NHER 49777 (Monument record) - Medieval to post-medieval remains

February 2007. Trial Trench.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
This work revealed that sand natural was overlain by a soil of possible medieval date. Cutting this soil were two small, undated pits and a substantial east-north-east to west-south-west aligned ditch. The ditch contained fragments of 16th and 17th century pottery. Cutting the ditch was a similarly aligned post medieval wall that included a fragment of stone probably reused from the nearby city wall.
See report (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).
See also (S3).
Material associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2025.243).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 26 November 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 12 October 2025.

April 2015. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with construction of extension to rear of 63-67 St Augustine’s Street. These works took place following the demolition of a single-storey extension of late 19th-century or early 20th-century date.
The earliest feature was a small pit of uncertain date that was overlain by a relict soil layer presumed to be the medieval' soil recorded during the preceding evaluation. The substantial ditch seen during the earlier work was also noted, although no additional finds were recovered. Three other features were recorded, including two sizable pits interpreted as probable sand or gravel quarries. The presence of red brick fragments in their fills suggests a possible 19th-century date for these pits. A well with a lining of soft red bricks was also exposed. This probably went out of use when the extension that previously occupied the site was constructed.
A certain amount of ground disturbance had been caused by the removal of foundations associated with the, which took place prior to the commencement of this watching brief.
See report (S4) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2022.173).
P. Watkins (HES), 10 May 2023. Amended 24 August 2025.

April 2021-March 2022. Watching Brief.
Maintained during groundworks associated with construction of single dwelling, adjoining the previously built structure.
The natural geological deposits were encountered at a higher level in the western footing trench, dropping away towards the south-east corner of the site. They were overlain by a mid brown silty sand deposit that produced a small, mixed assemblage of Late Saxon, medieval and late medieval/early post-medieval pottery. It was though unclear whether this material represented a buried soil or the fill of a large feature or truncation cut. An overlying make-up layer was cut by four irregular pits, one of which contained two medieval pottery sherds and another a worked bone ear scoop of probable mid-16th-century date. Fragments of animal bone and oyster shells were also recovered from these features.
The northern part of the site was crossed by the remains of an east-to-west aligned brick wall of post-medieval or early modern date. The footings for this wall incorporated large flints with mortar adhering that had probably been robbed from the nearby city wall. A similar wall was noted in the section of the southern footing trench.
Unstratified finds were limited single medieval, late medieval/early post-medieval and post-medieval pottery sherds.
Information from report uploaded to OASIS. HER copy awaited.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2022.173).
P. Watkins (HES), 21 January 2026.