers not seen. Either removed by wave action or concealed by sand.
See (S8)-(S9).
J. Allen (NLA), 17 February 2003.

September 2003. Site visit. Located using Global Positioning Satelitte.
[1] feels that these posts have been washed away but there is a possibility some may be concealed beneath the sand ridge.
(S10).
D. Robertson (NAU), 20 October 2003.

January 2006. Casual observations made while bird watching on Holme Beach.
The area of the fishtrap was covered in sand. No posts were visible.
D. Robertson (NLA), 23 January 2006.

For further information on the Holme Beach walkover and monitoring surveys see final report (S11). 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.