NHER 53095 (Monument record) - Medieval and post-medieval features and finds, South Gates Park

July 2009. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation in advance of road widening.
The archaeological evaluation conducted on land at South Gates Park prior to a road widening scheme, close to the medieval South Gates (NHER 5486), revealed deposits and finds dating from the medieval to post-medieval period.
The earliest deposits may also belong to a natural bank, although it is more likely that they relate to artificial heightening by deliberate dumping in the 13th century. A series of ditches and pits cut into these layers may represent boundaries which existed prior to the creation of the Town Defences.
The function of a late medieval mortar structure is unclear, though it may be a cellar dating from the 13th to 16th centuries. It may therefore be related to the town walls, but the excavators considered it more likely to relate to a late medieval building.
A mid-17th century pit (roughly contemporary with the Civil War refortification of the town defences) may have been a borrow pit for strengthening the wall or refuse pit for the garrison. Dating of the large assemblage of tobacco pipes from this pit suggests a date of 1642-3.
A brick-built cellar associated with the Crown Inn, which was constructed in the late 18th or early 19th century was also noted.
Finds associated with the site included local and regional pottery dating from the medieval to post-medieval period, a large assemblage of mainly 17th century clay pipes, a large assemblage of animal bone representing and small quantities of medieval and post-medieval brick, tile, glass and metalwork. Industrial activities are represented by iron smithing slag and a hearth bottom.
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 : 2016.322).
S. Howard (NLA), 4 November 2009. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 23 June 2019.