NHER 44786 (Monument record) - Bronze Age to Roman field systems and pits and Roman cremation

June 2006. Magnetometer Survey.
Geophysical survey revealed two north-south oriented negative linear anomalies in the western half of the field. These may represent former field boundaries or drainage ditches. Several faint positive anomalies were also observed but could not be adequately interpreted from the evidence available and are likely not of archaeological origin.
Other responses were limited to areas of magnetic debris and discrete dipolar anomalies likely caused by relatively modern material dumped within the site but it is possible that former industrial activity, involving furnaces or kilns, is associated with these anomalies.
See report (S1) for further details.
J. Allen (NLA), 26 June 2007. Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 16 July 2015.

June 2006. Trial Trenching. Contexts 1-74.
Thirteen trial trenches, each measuring 15m by 4m, were excavated in advance of residential development.
A badly truncated Roman cremation burial was recorded within the subsoil at the northern edge of the site. The remains had been placed within a coarse ware, medium mouthed jar that likely dates to the mid-2nd to mid-3rd century. Roman cremation vessels of this period are quite rare in Norfolk. Analysis of the remains indicates that the individual was an adult, but sex and age could not be determined. No accompanying vessels or other grave goods were present, but given the damaged nature of the urn any grave goods may have previously been destroyed by ploughing.
A series of inter-cutting ditches were observed within six of the trenches. At least one of these features represents a substantial land division extending over three trenches, and the presence of T-shaped intersections suggests reasonably systematic divisions. No direct dating evidence was collected from the ditches, but at least two phases of use were apparent and a late prehistoric, Roman or Saxon date is probable.
Nine of the thirteen trenches contained small, charcoal-rich pits. These also remain undated, but they appear to post-date the field systems and may have been formed during the Anglo-Saxon or medieval period. Their similarity in size and form indicates that they had a common function, and the quantity of charcoal within their fill coupled with evidence of heat scorching suggests that small-scale charcoal production may have been taking place.
Unstratified finds recovered during the excavation include:
3 prehistoric flint flakes, 1 retouched flake and 1 scraper.
5 Iron Age pottery sherds.
1 medieval pottery sherd.
1 post-medieval pottery sherd and 1 clay pipe stem.
See report (S2) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S3).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.619).
J. Allen (NLA), 15 June 2006 and H. Hamilton (HES), 22 July 2015. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 17 May 2019.

April to May 2012. Excavation.
A large area spanning the north-eastern portion of the site and one additional trench located in the south-western corner were excavated in advance of construction of new dwellings. A series of ditches forming three distinct phases of field systems was recorded along with thirteen sub-circular pits containing high concentrations of charcoal and several undated post-holes.
The charcoal-rich pits were widely distributed across the excavated area and exhibited similar characteristics to those recorded during the trial trenching. All pits were of similar size and some were sealed by a capping fill of sand, but only a small number exhibited evidence of scorching at the base. Only three of the pits contained datable artefacts and only three had defined stratigraphic relationships with the ditches. The two most securely dated examples contained Late Bronze Age pottery and struck flint and therefore the majority of the pits are believed to date to this period, but stratigraphic relationships suggest that at least two pits may date to the Late Iron Age or early Roman period. Environmental samples were collected from each of the pits, but analysis was not able to provide any further clues as to their function.
The earliest phase of the field system consisted of two ditches at right angles to each other. These features were mostly devoid of finds, but contained an Early Bronze Age barbed and tanged arrowhead which is believed to be residual. The orientation of both of these features closely matches cropmarks recorded under NHER 53496 and the overall date of this phase has been dated to the Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age.
A second phase of field system was formed on a different alignment, with axes running north-southeast to north-northwest and west-southwest to east-northeast. This interim phase was represented by a series of irregular, more ephemeral linear features forming a broken line and, in conjunction with a parallel ditch to the south, may have formed a drove-way for stock management. This more ephemeral ditch appears to have gone out of use while the southern ditch was maintained and extended, forming a third phase of use. Several fragments of Samian ware dating to about AD 100 were recovered from one of these ditches. This field system appears to have gone out of use prior to deposition of the cremation recorded during the trial trenching. No further cremations were encountered during this work, but the neck of a glass bottle dated to the 1st to 3rd century was recovered a few metres to the north of the site of the cremation.
A single north-south aligned ditch was dated to the post-medieval period or 19th century. Its fill contained small fragments of brick or ceramic building material belonging to this period. It was likely created during a period of enclosure in the late 17th and 18th centuries and may have gone out of use during reorganisation of the landscape during the 1830’s.
Within the additional trial trench, a layer of brick rubble was noted beneath the topsoil and subsoil. This is believed to be demolition material from a late-19th or early-20th century building likely deposited in the mid-20th century to form a rough track-way or area of hard standing associated with agricultural buildings visible on 1946 aerial photography. A further ditch, almost certainly part of the field systems noted in the excavated area to the north-east, was also recorded but it could not be assigned to a specific phase and contained no finds.
See report (S4) for further information.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.586).
H. Hamilton (HES), 23 March 2015. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 17 May 2019.

May 2012. Watching Brief.
Topsoil stripping of an area measuring 1200 square metres was monitored.
One additional pit and one post hole were recorded. The pit was tentatively dated to the Late Bronze Age and the post hole was dated to the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age period. No archaeological finds were attributed to the contexts assigned to the watching brief area.
See report (S4) for further information.
H. Hamilton (HES), 23 March 2015.