NHER 6346 (Find Spot record) - Mesolithic and undated worked flints and multi-period pottery

Various finds recovered from a "sand" described as either east of Beeston Hill or close to the Beeston/Sheringham parish boundary. Various slightly different grid references have been given for these finds and the previous mapped extent of this record was almost certainly incorrect (area centred on TG 171 432). The source of these finds was almost certain a large pit that is clearly marked on the 1st Edition O.S map, adjacent to a lime kiln (NHEr 6419). Later cartographic sources show the gradual expansion of the pit, which was still open as late as 1946 (when it is clearly visible on aerial photographs).

1923-1924. Stray Find.
Found by [1] in sandpit near church on cliff edge:
Roman pottery sherds including red colour coated wares.
These finds are described in W. G. Clarke's manuscript notes (S1).
Information from (S2).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 July 2014.

1930. Stray Find.
Found by [2] in sandpit on boundary of Beeston Regis and Sheringham.
Roman pottery sherds. See sketches and notes by A. G. Wright (S3).
Information from (S2).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 July 2014.

1943-5. Stray Find.
Found by [3] and [4] in sandpit on boundary of Beeston Regis and Sheringham:
Roman pottery sherds. The Norwich Castle Museum holds two groups of Roman pottery that were donated around this time, one by [3] (NWHCM : 1943.89.1) and another that was donated by [4] two years later (NWHCM : 1945.75). Information from (S2). The material donated by [4] is recorded by the museum being from "Beeston Hill, Sheringham" and comprising greyware pottery sherds and a "moulded ornament".

It is clear the finds donated by [3] also include a range of earlier and later material, the collection being listed as "Mesolithic worked flint; Iron Age, Roman, Medieval and undated pottery sherds". The Mesolithic flints are almost certainly the 6 blades/flakes listed in (S4) as being from "Ingram Sand Pit". Although the grid reference listed in (S4) places this finds in the nearby Briton's Lane pit (NHER 6342, under which these flints were previously recorded) this would appear to be an error. These objects are described in R. Jacobi's records (S5) as fine bladelets, one with very fine denticulation. Jacobi also lists 32 post-Mesolithic flints in this collection; 3 scraper, 28 flakes and 1 blade - all of which are "utterly different to [the] Mesolithic candidates. Jacobi's records also suggest that this collection also includes material marked as being from the Briton's Lane pit, which may explain the confusion regarding the provenance of this material.

The pottery sherds donated by [3] include 4 ?Bronze Age sherd (2 with crude rustication). Information from (S6). 10 Iron Age pottery sherds (coarse quartz-gritted) were identified by T. Gregory (NAU) on 27 February 1985. Information from (S7). Although medieval sherds are also mentioned by the museum's records this has not been checked.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 July 2014.

1952 and 1956. Stray Find.
Further Roman pottery sherds recovered, probably by [3] and [4].
According to (S7) this information comes from an NCM record map. No other details are recorded and no further finds were donated to the NCM.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 July 2014.

The record previously detailed additional finds that were recovered in 1975 and 1981. The available records make no reference to the sandpit and it must be assumed that they were assigned to this record purely on the basis of its mapped location - which has now been moved to the west. There finds have therefore been recorded under a new record, located in the position previously occupied by NHER 6346 (NHER 59551).