NHER 55862 (Monument record) - Medieval enclosure and associated features and other, prehistoric, post-medieval and undated remains

November 2010. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development area.
Three separate areas were examined, the larger, southernmost of which (Area C) revealed a number of potentially archaeologically-significant responses. The most notable of these are adjoining north-north-west to south-south-east and north-north-east to south-south-west aligned linear anomalies at the western edge of this field that are likely to represent ditches forming the corner of a substantial enclosures. North-east to south-west and north-north-east to south-south-west aligned linear anomalies to the west of these ditches appear to represent internal subdivisions of this enclosure, while a north-east to south-west aligned linear anomaly extending to the east is probably an associated field boundary ditch. A number of discrete anomalies within the probable enclosure potentially represent contemporary pit-type features or areas of burning. The position and orientation of the enclosure ditches in relation to the field system shown on 19th-century maps suggests these remains are most likely medieval to post-medieval in date, potentially representing part of an area of former settlement adjacent to Chequers Road. Few potentially significant anomalies were identified across the remainder of this field. Two parallel north-north-east to south-south-west aligned anomalies clearly correspond with former field boundaries shown on the Tharston tithe map (S1). Three additional discrete anomalies are thought to potentially represent pit-type features or areas of burning; one close to the probable enclosure and two adjacent to the eastern edge of the field. Areas of magnetic disturbance at the southern end of the field correspond with areas of modern rubble.
No potentially archaeologically-significant responses were identified in the two smaller areas surveyed at the northern end of the site. Extensive areas of magnetic disturbance across the westernmost of these fields (Area A) are also likely to represent modern debris. It is possible that some of this material was distributed during the demolition of two dwellings shown immediately to the east of this field on 19th-century maps.
See report (S2) for further detail.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 5 May 2023.

November 2011. Trial Trenching.
Partial evaluation of proposed development site.
This phase of work saw the excavation of two trenches in the north-westernmost part of the site, neither of which revealed any archaeologically-significant features or deposits.
Details from (S3). Report awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 May 2023.

December 2014. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of remainder of proposed development site. A total of 14 trenches were excavated (Trenches 2-14), the majority in the larger, southern field. The most significant remains were encountered at the western end of this field, where the preceding geophysical survey had identified linear anomalies likely to represent part of an enclosure. This was shown to be associated with a substantial ditch of probable medieval date and a number of pits and ditches recorded nearby appeared to be of similar age.
There was some limited evidence for earlier activity on the site, with a pit and a curvilinear probable natural feature both producing small amounts of what is likely to be Early Neolithic pottery, along with several potentially contemporary worked flints. A sample from the former produced only charcoal. Also of potentially prehistoric date was a large pit in the central part of the field that contained sherds of probable Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age date, a small quantity of animal bone and a number of burnt flints.
The pottery assemblage recovered from the features at the western end of the site includes several sherds of Late Saxon pottery but consists primary of early medieval wares, demonstrating that activity at this location had potentially begun as early as the 11th century and had certainly commenced by the 12th century. Only a small number of high medieval sherds were recovered and just a single late medieval sherd - suggesting that the site had potentially been largely abandoned before the end of the period. The enclosure ditch was encountered in three trenches, but only excavated in one. This feature was 2.60m wide, at least 1.28m deep and produced a mix of Late Saxon, early medieval and high medieval pottery. Its uppermost fill also contained a single sherd of post-medieval pottery. Features exposed within the bounds of the enclosure included several pits of probable medieval date and two ditches. The ditches corresponded with the geophysical anomalies that appear to represent internal sub-divisions of the enclosure. A sample from one of the medieval pits produced a small assemblage of charred plant macrofossils including wheat grains and grass seeds, along with moderate amount of charcoal from multiple sources.
Only a small number of other features were recovered across the remainder of the site. These included two north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditches that clearly coincided with former field boundaries depicted on the Tharston tithe map (S1). A north-north-west to south-south-east aligned ditch encountered in the northernmost part of the site contained modern material but it is suggested that this debris may have lain within a recut of an earlier, post-medieval feature. It is possible that this ditch was associated with the eastern boundary of a small occupied plot shown on the tithe map (which had shifted westwards by the time the Ordnance Survey First Edition Six-inch map (S4) was published in 1884).
See report (S4) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2021.39).
P. Watkins (HES), 5 May 2023.

