NHER 52232 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of a small group of possible pits or sunken floored buildings of Roman or Saxon date

March 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a small group of possible pits or sunken floored buildings of Roman or Saxon date, to the west of the Roman town of Venta Icenorum (NHER 9786) are visible on aerial photographs (S1). The site is centred on TG 2349 0337. The pits majority of the pits are broadly sub-rectangular in shape, although a couple are slightly irregular and varying in size from 1.5m across to 4m. It is possible given the angular nature of some of these pits that they represent the remains of Saxon date sunken-floored buildings or grubenhauser. An extensive Early Saxon cemetery was excavated approximately 75m to the south of this site in the 1930s (NHER 9791), containing numerous cremation urns and inhumations. The excavations also revealed that pits, hearths and structures associated with the Roman extramural settlement continued into this area (NHER 9791). It is therefore also possible that the pits relate to Roman date activity associated with the extramural settlement. One of these pits may overlie the parchmark possibly relating to the line of a Roman road (NHER 52229), although the identification of this feature was somewhat uncertain. It must also be noted that the pit-like cropmarks could feasibly relate to underlying naturally formed deposits. Although given the amount of archaeological activity in this field indicated by the finds distribution (NHER 9791) and the cropmark evidence, a manmade origin seems probable.
S. Horlock (NMP), 23 March 2009.