NHER 40132 (Monument record) - Undated burnt features and post-medieval finds

This site records a multi-phased programme of archaeological investigation undertaken prior to the construction of a new link road between the A11 Cringleford bypass and Colney Lane. For other sites related to this work, see NHER 40130 - NHER 40131, NHER 40133 – NHER 40137, and NHER 40205.

This site also records a programme of archaeological investigation undertaken in advance of development to the west and south of the link road. For other sites related to this work, see NHER 36138, NHER 40130, NHER 40133, NHER 40135, NHER 40140, and NHER 60815.

The results of a systematic fieldwalking and metal-detecting survey undertaken in 2004 are now recorded under NHER 37342 (which also details earlier metal-detecting finds from this field).
P. Watkins (HES), 23 March 2021.

February to April 2004. Geophysical Survey. Field 4, Areas K-M
A magnetic susceptibility survey was carried out over the entire field and a gradiometer survey was undertaken within three discrete areas.
Magnetic susceptibility levels were seen to decrease downslope, which may be a result of colluviation, but no other significant variation was noted.
One northeast-southwest oriented ditch and a pit were identified in the southwest of the field. The ditch may be a former field boundary, but it was not detected in the survey block to the north of the feature.
See report (S1) for further details.
J. Allen (NLA), 29 June 2007. Expanded H. Hamilton (HES), 19 May 2015.

October-November 2004. Watching Brief. Contexts 200-205.
Topsoil stripping for creation of a new link road and associated junctions was monitored.
Five small, shallow pits containing charcoal-rich deposits were located at regular intervals along the length of stripped road in the southern portion of this field (south of the roundabout). The pits were associated with patches of burnt straw within the topsoil, and one feature contained two fragments of possible roof tile within its fill. They have been interpreted as the remains of burned out tree stumps and have been tentatively dated to the post-medieval to modern period.
Unstratified finds recovered from the topsoil included:
1 sherd post-medieval pottery, 1 fragment of pan tile, 2 fragments clay tobacco pipe.
Undated lead waste and formless iron fragment (not recorded).
See report (S2) for further details.
J. Allen (NLA), 29 March 2005. Expanded H. Hamilton (HES), 08 June 2015.

March 2013. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of large proposed development area.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 19 November 2018.

March 2013. Geophysical Survey. Sector 3.
A detailed magnetometer survey was carried out over three areas, encompassing approximately 44 hectares of land in total, in advance of development. Each area was comprised of several fields. Sector 3 of this survey included a small strip of land to the west of Round House Way.
No magnetic anomalies of archaeological origin were identified within this portion of Sector 3. The majority of the magnetic responses within this area are indicative of compositional changes in the soils and superficial ferrous deposits within the topsoil.
See reports (S4) and (S5) for further information.
H. Hamilton (HES), 30 March 2015.

In 2018 a number of pits with charcoal-rich fills similar to those found here in 2004 were recorded at the site to the west (NHER 60815). These contained predominantly oak heartwood charcoal and are thought to have been associated with charcoal production. Four radiocarbon dates obtained suggest that most, if not all, were Late Saxon in date.
See NHER 60815 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 23 March 2021.