February-March 2015. Excavation.
This final phase of archaeological mitigation saw further investigation of the medieval enclosure identified by the preceding phases of evaluation. The excavation area was also extended to the north-east to include the two potentially Early Neolithic features recorded during the trial trenching.
A pit adjacent to a previously recorded Early Neolithic pit was almost certainly of a similar date, being found to contained Mildenhall Ware Plain Bowl pottery and a small assemblage of what were likely to be contemporary worked flints. Two small pits adjacent to the potentially Early Neolithic curvilinear feature were also possibly associated with this phase of activity, although finds were limited to a small number of undiagnostic flints.
Two Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age pits containing Beaker pottery were also recorded. The larger of the two contained the bulk of the pottery, along with an assemblage of worked flints likely to be of a similar date and several fragments of animal bone. A sample from its charcoal-flecked main fill produced a poorly-preserved charred wheat/barley caryopsis and several fragments of charred hazelnut shell.
There was again little evidence for significant activity on the site prior to the early medieval period, with the small assemblage of Roman and Saxon finds recovered all likely to have been residual within later features. These included a single Roman pottery sherd, four heavily abraded brick fragments of possible Roman date and a handful of Early/Middle Saxon, Middle Saxon and Late Saxon pottery sherds. An extensive north-east to south-west aligned ditch that predated the medieval enclosure was probably Roman or Saxon in date but produced no dating evidence.
As expected, the vast majority of the features recorded were medieval in date, including ditches, pits and the possible remnants of at least one building – virtually all of which lay within the bounds of the substantial enclosure ditch identified by the earlier work. The intercutting nature of these remains demonstrates multiple phases of phases of occupation, with the large pottery assemblage recovered indicating the main phase of activity was between the 12th and 16th centuries. There does however appears to have been a reduction in activity during the 15th century, although it is notable that the small assemblage of later medieval pottery recovered includes several vessels that would typically be associated with higher-status occupation.
The substantial main enclosure ditch was between 3.7m and 2.6m wide, up to 1.6m deep and shown to take the somewhat winding course indicated by the initial geophysical survey. At its northern end the ditch appeared to turn to the north-east, although as this was adjacent to the edge of the excavation it is a little unclear if this was a true continuation/extension of the main ditch or an adjoining enclosure or field boundary.
Features likely to have been associated with the first phase of medieval activity included curving ditches forming sub-divisions of the main enclosure, a fence line comprised of 31 closely spaced post-holes, several pits, a large feature interpreted as a waterhole or sump and a potentially structural linear feature filled with pebbles and flint cobbles. These early features and the primary fills of the main enclosure ditch generally contained few finds and the environmental samples taken from these contexts produced little in the way of plant macrofossils or other remains.
The subsequent (13th- to 14th-century) phase of activity saw a rearrangement of the internal divisions of the main enclosure, although it is notable that there was no evidence for recutting or maintenance of the main enclosure ditch itself. Other features of this date included various pits and several other linear features. The large waterhole/sump was backfilled during this phase, with extensive dumps of flint cobbles and localised patch of clay then spread across this part of the site. It is possible that these deposits (which extended beyond the western limit of the excavation) had formed part of a building platform or external surface, particularly as the flint dumps lay directly on the natural clay – suggesting deliberate truncation occurred before they were deposited. Three layers of chalky clay in this part of the site potentially represented the remnants of floor surfaces associated with one or more buildings, while an adjacent patch of scorched clay may have been the trace of an internal hearth. The possible floor layers contained notable quantities of pottery, along with a range of other finds, including fragments of medieval roof tile. Samples taken from the various features and deposits associated with this second phase of medieval activity were somewhat more productive, being found to contain charred wheat and barley grains and various charred seeds.
In addition to a large amount of pottery the features of probable medieval date also produced fragments of lava quern, a sandstone whetstone, fired clay (including some potentially structural pieces with wattle impressions), a relatively small assemblage of animal bone (likely to derive from domestic activities), oyster shells, two strap ends, a probable scabbard chape and a number of iron objects, including a knife blade, horseshoe, awl or graver and possible hook. Slag and other industrial waste was notably absent.
Several pits were the only remains of possible late medieval or early post-medieval date recorded. It is thought likely that the final infilling of the main enclosure ditch occurred during this period.
A north-east to south-west aligned ditch that continued beyond the excavated area corresponds with a former field boundary shown on 19th-century maps.
See reports (S5) and (S6) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 August 2024.