NHER 64863 (Monument record) - Post-medieval ditches and undated pits and ditches

February 2010. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of large proposed development area.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 17 January 2023.

Before September 2014. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of large proposed development area between A11 and Norwich Road.
The only potentially archaeologically-significant responses were two linear anomalies, both of which are likely to represent features of post-medieval date. The first was a north-west to south-east aligned anomaly in the central part of the site. This corresponds with a former boundary shown on a map of 1812 (S2) (reproduced in (S3)), which originally continued the line of a extant similarly-aligned boundary adjacent to Attleborough Hall. The second linear anomaly was a extensive sinuous feature running between the south-west and north-east corners of the site. This corresponds with a former tree-lined stream or drain depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition Six-inch map (S4) (but not the earlier map).
Although various discrete areas of magnetic enhancement were identified these are all thought to represent changes in the underlying geology. Numerous isolated dipolar anomalies are likely to represent ferrous material within the topsoil (most likely modern debris).
See report (S5) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 18 April 2021.

September 2014. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of large proposed development area between A11 and Norwich Road.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 18 April 2021.

December 2020. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
The forty trenches revealed a number of scattered linear and discrete features, the archaeological significance of which appears to be fairly limited. Dating evidence was extremely scarce, with finds being limited to several prehistoric worked flints and a small number of medieval and post-medieval objects.
Although medieval finds were recovered none of the excavated features could be convincingly dated to this period. A single pottery sherd was found in an otherwise undated ditch but the remaining medieval items (all iron) were all either unstratified or recovered from later features.
Post-medieval remains included a layer of brick rubble revealed in a trench close to the southern edge of the site. This was potentially demolition debris but couldn’t be fully investigated due to flooding. Also of relatively recent date were two north-west to south-east aligned ditches close to the northern edge of the site. The first of these was found to contain a post-medieval ceramic land drain. The second corresponds with the former field boundary shown on the map of 1812 (S2) that had been identified by the preceding geophysical survey. A north-east to south-west aligned ditch at the far eastern end of the site corresponds with another boundary on this map, which continued into the field to the east (NHER 4380). This particular feature is also visible on aerial photographs of the area - one of several linear cropmark and earthwork features recorded as NHER 54747. Several broad, shallow linear features corresponded with the tree-lined stream shown on the Ordnance Survey First Edition Six-inch map (S4) that was also associated with a geophysical anomaly. The former course of this feature became visible during the fieldwork when the traces of its channel filled with water following a period of heavy rain.
The remaining linear features were all undated ditches, the varied alignments of which suggest they potentially represented multiple phases of past activity. It should though also be noted that the predominant alignments were different to either side of the aforementioned stream, with those to the north mostly aligned north-west to south-east and north-east to south-west – including the two features of probable post-medieval date. Those to the south included two north-to-south aligned ditches, one of which also corresponds with another previously recorded cropmark/earthwork feature (NHER 54747). These ditches are perpendicular to, and therefore potentially contemporary with, an east-to-west aligned possible Roman or medieval road visible on aerial photographs immediately to the north of the site (NHER 33952). It is notable that unlike many features recorded in this area, the north-to-south aligned ditches do not correspond with any of the boundaries depicted on the various 19th-century maps, reinforcing the impression that they potentially represent an earlier phase of activity.
Samples from two of the ditches to the south of the stream were both found to contain moderate to high amounts of fragmented charcoal, along with pieces of burnt flint and, in one case, fragments of unidentifiable ceramic building material.
Although discrete features were recorded in many of the trenches the majority were found to be of probable natural origin. Although some were more convincing as deliberately-dug pits these were all undated and mostly fairly unremarkable. A sample from a pit close to the stream was however found to contain charcoal and an abundance of burnt flint and several other features were recorded as having charcoal-flecked fills.
See report (S6) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2021.28).
P. Watkins (HES), 22 April 2021. Amended 28 July 2023.