NHER 41938 (Monument record) - Prehistoric, Roman and undated features

September 2005. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site. Contexts 100-3402 used.
The 34 trenches excavated revealed a range of prehistoric, Roman and undated features.
A small assemblage of worked flints of probably Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age date represented the earliest evidence for human activity on the site, although these were mostly residual in later features. The single feature that could be convincingly dated as prehistoric was an isolated small pit in the north-west corner of the site that contained sherds of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pottery.
All of the other features of potential archaeological interest were located in the easternmost third of the site. These included an east-north-east to west-south-west aligned ditch that produced a small assemblage of early Roman pottery and several presumably residual Iron Age sherds. Two nearby, perpendicular ditches and an adjacent post-hole were potentially of a broadly similar date, although none produced any dating evidence. Also potentially associated with a Roman phase of activity was a kiln-type structure interpreted as a probable drying oven. This feature (which was left largely unexcavated) consisted of a long, clay-lined flue with the remains of a possible stoke pit at one end and those of a chamber at the other. Environmental samples taken from its fills produced burnt animal bone, charcoal and charred seeds. Although no finds were recovered from this feature its form and probable use are both consistent with a Roman date.
Features of more uncertain date included a pair of north-to-south aligned ditches to the west of the Roman remains and a large probably quarry pit in the south-east corner of the site. One of the ditches produced a single Iron Age pottery sherd and the adjacent, parallel feature two of uncertain date. A number of potentially Roman brick fragments recovered from the relatively sterile fills of the large probable quarry may indicate the date of this feature, although it is noted that these were all in poor condition and therefore potentially residual.
Remains of obviously modern date were encountered in several parts of the site, including pits, wall foundations, service trenches and other linear features. The deposit sequences exposed in the south-east corner of the site suggested that this area had also seen a degree of recent disturbance, probably during the construction of a foul sewer.
See report (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 17 August 2020.

February/March 2006. Trial trenching and Excavation.
This second phase of evaluation work saw the excavation of a small area at TF 8242 0735, the aim of which was to clarify the nature and significance of the poorly-dated features exposed at this location by the previous trial trenching (both of which had been interpreted as probable ditches). Two additional trial trenches (Trenches 35 and 36) were also opened approximately 50m to the south in order to investigate whether any remains lay adjacent to the projected line of these features.
The excavation demonstrated that the easternmost of the two previously identified possible ditches was actually an irregular discrete feature of probable periglacial origin. It was however confirmed that the western feature was indeed a north-to-south aligned ditch. The additional slots excavated across this feature produced small quantities of abraded Roman pottery, along with similarly-abraded fragments of lava quern, animal bone and potentially Roman roof tile.
Also exposed was a north-west to south-east aligned ditch that produced a single sherd of Iron Age pottery, a small amount of animal bone and a fragment of fired clay. This feature appeared to be truncated by the north-to-south aligned ditch, although it did not appear to continue beyond is line and it is noted that their intersection lay in an area of tree root disturbance.
See report (S3) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S4).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 17 August 2020.

An archive presumed to comprise material from both the 2005 and 2006 phases of work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2009.105).
P. Watkins (HES), 27 August 2019.

March 2013. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of excavation of two service trenches in the easternmost third of the site.
This work confirmed the archaeological potential of this part of the site, with several additional features exposed, the majority of which could be dated to the Roman period with a reasonable degree of confidence. The most interesting of these was a square kiln-type structure revealed in the south-east corner of the site, the flue of which appeared to be truncated by the eastern side of the large probable quarry pit first identified by the initial trial trenching. This structure contained an assemblage of late Roman (3rd-4th century) pottery, several Roman brick fragments, animal bone, oyster shells and an iron chisel blade. An environment sample from its fill was found to contain charcoal but no charred seeds, suggesting that this structure was associated with some form of industrial or domestic activity rather than agricultural crop processing. There was also no evidence to suggested that it had been associated with the production of pottery or ceramic building material. A small amount of Roman pottery was recovered during limited additional exaction of the probably quarry pit but as this material could well have been residual the date of this feature remained uncertain.
Further north a narrow, shallow, linear feature with heat affected sides was exposed, very close to the similar feature recorded 2005. This was probably also a flue associated with some form of oven or drying kiln, although its exact function remains uncertain. The absence of grains, crop-processing debris and weed seeds in a sample taken from its fill does though indicate that (as with the larger structure) it was not necessarily associated with agricultural activities. Other features of probable Roman date included a pair of adjacent pits that produced sherds of Roman pottery and animal bone fragments and a north-north-west to south-south-east aligned ditch. A notable find from the ditch was a Roman box flue tile, which would have been part of a hypocaust heating system within either a bathhouse or villa-type structure. It is noted that one of the brick fragments found in the square kiln-type structure showed evidence of burning and may therefore have been part of a support pillar (pilae) associated with a hypocaust.
Information from report uploaded to OASIS. HER copy awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 18 August 2020.

