NHER 64657 (Monument record) - Medieval or later and undated features

June 2019. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
Archaeologically-significant remains were recorded in all but the easternmost of the five trenches excavated (where the subsoil was relatively thin and plough scars were visible in the natural deposits).
The most interesting feature was a substantial north-east to south-west aligned ditch present in two of the trenches towards the northern edge of the side. The single slot excavated across this ditch demonstrated that it was 1.10m deep and c. 3.80m wide. Its lower fills were overlain by a dark brown deposit, typical of the anaerobic organic muds that form in ponds and former watercourses. A single sherd of medieval pottery was recovered from this upper fill. The position and alignment of this feature suggests that it may correspond with a postulated common edge boundary, the suggested line of which is based on previous fieldwalking and documentary research (see (S1) for further information). A possible continuation of this feature has also been identified at a site approximately 600m to the east (NHER 64656), although this interpretation was only tentative (particularly as it wasn't possible to actually excavate the feature in question).
The other features recorded at this site were an undated possible gulley, a small pit with a charcoal-flecked fill that produced a single flint flake and two ditches, one of which produced three medieval pottery sherds of 11th- to 12th-century date. The two ditches were perpendicular and therefore potentially represented broadly contemporary field boundaries. All of these other remains were relatively shallow, which also suggests a degree of past truncation due to recent agricultural activity.
The only unstratified find recovered was an enamelled pin badge of probable 20th-century date.
See report (S2) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2019.216).
P. Watkins (HES), 25 February 2021. Amended 9 December 2022.