NHER 64820 (Monument record) - Prehistoric, Roman and undated features

September-October 2006. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of area on proposed route of A47 Blofield to North Burlingham dualling.
Survey of separate, narrow field at eastern end of site (Area B).
This revealed two short, fragmentary linear positive anomalies that potentially represent archaeologically-significant features. A discrete positive anomaly may represent a pit.
See report (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2016.297).
Previously recorded under NHER 60809 (and before that NHER 39847).
P. Watkins (HES), 10 June 2015. Amended 29 March 2021.

January 2007.
Environmental Statement produced (S3).
P. Watkins (HES), 10 June 2015.

March 2018. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey on route of proposed A47 Blofield to North Burlingham upgrade works.
Survey of larger field to west of area examined in 2006 (Area BLO2).
Adjoining, weak north-west to south-east and north-east to south-west aligned linear anomalies at the western end of the field are of probable archaeological interest - potentially representing ditches forming two sides of an enclosure. A number of weak linear trends identified to the east may also represent archaeologically-significant remains.
A north-north-east to south-south-west aligned linear anomaly crossing the central part of the site corresponds with a former field boundary shown on the Blofield tithe map (S4).
Small, scattered ferrous anomalies are likely to represent modern ferrous debris within the topsoil.
Information from report uploaded to OASIS. HER copy awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 March 2021.

May-July 2020. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of route of proposed A47 Blofield to North Burlingham upgrade works (Trenches 8-9 and 11-25)
The seventeen trenches excavated at this location revealed a significant concentration of archaeological remains in the western half of the site, the majority of which appear to have been Roman in date.
There was some limited evidence for earlier, prehistoric activity, including a small assemblage of Neolithic/Bronze Age worked flints (mostly residual in later features) and a pit containing Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pottery. This pit was located in the north-west corner of the site, close to a ditch that produced a small assemblage of Middle to Late Iron Age pottery. Small quantities of possible Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age and later Iron Age pottery were also recovered from Roman features in this part of the site.
The remains of probable Roman date included a series of north-west to south-east and north-east to south-west aligned ditches likely to represent elements of either a field system or a group of adjoining enclosures. A number of these ditches were fairly substantial, including an extensive north-west to south-east aligned feature observed in three trenches - part of which appears to correspond with one of the two perpendicular geophysical anomalies thought to represent the remains of an enclosure. Perpendicular ditches identified close to the recorded limits of this ditch were also substantial features of probable Roman date. The presence and date of these features suggests that the second geophysical anomaly - which was not investigated - represents another of the principal elements of this Roman enclosure group or field system. Although a number of similarly-aligned ditches were identified elsewhere on the site, the bulk of the dated Roman features lay within the area defined by the more substantial ditches.
The upper fills of the easternmost of the north-east to south-west aligned ditches and an adjacent large ditch or pit contained dumps of late Roman pottery and a range of Roman ceramic building material, including tegula and imbrex roof tiles, fragments of flue tile and bricks of a kind typical associated with hypocausts. The range and quantity of the building material present would normally be taken as clear evidence for the presence of at least one substantial, potentially high status structure in the vicinity. The assemblage does though have some unusual characteristics, including the absence of sooting or heat damage on the possible hypocaust elements. The lack of mortar on the remainder of the assemblage has also been noted – possibly indicating that at least some of this material was waste from the constructions of oven- or corn drier-type structures.
The late Roman pottery includes a near-complete coarseware copy of a samian flanged bowl, from which the flange has been entirely removed.
Although scattered ditches and pits were identified in the area beyond the main concentration of Roman features, these were mostly undated. The more notable pits included one that contained a moderate amount of iron slag and another with a particularly charcoal-rich fill. A sample from the fill of the former contained hazelnut shell fragments as well as ferrous globules and flakes. Given that no features of probable post-Roman date were identified It is likely that at least a proportion of the undated features were associated with Iron Age to Roman phases of activity.
The small number of post-Roman finds recovered included two fragments of medieval to post-medieval ceramic building material (both intrusive in large Roman features); medieval and post-medieval coins and a small number of other post-medieval metal objects.
See report (S5) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2020.103).
P. Watkins (HES), 29 March 2021. Amended 27 July 2023.