April-June 2015. Strip Map and Sample Excavation.
Excavation of three areas in easternmost third of site, ahead of the third and final phase of construction work.
This work again exposed significant Roman remains, the bulk of which lay in a band at the eastern edge of the site, between the two service trenches excavated in 2013.
Evidence for pre-Roman activity was limited to a small assemblage of worked flints which included several pieces of probable Mesolithic date.
The Roman features included the remains of a substantial rectangular post-built structure, the long sides of which were formed by at least five pairs of large post-pits, all of which contained the remains of flint cobble post packing. Samples taken from the fills of these features contained concentrations of charred grain (principally spelt wheat with a little barley), suggesting this building was most likely a raised granary. Immediately to the west of this building was the most substantial of the various kiln-type structures revealed on this site. This comprised a circular chamber with a short, narrow flue that opened out into a larger rake pit. The inner face of the chamber and the flue were formed by layers of red tile and at least one reused 'Bessalis' hypocaust brick. In contrast to the previously-excavated structures there was clear evidence that this had been a corn dryer, as its fills were found to contain large quantities of charred cereal grain. Finds recovered included a small assemblage of fired clay, including curved probable superstructure fragments and wedge-shaped pieces that may have been floor fragments and/or the remains of 'kiln furniture' type objects. Various Roman ceramic building material fragments were also present, including a piece of box flue. These features all lay to the east of a fairly substantial north-north-west to south-south-east aligned ditch, a recut of which appears to have turned to the east at the northern end of the site, presumably forming the northern and western sides of a large enclosure extending beyond the excavated areas. This ditch is shown to lie to the west of the similarly-aligned features exposed during the earlier phases of work but this may be due to an error during the combining of the various plans, particularly as no features on this line were identified during the preceding watching brief. To the west of this ditch a perpendicular, 'T'-shaped arrangement of two probable kiln or oven flues were identified, a little way to the south of the two similar features exposed during the earlier phases of work. These both had heat-affected margins and were in such close proximity that they may have shared a single superstructure. Environmental samples from their fills were found to contain concentrations of charred barley and spelt wheat grain suggesting these at least may have functioned as corn dryers or malting ovens.
Other Roman features identified included a number of additional probable refuse pits that produced pottery sherds, animal bone and ceramic building material fragments.
The relatively small assemblage of Roman pottery recovered during this work was indicative of activity throughout the period, with early Roman material present along with sherds of exclusively 3rd- to 4th-century date. Interestingly, the post-building structure was potentially associated with one of the earlier phases of activity, with the post-pits producing nothing that was could be later than mid 2nd century in date. The adjacent corn dryer appears to be potentially slightly later in date, although pottery of 3rd- to 4th century date was notable absent. Late Roman material was recovered from features distributed across the excavated areas, including the recut of the main boundary ditch, pits both within and beyond this probable enclosure, and the two adjacent kiln or oven flues.
The relatively small assemblage of faunal remains recovered is fairly typical for a Roman site, with cattle the most common species, followed by sheep/goat. Horse and dog bones were also identified amongst the hand-collected material.
As during the previous phases of work there was little evidence for subsequent activity on the site with no later features identified and no post-Roman finds recovered.
See report (S5) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 18 August 2020.