NHER 58835 (Monument record) - Early Bronze Age cremation, prehistoric 'burnt mount' deposits and other prehistoric, undated and post-medieval remains

March 2011. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of southern half of site (Field 1).
This survey did not reveal any magnetic anomalies of archaeological origin. Responses were limited to parallel linear anomalies resulting from modern ploughing and a large anomaly in the north of the field likely caused by a geological feature.
See (S1) for further information.
H. Hamilton (HES), 21 May 2013.

April-August 2011. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of northern half of field (Field 1A).
This survey recorded a strong positive anomaly in the north-west of the survey area and a dense band of bipolar magnetic responses in the north of the field. The positive anomaly has been interpreted as a possible pit containing highly magnetised material such as ceramics or other fired remains, while the bipolar responses correspond to a former field boundary depicted on the Hethersett tithe map (S2).
See report (S3) for further information.
Previously recorded under NHER 58846.
H. Hamilton (HES), 30 May 2013. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 17 May 2021.

October 2019/January 2020. Geophysical Survey,
Magnetometer survey of part of large proposed development area (Area 6).
This survey of the entire field identified no potentially archaeologically-significant responses.
Although a small number of discrete anomalies were detected in the northern half of the site these were deemed to be of natural origin. An intermittent north-west to south-east aligned linear anomaly corresponds with a former boundary that subdivided this field until relatively recently.
The other anomalies detected were all either of probable agricultural origin or likely to have been caused by ferrous debris.
See report (S4) for further information.
P. Watkins (HES), 20 May 2021.

June-November 2020. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of part of large proposed development site (Trenches 5-13, 19-27, 34-42 and 45-51).
The 34 trenches excavated at this location revealed a number of ditches and several discrete features. By far the most notable of these remains was an Early Bronze Age cremation burial - which lay within a small pit, covered by an inverted Collared Urn. Analysis of the cremated bone fragments suggests they primarily represent the remains of an adult of at least 17-18 years old. The size of several rib fragments does though suggest that this was either a very small individual or that they had been buried with the remains of a child. Turquoise staining is present on a number of the bone fragments, potentially indicating the presence of faience or metal objects. It is notable that the backfill of the pit also contained fragments of calcined sheep-size bones that appeared to be animal rather than human, as well as many small fragments of fired clay (the majority of which were also burnt). Organic material was though largely limited to charcoal and unidentifiable vitrified material. An additional area opened around this feature revealed no further burials.
Other potentially prehistoric remains included a pit-like feature filled with burnt flint and charcoal that was partially exposed in a trench relatively close to the cremation burial. There was no evidence for in-situ burning, suggesting this material had been heated elsewhere and potentially represented the remnants of a prehistoric burnt mound – the accumulated debris from activities that saw large amounts of hot flint used to heat or boil water. The position of this feature would certainly be typical for such remains, lying in what was probably the wettest part of the site and adjacent to a large natural pond or hollow that had potentially been open at the same time. Finds were though limited to a single flint flake of possible Neolithic/Bronze Age date. A sample taken from the fill of this feature produced only charcoal and vitrified material indicative of burning at a high temperature.
A small assemblage of worked flints recovered elsewhere provides some limited additional evidence for prehistoric activity on the site, although these were all either unstratified or likely residual within later contexts.
The majority of the ditches recorded were aligned either north-east to south-west or north-west to south-east - with a number of these features corresponding with former field boundaries depicted on the Hethersett Tithe map (S2) and the others likely to represent elements of an earlier iteration of this late post-medieval field system. Finds from these features included a single post-medieval pottery sherd, potentially Roman and undiagnostic fragments of ceramic building material, an iron nail, oyster shells and a small amount of animal bone. The small number of other ditches were all undated but potentially represented elements of at least one earlier system of land division (including several north-east to south-west aligned features).
A number of scattered pits recovered in the southern half of the site were also predominantly undated, the one possible exception being a feature that produced single sherds of possible Early Saxon and late medieval/early post-medieval pottery, along with a small amount of animal bone. A sample taken from its fill produced charcoal and a small number of charred barley grains.
A very large feature exposed in the central part of the site was potentially related to the adjacent, extant pond, although it was observed to be cut by one of the late post-medieval field boundary ditches.
See report (S5) for details.
P. Watkins (HES), 12 August 2026.

October-December 2021. Excavation.
This final phase of archaeological mitigatory saw the excavation of a single 50m x 40m area targeting the burnt flint deposit partially exposed during the preceding trial trenching.
This excavation revealed two pits containing considerable quantities of burnt flint and charcoal. A deposit of similar material was also found to have been dumped into the adjacent large pond-like feature, demonstrating this had likely been open at the same time as the pits. These dumps of burnt flint were similar to 'burnt mound' deposits seen elsewhere and likely represented the accumulated waste from the use of heated flint for cooking or bathing activities - with the adjacent pond potentially providing the required water. Although finds were limited to a small number of relatively undiagnostic worked flints, the date of these remains was potentially indicated by a small group of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age pottery sherds (all from a single vessel) that were recovered from what appeared to be some form of linear feature on the opposite side of the pond. Samples taken from the burnt flint deposits produced large amount of charcoal but little in the way of plant macrofossils other than a small number of charred seeds likely to represent windblown detritus.
A small pit revealed to the south of the pond was associated with a subsequent phase of prehistoric activity, being found to contain a small assemblage of later Iron Age pottery and fragments of fired clay (including pieces of a possible perforated loomweight). A sample taken from this feature produced little in the way of charred plant macrofossils, with only a few pieces of chaff and a small number of seeds noted.
Undated but potentially prehistoric features included two additional pits and a north-east to south-west aligned ditch.
Unstratified finds included a Roman brooch and bracelet and a undated lead spindle whorl or weight.
See assessment report (S6) for further details. Final report awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 15 August 2026.