NHER 65023 (Monument record) - Potentially medieval to post-medieval and undated ditches

November 2014-January 2015. Strip Map and Sample Excavation.
Excavation on route of Little Melton to Hethersett Pipeline (Area 4).
A narrow strip excavated adjacent and parallel to the western edge of the field revealed a number of ditches, several of which were aligned roughly north-to-south and the remainder west-north-east to east-south-east. The majority of these features are of uncertain date as few finds were recovered. The limited dating evidence does though suggest that the west-north-east to east-south-east aligned features were probably medieval to post-medieval, one producing a single sherd of medieval pottery and two post-medieval sherds recovered from an adjacent pair of more substantial features at the southern end of the site. It is possible that the north-to-south aligned features were associated with an earlier phase of activity.
The small number of discrete features recorded included a probable pit and an adjacent pit or natural feature, neither of which produced any dating evidence.
A patch of disturbed gravel adjacent to one of the ditches was found to contain a flint blade of probable Upper Palaeolithic or Early Mesolithic date, along with a number of other worked flints of unspecified type(s).
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 15 March 2024.

February-March 2017. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site on possible route of Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm onshore cable (GS16).
This site was one of 26 identified as a priority for examination due to their archaeological potential.
The survey identified nothing of definite archaeological significance - the only response of note being a single north-east to south-west aligned linear anomaly of uncertain origin. The fact that there was no trace of the ditches recorded during the preceding excavation does though suggest that ground conditions were not particularly conducive to the identification of sub-surface remains.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 15 March 2024.

October-November 2020. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site on proposed route of Anglian Water Norwich to Wymondham water pipeline (Area 7).
This survey of a relatively small area in the north-east corner of the site revealed no potentially archaeologically-significant anomalies.
A number of discrete dipolar anomalies and an area of magnetic disturbance at the northern edge of the field probably represent ferrous material on or near the ground surface (most likely modern debris).
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 November 2022.

April-May 2021. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed route of Anglian Water Norwich to Wymondham water pipeline (Trench 10).
The single trench excavated at this location revealed no archaeologically-significant features or deposits.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 November 2022.