NHER 55844 (Monument record) - Possible Late Saxon burgh boundary ditch, Late Saxon occupation debris and medieval remains including stone moulds, Cinema City

Previously recorded under NHER 605.

Pre 1920. Stray Find.
In is noted in (S8) that 14th-century pottery had been found at Suckling House.
Information from (S1). No other details recorded.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 22 January 2018.

2002. Desk-based Assessment.
See report (S9) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 22 January 2018.

December 2002. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of excavation of four trial pits. Contexts 1-7.
Medieval pottery found at foot of medieval foundations.
See report (S2) for further details.
J. Allen (NLA), 10 January 2003.

April 2004. Trial Trenching and Excavation.
Programme of archaeological work undertaken prior to and during the redevelopment of Cinema City.
Excavation of five trial trenches, immediately followed by area excavation. From Context 10.
Late Saxon evidence from this site comprised a group of twelve pits and a single large ditch running north-south. The pits are all relatively large and all appear to be rubbish pits containing domestic debris such as animal bone and pottery. The large ditch has been tentatively interpreted as the western arm of the Late Saxon burgh ditch.
Medieval remains consisted of four large pits and three smaller features, which were separated into two phases. The earliest of these dates from the 11th to the 14th centuries and includes three pits and a single post hole. The second phase consisted of a sub-square pit with a ramp extending from the south-west side. The lower fills of this feature contained pottery, animal remains and stone metalworking moulds for making ornate pilgrim badges and candlesticks. The moulds appear only to have been used a few times, and the metal they were intended to have cast in them was a lead/tin alloy. This second phase of medieval activity appears to date from the 14th to 15th centuries.
The later post medieval period was represented by a mortar-filled post hole, brick surfaces, a footing trench, a soakaway and associated drainage features in the western part of the main excavation area.
See published article (S3) and assessment report (S4) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S5)-(S7).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2016.483).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 15 April 2008 and 21 July 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 23 June 2019.