NHER 62627 (Monument record) - Medieval to post-medieval features and multi-period finds

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.

April 2012-April 2013. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Blocks 45 and 46).
An east-to-west aligned linear anomaly identified within the western field corresponds with a previously identified linear cropmark that is one of several believed to represent the remains of a medieval or post-medieval field system (NHER 51970). Two additional linear anomalies that were almost certainly associated with this probable field system were identified immediately to the east, in the adjacent field.
A linear anomaly identified towards the southern end of the eastern field appears to correspond with the line of a former boundary depicted on 19th-century cartographic sources.
Although a range of other anomalies were identified in both fields these are not thought to be of archaeological significance, being most likely of agricultural or geological origin.
See report (S3) for further details.
Previously recorded under NHER 61108 and 61109.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 August 2015. Amended 31 March 2018.

April-May 2015. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road. A total of 12 trenches were excavated at this location, four in the western field (Field G7) and eight in the eastern field (Field G9).
Several of the trenches were positioned to investigate cropmarks likely to represent elements of a medieval to post-medieval field system (NHER 51970), which are present on both sides of the track that divides these two fields. A ditch forming the northern side of a possible enclosure was identified, the line of which also corresponds with one of the linear geophysical anomalies. This ditch produced a number of sherds of medieval pottery, as did a pair of intercut features identified to the south. The picture was less clear in the eastern field, with no feature found to be associated with the north-to-south aligned cropmark believed to form the eastern side of the same enclosure. A trench placed to investigate the south-east corner of the possible enclosure exposed a large, deep feature that was much wider than the recorded cropmarks. The single fill of this feature produced post-medieval pottery sherds and a roof tile fragment. Two ditches were however identified that corresponded with the two parallel, north-west to south-east aligned cropmarks that appear to extend from the south-east corner of the possible enclosure. Unfortunately, these ditches produced no dating evidence.
Although various discrete features were identified none could be convincingly associated with medieval or post-medieval activity, all producing either no finds or small amounts of earlier material.
The small assemblage of finds recovered in the eastern field does however provide at least some evidence for activity during several prehistoric periods. Potentially prehistoric features included a small possible gully terminus that produced a single sherd of Early Neolithic pottery and a small assemblage of potentially contemporary worked flints. A nearby pit also produced a single sherd of possible Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age Beaker pottery. Other potentially early features included a north-east to south-west aligned ditch that produced a single sherd of possible Iron Age pottery. This ditch corresponds with one of the previously identified cropmarks (also recorded under NHER 51970) and although its date remains uncertain it should be noted that there is growing evidence that similarly-aligned cropmarks recorded to the south may actually represent fragments of prehistoric field systems.
A small pit also produced a single sherd of Roman pottery, although this was heavily abraded and therefore most probably residual.
The undated discrete features included several other probable pits, at least one of which had an ashy, charcoal-rich fill.
A ditch identified towards the southern end of the eastern fields corresponds with both a geophysical anomaly and a former field boundary depicted on late 19th-century maps. It produced late post-medieval pottery and brick and roof tile fragments, confirming its relatively recent date.
See report (S4) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 31 March 2018. Amended 27 January 2020.

January-September 2016. Strip Map and Sample Excavation (Area 18).
Excavation of two adjacent areas to either side of the track, where the route of Norwich Northern Distributor Road would pass through the previously identified cropmarks (NHER 51970). Several groups of discrete features were exposed, along with ditches that were potentially associated with up to three distinct phases of activity. Although the bulk of these remains were of probable medieval to post-medieval date the eastern field again produced some limited evidence for prehistoric activity. A pit in this field produced a reasonably large assemblage of Early Neolithic pottery along with several worked flints of likely similar date. Early Neolithic pottery sherds were also recovered from another probable pit and a larger feature interpreted as a tree-throw hollow.
Medieval remains included a concentration of discrete features in the western field, the bulk of which appeared to be intercutting extraction pits (including several that had been interpreted as east-to-west aligned ditches when they were encountered during the preceding trial trenching). It is possible that an adjacent group of post-holes and a potentially associated curvilinear gulley were also related to this phase of activity, although as these produced no dating evidence this could not be confirmed. The probable extraction pits produced the bulk of the medieval finds recovered, including pottery of predominantly High Medieval date, silver coins, lead spindle whorls and a number of amorphous lead fragments.
Several east-to-west aligned ditches were again exposed, the majority of which corresponded with the previously identified cropmarks and had also been recorded during the preceding work. As during the evaluation there was no trace of a ditch associated with the north-to-south cropmark recorded between TG 2891 1005 and TG 2891 1000. It appears that, contrary to the impression given by the cropmarks, the extant trackway does not bisect a former enclosure. It is therefore possible that at least some of the ditches may have been contemporary with an older boundary on the same line. This would explain some of the discontinuities between the features present to either side of the track, particularly the fact that none of the medieval pit groups extended into the eastern field. The dating evidence also suggests that the east-to-west aligned ditches were not necessarily all contemporary, with exclusively medieval material again recovered from the feature immediately to the north of the pit groups and some post-medieval objects amongst the finds from the group of parallel features to the south. The latter were also on a slightly different alignment and all potentially terminated close to a large pond-like feature present at the western edge of the eastern field.
The other ditches included adjoining north-west to south-east and north-east to south-west aligned features that presumably represented another, presumably earlier phase of land division. A north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditch running parallel and adjacent to the extant track was clearly of post-medieval to modern date.
Information from draft assessment report. HER copy awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 04 January 2020.