NHER 64336 (Monument record) - Potentially post-medieval quarry pits and undated ditches and pits

December 2015. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development site.
Although several anomalies of uncertain origin were detected the majority are thought to have been the result of agricultural activity, modern debris and variations in the underlying geology.
Much of the central part of the site was obscured by large areas of magnetic disturbance likely to represent significant concentrations of modern magnetic material.
The limited number of potentially archaeologically-significant anomalies included several relatively short linear trends, and scattered discrete positive enhanced responses that could represent pit-type features.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 24 August 2020.

May 2018. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
Eleven trenches were excavated, the majority of which were positioned to target potentially archaeologically-significant anomalies detected by the preceding geophysical survey.
The trenches in the southern half of the site revealed a number of probable quarry pits, the largest of which lay towards the central part of the site. This makes it highly likely that the large amorphous area of magnetic disturbance identified by the geophysical survey represents an extensive area of infilled quarry workings. Two post-medieval brick fragments were the only finds recovered from the excavated quarry pits.
Although a small number of other features were identified none produced any dating evidence. These undated features included pits, ditches and gullies in the area to the north of the main area of quarrying and three ditches in the southernmost part of the site. Only two of the ditches appear to have corresponded with geophysical anomalies and a number of the other linear trends identified by the geophysical survey were found to have no associated sub-surface remains (confirming the suggestion that they were potentially agricultural in origin).
The small number of unstratified finds recovered during this work included a prehistoric flint end scraper and flakes, post-medieval pottery sherds and a clay tobacco pipe stem and a small number of undatable iron objects.
See report (S2) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2018.84).
P. Watkins (HES), 24 August 2020.