NHER 59565 (Monument record) - Roman pits and ditch

January-February 2009. Trial Trench and Watching Brief.
Evaluation of site of new soakaway, followed by monitoring of groundworks associated with its installation.
The single trench excavated revealed a south-west to north-east aligned ditch and several probable pits, all of which produced Roman pottery sherds. Fragments of Roman ceramic building material, animal bone and lava quern were also recovered.
The subsequent excavation of the whole footprint of the soakaway revealed several additional pits which also produced assemblages of Roman pottery, tile, lava quern, animal bone and oyster shell.
A narrow, deep pipe trench was also excavated that connected the soakaway to a pumping station in the car park to the south of the school. No archaeologically significant features were identified, although a range of finds were recovered, including Roman and post-medieval pottery sherds and tiles.
The Roman pottery assemblage suggests that the excavated features are likely to represent at least two distinct phases of activity, with the pits producing material of predominantly early to mid 2nd-century date and a group of 4th-century sherds recovered from the ditch (which also appeared to cut at least two the pits). A total of 80 Roman tile fragments were recovered during this work, with the assemblage being notable for the proportion of wall/floor tiles and the presence of box flue tiles and large floor tiles likely to have been associated with a hypocaust. The variety of forms and fabrics present suggests that this material was derived from more than one structure or phase of building. Other finds of note include a possible piece of kiln furniture (fire bar) and a piece of opus signinum, both recovered from pit fills.
See report (S1) for further details.
Previously recorded under NHER 51819.
P. Watkins (HES), 20 August 2015.

July 2012. Watching Brief.
A single sherd of Roman pottery was recovered from the topsoil during monitoring of groundworks for an extension to Caister Infant School. The excavations did not penetrate below the made-up ground level and no archaeological features or deposits were recorded.
See report (S1) for further information.
H. Hamilton (HES), 25 March 2013.