NHER 51618 (Monument record) - Norman, medieval and post-medieval finds and features

July 2008. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
The excavation revealed deep stratified archaeological deposits with occupation on the site dating from the Norman Conquest as indicated by pits containing 12th century pottery and occupation debris.
Medieval features dating to between the 13th and 14th century included rubbish/cess pits containing large quantities of pottery and animal bone, burgage plot boundary ditches, wells were concentrated in the southern area of the site.
Late medieval and post-medieval remains comprised structures, yard surfaces and evidence of industrial activity. A 'high-status' late medieval building was encountered in the south of the site and was probably constructed in the late 14th or early 15th century. The foundations indicate that this building would have been several floors high and a number of beaten clay floor surfaces were observed. A small furnace cut through the first floor surface on one side of the building suggests that during its early use it was associated with bronze smelting, possibly a dwelling with an attached workshop and this area of the city is known to have been the location of late medieval and early post-medieval bronze working.
Finds of residual ?Iron Age pottery were recovered from a pit in the north-east of the site.
See draft publication (S1) and 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 : 2010.46).
S. Howard (HES), 24 June 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 5 May 2019.

July 2012-April 2013. Watching Brief.
Details awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 19 August 2015.