NHER 60803 (Monument record) - Late prehistoric, Roman, medieval to post-medieval and undated remains

September-October 2006. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of area on proposed route of A47 Blofield to North Burlingham dualling.
Examination of narrow strip at northern edge of field (Area K).
This area was dominated by magnetic disturbance. It was however possible to identified at least one potentially archaeologically-significant linear anomaly. Bipolar anomalies may indicate the presence of buried ferrous objects.
See report (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2016.297).
Previously recorded under NHER 39847.
P. Watkins (HES), 10 June 2015. Amended 22 June 2019.

January 2007.
Environmental Statement produced (S3).
P. Watkins (HES), 10 June 2015.

March 2018. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey on route of proposed A47 Blofield to North Burlingham upgrade works.
Examination of remainder of site (Area BLO8).
A number of potentially archaeologically-significant responses were identified in this field, including two adjacent, parallel north-west to south-east aligned linear anomalies. The alignment of these possible features suggests that they may relative to similarly-aligned cropmarks recorded to the north-west (NHER 49556) and south (NHER 49613). Several fragmentary linear and curvilinear anomalies elsewhere in the field were also potentially of archaeological interest. There was however no evidence for surviving remains associated with the single, north-east to south-west aligned cropmark that actually fell within the area examined (part of the group recorded as NHER 49613).
A very straight north-to-south aligned linear anomaly crossing the central part of the site is thought to represent the line of a former field boundary of relatively recent date. It lies approximately 30m to the west of a similarly-aligned former field boundary shown on the tithe maps for Burlingham St Andrew (S4) and Burlingham St Peter (S5) (having once formed part of the boundary between these two parishes).
The northern part of this site is bisected by a north-west to south-east aligned modern service pipe.
Small, scattered ferrous anomalies are likely to represent modern ferrous debris within the topsoil.
Information from report uploaded to OASIS. HER copy awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 March 2021. Amended 26 June 2023.

May-July 2020. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of route of proposed A47 Blofield to North Burlingham upgrade works (Trenches 59-65)
The seven trenches excavated at this location revealed a number of ditches and a range of archaeologically-significant discrete features. There was clear evidence for prehistoric activity in the vicinity, with several sherds of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pottery recovered from a north-to-south aligned ditch in the north-east part of the site. A west-north-west to east-south-east aligned ditch that truncated this feature also contained Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pottery, although this was probably residual as it also produced a single sherd of probable later Iron Age pottery and several Roman sherds. This ditch also contained fragments of fired clay and an undiagnostic piece of ceramic building material. Also of probable prehistoric date was a small discrete feature with a charcoal-rich fill that was identified on site as a possible cremation burial. A bulk sample from this deposit was found to contain only a small quantity of burnt bone (20g), several small sherds of prehistoric pottery (not seen by specialist) and little in the way of charred plant remains apart from wood charcoal. It is therefore uncertain whether this was a cremation deposit.
No other potentially Roman features were identified. Remains of probable later date included a large quarry pit that corresponded with a rectangular anomaly identified by the 2018 geophysical survey. Also of probable medieval to post-medieval date was a north-to-south aligned ditch that corresponded with the straight geophysical anomaly thought to represent a former field boundary of relatively recent date.
The remaining features were all of uncertain date. These included a pair of adjacent north-west to south-east aligned ditches that corresponded with two of the geophysical anomalies and an adjacent north-to-south aligned ditch that was potentially associated with an 'L'-shaped anomaly that was also recorded by the 2018 survey. The small number of undated discrete features included several possible post-holes and a pit-like feature in the north-east corner of the site interpreted as a possible oven. This possible oven had heat-scorched margins and several dark, charcoal rich fills that contained numerous fragments of fired clay (including some potentially structure pieces). Samples taken from these deposits contained a small number of charred cereal grains but little else in the way of plant macrofossils apart from large amounts of wood charcoal.
Also recorded was what appeared to be a deliberately-lain north-east to south-west aligned flint surface, which was partially exposed in the westernmost trench.
See report (S6) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2020.103).
P. Watkins (HES), 26 June 2023.