NHER 4304 (Building record) - 50 to 56 Howard Street; Howard Street vaults

Romanesque secular undercroft, with 14th-century brick vault attached under 50 to 56 Howard Street South (late 18 to 19th century house).

1976.
Excavation by Great Yarmouth Archaeological Society.

1987. Partial excavation and Survey.
Carried out by B.S. Ayers (NAU) and helpers before consolidation. Revealed a 12th century barrel vaulted undercroft, truncated at west end, with five attached brick vaults which are 15th, not 14th century. Photographic survey, drawn plans and sections made. Excavation confined to sections of brick vaults that needed underpinning. Mortar floors uncovered as well as possible compacted pebble floor.
See published article (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S6).
B.S. Ayers (NAU) January 1988.

According to (S1) the houses above in fact date to between 1885 and 1904.

October 2001. Trial Trenching.
From Context 100.
An archaeological excavation of four test pits within a 12th and 15th century medieval vaulted undercroft revealed a succession of medieval and post medieval floor surfaces, bedding layers and refuse dumps. The base of the wall of the 12th century vault was exposed and the original floor level located. The base of a wall in the 15th century vault was also uncovered and medieval floor levels were revealed. A lower, probably post medieval, vault was discovered beneath the southern 15th century chamber. Two auger samples of ground layers adjacent to the vaults (taken by consultant engineers) were monitored for potential archaeological deposits.
See report (S2) for details. Work also noted in (S5).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2011.377).
D. Gurney (NLA), 17 January 2001. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 16 May 2019.

April 2002.
Examination by E. Rose (NLA) showed that an extra 15th century chamber exists below the present undercroft.
Adjacent houses examined; traces of medieval work found in ground floors south of undercroft.
See (S3).
See also (S4).
E. Rose (NLA), 30 April 2002.