NHER 64348 (Monument record) - Medieval to post-medieval features and structural remains

June 2017. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
The four trenches excavated revealed a range of archaeologically-significant features, including ditches, pits, postholes, walls and various layers. Whilst not all of these features and deposits were individually datable it is likely that the majority were associated with medieval to post-medieval phases of activity.
Although several Late Saxon pottery sherds were found there are no features or deposits that can be convincingly dated to this period. The bulk of the pottery recovered is of medieval date, with the notable absence of late medieval vessels suggesting that the main phase of activity at this location possibly between the late 12th century and the 14th century. One trench revealed a number of potentially medieval features include intercutting pits and a post-hole. It is possible that two ditches and several other less well-dated features in this trench were also medieval. Notable features of late medieval or early post-medieval date included a pair of parallel chalk walls close to the northern edge of the site, one of which incorporated a number of late medieval 'Tudor' bricks. The deposits lying beneath and between these walls were interpreted as demolition debris from an earlier structure and were also notable for the presence of a significant quantity of what appears to have been smithing slag. Interestingly the lowest deposit in the sequence lay above a sandy clay deposit with burnt and charcoal-rich patches. Several late medieval bricks of a similar form to those in the wall were also recovered from these deposits, suggesting that the overlying structure may well have reused material from earlier structure at this location. A single medieval glazed floor tile was also recovered.
The trench in the north-west corner of the site revealed various deposits that were interpreted as horizontal layers rather than the fills of features, although it should be noted that the limited excavation undertaken revealed fairly deep sequences of material. Several of the uppermost layers were partially composed of ceramic building material fragments and mortar and were therefore interpreted as demolition debris. Another notable deposit was a spread of dark material that produced more than 10 medieval tiles and (when sieved) a fairly large assemblage of animal bone. A sample taken from this deposit was also found to contain a significant amount of charred grain, along with hammerscale and a range of other material that could represent domestic waste.
Potentially post-medieval features included a loose cluster of pits and post-holes in the south-east corner of the site that were undated apart from a single sherd of post-medieval pottery and a post-medieval peg tile (the only post-medieval finds recovered).
A third wall was identified in the south-eastern corner of the site but had no associated dating evidence. This wall was however built of un-bonded chalk block and may have been associated with a different phase of activity to those exposed to the north.
Residual finds of notes included three possible Iron Age pottery sherds and several Roman bricks, the latter of which had potentially been reused in a later structure.
Information from report uploaded to OASIS. HER copy awaited.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2018.32).
P. Watkins (HES), 27 August 2020.