NHER 60737 (Monument record) - Medieval roadside enclosure and associated remains

November 2013. Geophysical Survey.
Detailed magnetometer survey of proposed development area.
This survey of the eastern half of the site revealed a number of potentially archaeologically-significant anomalies. These included an east-to-west aligned positive linear positive anomaly at the northern edge of the site which is likely to represent an infilled ditch. A number of possible pits were also identified in this part of the site, the majority of which lay in the area between the probable ditch and Rectory Road.
A number of north-north-east to south-south-west aligned linear anomalies in the easternmost part of the site are thought to represent former field boundaries, as are two potentially associated perpendicular anomalies. They are similar to the field arrangement immediately west of the survey area depicted on the Swanton Morley Tithe map (S1) and may represent an earlier continuation of this layout that had gone out of use by the mid 19th century. A north-to-south aligned linear anomaly in the south-west corner of the surveyed area corresponds with one of the former field boundaries depicted on this map. This had been removed by the 1970s (S2).
Three equally spaced dipolar anomalies in the south-west of the site may represent thermoremnant features such as kilns or hearths.
All other anomalies have been attributed to modern activities including cultivation marks, disturbance from a hedgerow, paddocks and workshops on the edge of the field, and ferrous material in the topsoil.
See report (S3) for further information.
H. Hamilton (HES), 20 April 2015. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 13 December 2022.

April 2014. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of eastern half of site.
The 18 trenches excavated revealed a number of ditches, all of which had been identified by the preceding geophysical survey. The east-to-west aligned linear anomaly at the northern edge of the site was found to correspond with a reasonably substantial ditch that had been recut on at least one occasion. These features produced several sherds of high medieval pottery and an iron binding strip. A sample from one of their fills produced a small assemblage of charred cereal grain (including barley, wheat and bread-type wheat) and weed seeds. Fragments of animal bone were also present.
Several other ditches corresponded with the north-north-east to south-south-west and west-north-west to east-south-east aligned linear anomalies in the easternmost part of the site. No dating evidence was recovered from these features, although a sample from one also produced a small assemblage of charred cereal grain. A north-to-south aligned ditch in the south-west corner of the area examined coincides with the former field boundary depicted on 19th-century maps. A late post-medieval thimble was recovered from this feature.
Two discrete geophysical anomalies immediately to the south of the potentially medieval ditch were found to coincide with very shallow features of uncertain nature (one of which produced two flint blades of possible Mesolithic/Early Neolithic date). None of the other discrete anomalies tested were found to have associated sub-surface remains (including a number of those identified as potentially thermoremnant features).
The small number of unstratified finds recovered included prehistoric worked flints, single sherds of ?medieval and post-medieval pottery and medieval/post-medieval roof tile fragments. A single sherd of abraded prehistoric pottery was also found residual within one of the ditches of probable medieval date.
Information from report uploaded to OASIS. HER copy awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 24 December 2022.

August 2018. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of western half of site.
This survey identified at cluster of potentially archaeologically-significant responses at the northern end of the site. These included a linear anomaly that clearly continued the line of the east-to-west aligned ditch identified by the previous work to the east. This feature curved to the north at its western end, suggesting it had fully enclosed an area of land adjacent to Rectory Road. Various discrete anomalies present between this feature and the road potentially represent infilled pit-type features.
No responses of definite archaeological interest were identified across the remainder of the area examined. Two extensive north-to-south aligned linear anomalies coincide with former field boundaries depicted on the Swanton Morley Tithe map of 1847 (S1) and it is likely that a number of similar aligned anomalies were the result of relatively recent agricultural activity. Although a number of other linear and discrete anomalies were identified, most are thought to be natural in origin, with only a small number categorised as undetermined.
See report (S4) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 31 December 2022.

