NHER 40918 (Monument record) - Middle Bronze Age, Iron Age and medieval activity at Norton Subcourse Quarry extension

May 2001. Desk-based Assessment.
A desk based assessment was carried out in 2001 to investigate the archaeological impact of a proposed extension of the Norton Subcourse Quarry. The desk based survey identified that the principal potential within the development site is for the presence of Roman sites.
See report (S1) for further details.
M. Dennis (NLA), 1 February 2006. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 2 July 2015. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 14 July 2015.

November-December 2004. Systematic Fieldwalking and Metal-detecting Survey.
Field survey of proposed aggregate extraction site.
The site comprised two fields from which the only noteworthy artefacts recovered were a small quantity of Neolithic/Early Bronze Age flints. Previous fieldwalking had produced similar assemblages but also included sherds of Roman and medieval pottery. Neither projects noted concentrations of material indicative of occupation.
See report (S2) for further details.
Several parts of the area examined at previously been fieldwalked as part of the Hales, Lodden and Heckingham Survey. See NHERs 22659, 22693 and 22675 for further information on the results of this work.
J. Allen (NLA), 5 March 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 14 July 2015.

February 2005. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of southern field of proposed aggregate extraction area (Phase 1). Fourteen trenches totalling 700m in length were excavated. Contexts 3501 to 5009.
A few features were found, including a possible Iron Age hearth and a medieval pit.
A large number of natural hollows and tree disturbance was excavated. A number of solution hollows were also found.
See report (S3) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S4).
J. Allen (NLA), 5 March 2006. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 14 July 2015.

September 2005. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of northern field of proposed aggregate extraction area (Phase 2). Twenty-one trenches totalling 1035m in length were excavated. Contexts 1-3499.
Ditches and occasional small pits of both Iron Age and late Saxon date were found but there was no indication of any related settlement activity. A number of natural features including possible solution and vegetation hollows were located throughout the area.
See report (S5) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S4).
J. Allen (NLA), 5 March 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 14 July 2015.

September 2005-December 2006. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of topsoil stripping prior to aggregate extraction (Extraction Phases 1 and 2).
Two areas were stripped of soil and subsoil. A V-shaped ditch was discovered in the south-western corner of the site, aligned at an angle to the modern field boundaries. Ten animal burials were found in the north-west corner of the site. They were partially skeletalised and in machine-cut pits, so were obviously modern.
See report (S6) for further information
H. White (NLA), 12 November 2008.

September 2007. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of topsoil stripping.
Details awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 February 2017.

August-December 2008. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of topsoil stripping.
Details awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 February 2017.

August-December 2009. Watching Brief.
Details awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 February 2017.

August-December 2010. Watching Brief.
Details awaited.
The results of this phase of work are summarised in (S7).

?2013. Watching Brief.
Details awaited.

Although a report on the final phases of work at this site is awaited it is known that the remains exposed included a pair of tightly crouched (and therefore possibly bound) inhumations that had been placed one directly above the other in a shallow grave. Both have been radiocarbon dated to the Middle Bronze Age - the lower skeleton producing a date of 1430-1210 cal BC at 95% probability (Beta-299801; 3060 ± 40 BP) and the upper skeleton a date of 1410-1130 cal BC at 95% probability (Beta-299800; 3030 ± 40 BP). Adjacent to the lower skeleton (which was possibly female) were two jet studs that had probably been worn through the earlobes.
The grave was cut by one of a pair of parallel north-west to south-east aligned ditches thought to represent a later droveway. A large sherd of Middle Bronze Age Deverel-Rimbury pottery was recovered form one of these features and it is suggested that they may have been deliberately aligned to coincide with the grave.
Information from (S8).
P. Watkins (HES), 2 August 2019.