NHER 64589 (Monument record) - Medieval settlement, possible moated enclosure and post-medieval and undated field boundaries

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 range of archaeologically significant anomalies in the northern field, adjacent to Edge’s Lane. These include a continuous positive linear anomaly the appears to represent the remains of a sub-rectangular enclosure, the northern side of which is parallel to the nearby lane. This enclosure measures 37m and 30m and contains several linear anomalies that appear to represent internal divisions. It is suggested that it form is comparable to medieval moated enclosures identified elsewhere, although it is relatively small in size, enclosing an area of only 0.07ha. It is perhaps significant that the field containing this enclosure is listed by the Stratton St Michael tithe apportionment a 'Pond Close (94)', given that no pond-like features are depicted on the tithe map itself (S2).
A complex cluster of linear and discrete anomalies identified to the east of the possible moat is likely to represent remains associated with an area of former settlement adjacent to Edge’s Lane. The majority of the anomalies lie within a rectangular enclosure measuring 65m and 43m, including linear anomalies that appear to define a smaller, internal enclosure and numerous short positive linear responses that may represent building remains. A very faint linear positive anomaly to the west appears to define another enclosure that was probably part of the same complex. Although the exact date of these features is unknown at present their obvious association with the adjacent road suggests that they probably medieval.
A number of other, straight linear anomalies identified elsewhere in these fields are also likely to represent infilled ditches. The main field is bisected by three north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditches that are associated with post-medieval field boundaries - two corresponding with features marked on the Stratton St Michael tithe map of 1838 (S2) and a third, westernmost feature with a boundary shown on the later Ordnance Survey 1st Edition map (S3). Several perpendicular anomalies that lie between the main boundaries do not appear on any of the historic maps and presumably represent either earlier or short-lived sub-divisions of these fields. It is notable that the two main boundaries visible on the tithe map appear to coincide with the western and eastern limits of the potentially medieval enclosures, suggesting that the 19th-century field system potentially incorporated at least some boundaries that had been established much earlier.
Several linear anomalies likely to represent former field boundaries were also identified in the smaller, southern field. It is clear from their position and alignments that most were elements of the same field system as the field boundaries identified to the north, although all had been lost by the early 19th century.
A series of weakly positive parallel linear anomalies 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 (S4) 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 38-43).
Two of the six trenches excavated at this location were positioned to coincide with the main concentration of geophysical anomalies identified at the northern end of the site, adjacent to Edge’s Lane. A range of corresponding ditches and pits were uncovered, most of which proved to be of likely medieval date. These included a west-north-west to east-south-east aligned ditch associated with one of the more extensive, southernmost linear anomalies in the group, which was found to contain a moderate amount of medieval pottery. It appeared to have been recut by a broader, shallower ditch that contained several post-medieval pottery sherds – suggesting that this boundary at least may have endured beyond the medieval period. Part of a fired clay object was also recorded from this later ditch, the form of which suggested it was possibly the corner of a Late Iron Age/Roman triangular loomweight. A north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditch to the north coincided with one of the linear anomalies likely to represent internal subdivisions of the main enclosure, but unfortunately this produced no dating evidence.
All of the discrete anomalies that coincided with the trenches were found to be associated with reasonably substantial pits and a number of additional discrete features were also identified. Although the amount of pottery recovered from these features varied, all were of probable medieval date. Other finds from medieval contexts included small quantities of animal bone and fired clay and fragments of lava quern.
Although a small amount of Late Saxon to early medieval pottery was recovered, this material was all residual within later contexts. The pottery assemblage is principally of high medieval date and suggests that activity probably peaked between the 13th and 14th centuries, with little evidence for significant subsequent activity.
The four trenches excavated to the south all revealed little in the way of significant remains, including the two positioned to target the east-to-west aligned linear geophysical anomaly identified at the southern end of the site. A discrete anomaly that coincided with another of the trenches was found to have been caused by a gravellier patch within the natural geology. The only features recorded in these trenches were two adjacent probable plough scars, one of which contained a possible Roman roof tile fragment and the other two fragments of probable post-medieval ceramic building material.
See report (S5) 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.