NHER 51397 (Monument record) - Medieval and later features

March 2008. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
A trench from the South- East corner of the site revealed two pits and one possible pit or linear feature. The first pit contained fourteenth- fifteenth century pottery sherds, an early brick fragment and butchered animal bones. The second pit contained early brick fragments, fired clay, 49 sherds of medieval pottery, an iron knfe blade and an undiagnostic right- angle fitting. The brick fragments have been dated to the fourteenth- fifteenth century, and indicate a moderate/ high status structure on this site.
A trench from the far south-east corner of the site contained two linear features aligned North- South, with a large boundary ditch. A fourteenth- fifteenth century jug sherd was recovered from the fill, along with two early brick fragments and butchered animal bones, some of which had been gnawed by a dog.
The burial of a piglet was excavated in a trench to the far west of the site. A further four separate animal burials were excavated from the centre of the site, one sub-adult pig laying stretched out on its right side, one juvenile pig and two neonatal piglets. A further trench towards the centre of the site contained 3 animal burials. The first contained at least two juvenuile pig skeletons, the second contained an articulated skeleton of more recent date which appeared to have been limed. A clay pipe fragment and a fifteenth-sixteenth pottery sherd were recovered from the fill. The third burial contained at least three neonatal piglets. A large pit fell partially within the limits of the trench, and the fill contained mid- late medieval pottery sherds, early brick fragments and butchered animal reamins. Notable amongst these was the remains of a cat, which may have been skinned.
To the far east of the site, close to the modern road, two linear features were excavated. The first was aligned North East-South West and ran for a length of 3.5m. The second feature was aligned North- South and was partially observed. The fil contained butchered animal bones and sherds from the same fourteenth-fifteenth century handled jar.
A single pit was excavated to the far north west of the site. A further trench in this area contained a single pit or linear terminal.
The fill excavated from the pits suggests that they functioned as refuse pits. The archaeological evidence suggests the existance of a medieval smallholding or farm, specialising in pig rearing.
See report (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.125).
H. White (NLA) 6 November 2008. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 18 May 2019.