NHER 64586 (Monument record) - Possible Roman trackways, Roman or later oven and other, post-medieval and undated remains

November 2015. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of large proposed development area.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 May 2023.

August 2017-March 2018. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of possible development area.
This survey identified a north-west to south-east aligned positive linear anomaly that corresponds with a former trackway shown on the Stratton St Mary tithe map (S2). This had once extended the line of the Star Lane, connecting it to the extant, north-to-south aligned track running along the eastern edge of the field.
North-to-south and east-to-west aligned linear anomalies in the southernmost part of the field are likely to represent ditches associated with two former field boundaries. These are of uncertain age, although their alignments suggest that they are not unrelated to the post-medieval field system.
A series of weakly positive parallel linear anomalies to the north of the former track almost certainly represent field drains of post-medieval or later date. A number of discrete magnetic spikes are likely to have been caused by ferrous objects in the topsoil – most likely modern debris.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 23 May 2021.

August-November 2020. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed route of A140 Long Stratton Bypass (Trenches 30-37).
One of the three trenches excavated towards the southern end of the site revealed a number of archaeologically-significant features, including a possible Roman trackway. This comprised a north-to-south aligned, somewhat irregular hollow with what appeared to be a metalled surface of flint and gravel at its base. This surface was overlain by thin trample or occupation layers that contained a range of finds, including Roman pottery sherds, Roman tile fragments, iron nails and fragments of animal bone. The interpretation of this feature as the remains of a trackway are supported by the fact it coincided with one of the linear geophysical anomalies.
Also exposed in this trench was a probable oven consisting of a narrow channel with a slightly bulbous stoke hole at one end and sides that were increasingly heat-scorched towards the other. Samples taken from this feature contained a high density of charcoal, although other identifiable charred plant macrofossils were limited to two oats. Unfortunately the age of this feature is uncertain as it produced only a single sherd of Roman pottery. A large post-hole and a small ovoid pit nearby were also poorly date, with finds being limited to a single medieval pottery sherd found in the latter.
A shallow pit to the west of the probable trackway contained a small number of post-medieval finds, including pottery sherds, a pantile fragment and a piece of vessel glass. Residual Roman pottery, iron nails and iron slag were also recovered from this feature.
A trench immediately to the north of these remains exposed an east-to-west aligned spread of flints lying directly on the natural geological deposits. This material – tentatively interpreted as the remnants of another trackway or yard surface – was overlain by a deposit containing Roman pottery sherds and fragments of Roman ceramic building material. As with the finds from other probable trackway the pottery suggests a 3rd-century or later date for these remains.
Trenches excavated in the northern half of the site revealed no significant remains.
See report (S4) for further information and NHER 68109 for details of various unstratified finds recovered during this work (for which the report gives no locational information).
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2021.2).
P. Watkins (HES), 20 February 2024. Amended 24 August 2025.