NHER 61908 (Monument record) - Prehistoric and undated features

October 2014. Desk-based Assessment.
Production of Heritage Statement for proposed development.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 March 2022.

October 2014. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of extensive proposed development site.
The 48 trenches excavated revealed a total of 24 archaeologically significant features, the majority of which were ditches and pits. Relatively few finds were recovered and as a result the majority of the excavated remains were not closely datable.
At least two of the pits were probable associated with prehistoric phases of activity. The first was a sub-circular feature in the south-west corner of the site that produced small assemblages of Early Neolithic pottery and worked flint. It was noted that two nearby undated discrete features had very similar fills. Another potentially prehistoric feature was a circular pit in the north-eastern part of the site that produced a small number of Middle Iron Age pottery sherds. Three presumably residual flint flakes of possible Early Neolithic date were also recovered from this pit.
The various other, undated possible pits were all relatively shallow and unremarkable features.
None of the nine ditches excavated could be convincingly date, with finds limited to single sherds of Middle Iron Age and Roman pottery. All that can really be said it that the varying alignments of these features suggest that they were probably associated with more than one phase of activity. It is perhaps notable that not a single one of the excavated linear features was identified in more than one trench.
No unstratified finds were recovered during this work.
See report (S2) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.273).
P. Watkins (HES), 31 October 2016. Amended 19 May 2019.

May-June 2016. Trial Trench and Excavation.
This final phase of work saw the excavation of a single additional evaluation trench at the southern end of the site. This revealed no archaeologically significant remains.
A 40m x 40m excavation area was also opened in this part of the site, centred on the Early Neolithic pit discovered during the 2014 trial trenching. Additional remains were though limited to a shallow undated pit and a single ditch. Further excavation of the Early Neolithic pit saw the recovery of 12 additional prehistoric pottery sherds and a small number of worked flints. Apart from one patinated flake these objects were all consistent with an Early Neolithic date.
The ditch was a north-north-west to south-south-east aligned feature that corresponds with a former field boundary depicted on the Hunstanton tithe map (S3). This feature produced a fragment of post-medieval brick and small fragments of animal bone.
No unstratified finds were recovered.
See report (S4) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.345).
P. Watkins (HES), 29 March 2022.