March 2020. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of western half of site.
A concentration of features of probable medieval date was recorded at the northern end of the site, in the area where the main concentration of anomalies had been identified by the preceding geophysical survey. As indicated by this survey a curving ditch appears to have formed the boundary of this area of roadside activity. The pottery assemblage recovered includes a notable number of Late Saxon and early medieval sherds, demonstrating that activity had commenced by at least the 11th century. However it is impossible to confidently identify any of the excavated features as either Late Saxon or Saxo-Norman, the material of this date being either present in only very small quantities, or (in most cases) present alongside potentially later, high medieval pottery. The outer boundary ditch was shown to be a reasonably substantial feature of probable medieval date that had been recut on at least one occasion. This was consistent with the results of the earlier work in 2014, which saw the investigation of part of the eastern end of this feature. Features within the area enclosed by this ditch included a single post-hole, groups of pits, and several narrower ditches that potentially represented plot boundaries of some kind. Other finds were limited to fragments of mortar, a possible iron staple and fragments of animal bone. Ceramic building material was notably absent. Samples taken from features of probable medieval date were found to contain small assemblages of carbonised grain (including barley and naked wheats) and arable weed seeds. No chaff was found. No late medieval or post-medieval finds were recovered, suggesting that activity at this location had probably largely ceased by the end of the 14th century.
Across the rest of the area examined remains were largely limited to a small number of ditches. These included three extensive north-to-south aligned features, two of which correspond with the former field boundaries shown on the Swanton Morley Tithe map (S1). The third produced no finds but is presumed to be of broadly the same date. A north-north-west to south-south-east aligned ditch that appeared to cross the entire site was likely to represent an earlier boundary, although unfortunately this also produced no dating evidence.
Unstatified and residual finds recovered during this work provided evidence for at least some limited activity in the vicinity prior to the Late Saxon period. These early finds included a flint flake of possible Lower or Middle Palaeolithic date, a Mesolithic/Early retouched flint blade, flint flakes of probable Neolithic/Bronze and Bronze Age/Iron Age date and single sherds of ?Late Iron Age/Roman, Roman and Early Saxon pottery.
See report (S5) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2020.69).
P. Watkins (HES), 31 December 2022.

October-November 2020. Excavation.
This final phase of archaeological mitigation in the western half of the site saw the excavation of an area adjacent to Rectory Road, where significant medieval remains had identified been by the preceding work. This excavation exposed various pits, post-holes and linear features of probable medieval date, along with a substantial portion of the curving ditch that appears to have enclosed this area of roadside activity.
The reasonably large assemblage of medieval pottery recovered suggests the site was occupied primarily between the 11th and 14th centuries, with a significant amount of early medieval pottery present as well as a high proportion of glazed wares likely to date to the second half of the period. There is little evidence for later activity, with only a small number of potentially late medieval sherds present.
Despite the amount of early medieval pottery recovered only a small number of features could be assigned to this phase of activity. These all lay in the western half of the excavated area and included a number of pits and two short linear features, both of which were cut by the main enclosure ditch. This ditch was shown to be discontinuous, with a substantial gap midway along its length likely to represent an entrance. Several short, similarly-aligned linear features immediately to the south were almost certainly associated with this entrance, although their exact nature is unclear. Remains of probable high medieval date revealed in the area between this ditch and the road included various pits, a possible well, a number of post-holes and a possible midden deposit. A number of linear features were also recorded, including several ditches in the eastern half of the excavated area likely to represent internal divisions of the enclosed space. No definite structural remains were recorded.
Other finds recovered from the medieval features included fragments of lava querns, part of a larger lava millstone with furrowed dressing on one side, a small number of iron objects, fragments of animal bone and oyster shells. Samples taken from medieval deposits all contained small to moderate amounts of charred cereal grain (including wheat, oat and barley) as well as various weed seeds.
The only feature of post-medieval date was a previously recorded north-to-south aligned ditch that coincided with the line of a former field boundary depicted on 19th-century maps. This boundary survived until at least the mid 20th century and it is possible that a number of probable wheel ruts adjacent to the ditch were actually associated with relatively recent activity – potentially relating to a trackway that can be seen on 1946 aerial photographs of the site.
As during the preceding work evidence for activity prior to the Late Saxon period was limited to a small number of unstratified or likely residual finds. These objects include sherds of Late Prehistoric and Early Saxon pottery and a small number of prehistoric works flints.
See assessment report (S6) for further details. Final reports awaited.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2020.69).
P. Watkins (HES), 3 January 2022.