NHER 62532 (Monument record) - Post-medieval and undated features

2004-2005. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road.
See reports (S1) and (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 26 July 2018.

March-June 2009. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey on proposed line of the Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Site G5). One of two adjacent sites surveyed in order to investigate the large enclosure visible on aerial photographs of this area (NHER 51943).
This survey failed to identify any trace of the large enclosure. Although a number of anomalies were detected, none are likely to correspond with archaeologically significant features. Small discrete dipolar anomalies detected across the survey area were almost certainly caused by fired or ferrous debris in the topsoil. Various weak linear anomalies were also identified, most, if not all of which are likely to be the result of cultivation practices.
See report (S3) for further details.
Previously recorded under NHER 51943.
P. Watkins (HES), 3 August 2015.

April-May 2015. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Field G5).
Three of the thirteen trenches in this field were positioned to coincide with the cropmark enclosure recorded at this location (NHER 51943), two of which were placed across its northern side and one across the southern end of its western side. Despite the negative results of the earlier geophysical survey a single corresponding ditch was exposed in all three trenches. There was however no evidence for surviving deposits relating to the associated bank feature that had been visible on the aerial photographs. The ditch associated with the western side of the enclosure was 3m wide and 0.8m deep, whilst the northern ditch was much less substantial, surviving to a depth of only 0.4-0.15m. The latter produced fragments of post-medieval pottery, roof tile and clay tobacco pipe.
The eight trenches excavated within the interior of the enclosure exposed only a small number of archaeologically-significant features, including three ditches and two pits. Two of the ditches were aligned west-north-west to east-south-east and appeared to correspond with two linear cropmarks mapped within the enclosure. Neither produced any finds. An assemblage of post-medieval brick and tile was however recovered from the third ditch, which was an east-to-west aligned feature identified close to the centre of the enclosure. The two pits lay towards the southern end of the enclosure and were both undated. Samples taken from the fills of these features produced only charcoal.
A trench excavated immediately to the south of an extensive north-to-south aligned cropmark to the west of the enclosure (with which it was potentially broadly contemporary) revealed no features, confirming that any associated ditch did not continue beyond its mapped extent (at least in this direction). This cropmark is the southernmost of a large group recorded as NHER 51942.
See report (S4) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 10 July 2019.

September 2016. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of possible development area in south-west corner of field (Area E1 East).
No potentially archaeologically significant anomalies were detected.
Although a series of linear and curvilinear anomalies were recorded these were all thought to represent either plough marks or geological features.
See report (S5) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 9 February 2018.

January 2017. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site of proposed new road and associated infrastructure in south-west corner of field (Trenches 8-9).
A north-to-south aligned ditch was the only feature exposed by the two trenches excavated at this location. Although no dating evidence was recovered the alignment of this feature is similar to that of ditches exposed in the field to the south that were regarded as potentially medieval (NHER 62531).
Unstratified finds were limited to three prehistoric flint flakes and an undated nail.
See report (S6) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 9 February 2018.

January 2017. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of excavation of engineering trial pit in proposed development area at south-west corner of field (Trial Pit 16).
No archaeologically significant features or deposits identified.
See report (S6) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 9 February 2018.

An archive presumed to comprise material from both phases of work in 2017 has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2019.244).
P. Watkins (HES), 9 December 2022.