NHER 61166 (Monument record) - ?Roman, post-medieval and undated linear features and undated pits

November 2011. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetic gradiometry survey of proposed development site.
This survey revealed a number of positive area anomalies indicative of cut features such as pits, as well as possible linear features. Earth resistance data collected in the north of the survey area identified cut features which correlate well with the location of cropmarks suggested as being of Roman or medieval date, although it is unclear whether they relate to a possible road feature (NHER 53212) other cropmarks recorded in the area (NHER 53226 and NHER 53213).
See report (S1) for further details.
E. Bales (HES), 9 July 2012. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 26 August 2015.

July 2014. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
Eleven of the trenches excavated revealed archaeologically significant features, the majority of which were ditches. Unfortunately dating evidence was extremely scarce with finds recovered from only one feature. A number of the excavated features are likely to correspond with previously identified cropmarks and geophysical anomalies. It is however notable that the results of this work were not particularly consistent with that of the earlier geophysical survey, with several of the linear anomalies found to have no corresponding sub-surface remains. The survey had also failed to identify a number of the excavated ditches.
Several west-north-west to east-south-east aligned linear features identified in the north-western part of the site are likely to correspond with a group of previously identified, similarly-aligned cropmark features (NHER 53213). Although these parallel features were, individually, reasonably convincing as ditches, it appears that they were intermit as not a single one was identified in an adjacent trench. Significantly one of these features produced a small assemblage of Roman pottery sherds, all of which appear to be from the same vessel.
None of the excavated features could be conclusively associated with the east-north-east to west-south-west aligned linear cropmarks that cross the northernmost part of the site (NHER 53212). The one feature that could be associated with this group of cropmarks was a similarly aligned possible ditch, although as with the features to the south this appears to have been intermittent, being absent in an adjacent trench.
A ditch exposed in two trenches in the northern part of the site corresponds with a both a geophysical anomaly and a former field boundary shown on the 1st Edition O.S map.
A group of parallel north-east to south-west ditches observed in the south-east corner of the field appear to corresponds with the present line of the Bixley/Poringland parish boundary.
Other features identified during this evaluation included several additional ditches (one of which had a notably curvi-linear form) and five unremarkable and undated shallow pits.
See report (S2) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.265).
P. Watkins (HES), 3 November 2016. Amended 19 May 2019.

June 2018. Excavation.
An archaeological excavation had been due to take place prior to the development of this site. However, this was aborted when it became clear that the site had been significantly truncated and disturbed by unauthorised construction work that had already taken place. Limited stripping in one of the areas where the preceding trial trenching had demonstrated the precence of archaeological remains confirmed all of the subsoil had been removed and the upper surface of the natural substrate truncated. No surviving archaeological features were noted in the areas inspected and/or restripped.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 May 2023.