NHER 65068 (Monument record) - Early Neolithic, potentially prehistoric and undated remains

April 2014. Geophysical Survey.
Geophysical survey of part of large proposed development area (Field 3).
Only a single discrete anomaly was identified as potentially archaeological significant.
Numerous other, weaker discrete anomalies are thought to probably represent naturally silted hollows or variations in topsoil depth.
Information from report uploaded to OASIS. HER copy awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 8 June 2021.

January 2025. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of part of large proposed development site (Trenches 16-65)
The 50 trenches excavated at this location revealed various scattered ditches, pits and probable natural features, the majority of which produced little or no dating evidence. There was some evidence for Early Neolithic activity on the site, with pottery of this date recovered from a number of features. The largest single assemblage (15 sherds) come from a pit towards the eastern end of the field, with small amounts recovered from what appeared to be a group intercutting pits nearby (possibly a single natural feature) and a large probable periglacial feature in the south-west corner of the site. The pits also contained various works flints of probable Early Neolithic date, including a knife, horseshoe scraper, blades and blade-like flakes. A sample taken from the better-dated pit produced a small amount of charcoal but little else in the way of charred plant macrofossils.
Small numbers of prehistoric worked flints were also recovered from various other features, including a small linear feature at the western edge of the site and several pits. The majority of these flints were also of probable Early Neolithic date; potentially later pieces being limited to a small number of short, squat flakes. It is therefore possible that at least some of the other features were also prehistoric, particularly given the absence of evidence for significant subsequent activity on the site. Several of these pits had notably dark, charcoal rich fills, samples from which produced oak charcoal but little else in the way of charred remains. It should be noted that this predominance of oak charcoal is often seen with pits thought to have been associated with small-scale post-Roman charcoal production.
The various ditches recorded were all undated. The majority were aligned either north-to-south or east-to-west, suggesting that many were potentially broadly contemporary. It is though clear from the differing alignments of several features that multiple phases of activity are likely represented.
Several particularly large discrete features were investigated but found to be of probable natural origin.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2022.189).
P. Watkins (HES), 29 January 2026.