NHER 53908 (Monument record) - Roman and later features and evidence for Roman iron working industry

November 2009. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
The five interconnected trenches excavated revealed two east-to-west aligned ditches and a single probable pit, all of which produced iron smelting slag and sherds of Roman pottery. Samples taken from these features produced plant macrofossil assemblages that were primarily composed of charcoal and charred wood fragments - which probably represents the remains of fuel used by the iron industry. The presence of small numbers of bone fragments and cereal grains does however suggest that some domestic detritus and/or agricultural refuse was also being used as a supplementary fuel.
The metal-working debris assemblage comprises 38 pieces of tap slag from a bloomery furnace and a single fragment of vitrified hearth lining. The unusually heavy, dense texture of the slag suggests that it has a high iron content, indicating the smelt was not particularly efficient. The small assemblage of Roman pottery recovered suggests that this debris was probably associated with activity taking place between the late 1st and 2nd centuries AD.
Other finds recovered from the excavated features included a small amount of animal bone, a fragment of lava quern and two brick fragment that were possibly medieval in date (and therefore potentially intrusive).
There was no evidence for the medieval stone cross that the 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey map suggests lay within this field (NHER 3290). The exact position of the cross was however not clear from the map and it could easily have lain closer to the road, beyond the area evaluated. The limited evidence for medieval activity on the site is however somewhat surprising given its proximity to the church.
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 : 2011.433).
E. Whitcombe (NLA), 19 March 2010. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 9 April 2018 and 16 May 2019.

October 2010. Excavation.
Excavation of footprint of new building and foundation trenches for detached garage (Plot 2).
This work exposed additional sections of all three features identified during the earlier evaluation as well as a small number of previously unidentified remains. The additional features included a short curvilinear feature and a third east-to-west aligned ditch that lay to the south of the other two. A possible pit was the only archaeologically significant feature observed in the area beyond the northernmost ditch, which is consistent with the results of the evaluation.
All of the excavated features produced small amounts of Roman pottery and a sizable assemblage of iron smelting slag was again recovered, the bulk of which come from two of the ditches and the nearby pit that had been partially excavated during the evaluation. The slag was again typical of the waste produced in a bloomery shaft-type furnace and therefore entirely consistent with a Roman date. Although a range of stone samples were retained for examination none are thought to have been a source of the iron ore being smelting near the site - this industry most likely making use of the Bog Iron Ore pan forming at the marsh edge or ironstone deposits from further afield. Samples taken from the excavated features were again dominated by charcoal/charred wood fragments that had a distinct flaked appearance indicative of combustion at very high temperatures. The small amounts of other material present are again likely to represent either accidental inclusions or waste that had been used as fuel or kindling.
The pottery assemblage was larger than that recovered during the evaluation and suggests a longer period of Roman activity, with several sherds of 2nd- to 3rd-century date present along with at least one of 3rd- to 4th-century date. The utilitarian nature of the assemblage and the lack of fine wares suggests that it was associated with fairly low-status activity. Other finds recovered from the excavated features included a single piece of Roman tegula, several possible Roman tile fragments, lava quern fragments and a small amount of animal bone. Later material was limited to two medieval pottery sherds.
See report (S3) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S4).
P. Watkins (HES), 9 April 2018.

October 2011. Excavation.
Excavation of footprint of new building (Plot 1), to west of previously excavated area.
The only feature of Roman date revealed in this area was a continuation of the east-to-west aligned ditch that had been investigated during both earlier phases of work. The section of the ditch produced an exceptionally large assemblage comprising more than 1,200 fragments and weighing over 80kg. As before the bulk of the assemblage consists of tap slag with the largest piece weighing more than 5.4kg and showing multiple layers of flow. Fragments of vitrified clay probable furnace lining, undiagnostic slag, hammerscale and other vitrified material is also present. As during the preceding work there was no evidence for Roman ironworking on the site itself, although such a quantity of slag is unlikely to have been transported far from where it was generated. More than 100 Roman pottery sherds were recovered, the majority of which were either unstratified or residual in later features. The overall composition of the assemblage is consistent with deposition up to the mid-3rd century AD.
The evidence for later activity on the site included three handmade pottery sherds of possible Early Saxon date and a small assemblage of Late Saxon and early medieval pottery - all of which were either unstratified or residual within later contexts. Unlike the previous work a range of medieval finds were also recovered, including more than 70 pottery sherds, a number of roof tiles and bricks and several metal objects. A smaller assemblage of later, post-medieval to modern finds was also recovered. Features of medieval or later date included a cluster of intercutting possible gravel extraction pits and two ditches at the western edge of the site. The ditches both produced a range of prehistoric to medieval finds, most or all of which were probably residual. One of the ditches also produced post-medieval glass and modern pottery and it seems likely that they were associated with precursors of the extant field boundary to the west.
Undated remains included a single possible post-hole and two clay-filled features.
A number of prehistoric finds were also recovered during this excavation including a small assemblage of worked flints of probable Early Neolithic date and a probable Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age Beaker pottery sherd.
See report (S5) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2011.560 and NWHCM : 2011.663).
P. Watkins (HES), 2 April 2018. Amended 16 May 2019.

See (S6) for further information on the evidence for Roman ironworking at North Wootton.