NHER 65115 (Monument record) - Prehistoric, Middle-Late Saxon and undated features

July 2014. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of Weston Park Golf Club ahead of its proposed expansion and improvement.
This study concluded that there was a moderate to high potential for archaeologically-significant remains within the proposed development area. It was also deemed likely that any remains present would be in a good state of preservation.
No archaeological or historical features of interest were noted during a brief site visit.
See report (S1) for further details, including a summary of the documentary and cartographic sources that document the development of Weston Park, which was established soon after the construction of Weston Hall in the late 18th century.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 June 2021.

June 2015. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of land to north of Weston Park Golf Club (Fields 3B, 3A and 4).
Potentially archaeologically-significant responses identified by this survey included adjacent north-east to south-west aligned positive and negative linear anomalies in the westernmost field that potentially represented an infilled ditch and remnant bank. A narrow curvilinear positive anomaly in the south-west corner of this field was potentially the remains of a ring-ditch type feature. A number of short, broad positive linear anomalies in the two fields to the east were also potentially archaeologically-significant, although it is also possible that they were caused by variations in the natural geology. It should also be noted that there is little apparent correlation between these linear anomalies and the fragmentary cropmarks that have been identified on aerial images of this site (recorded as NHER 50660).
Various discrete positive anomalies scattered across the three fields potentially represent archaeologically-significant features such as pits but may also reflect changes in the superficial geology. Two much larger areas of magnetic disturbance may indicate areas of former quarrying, although no corresponding depressions were noted during the survey.
Numerous isolated dipolar anomalies were probably caused by ferrous material in the topsoil (most likely modern debris). Areas of magnetic disturbance around the periphery of the site were primarily the result of the 2m high ferrous deer fences running along the field boundaries.
See report (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 June 2021.

February-March 2016. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of land to north of Weston Park (Fields 2-4; Trenches 16-47 and 76-78).
The 35 trenches excavated in these three fields revealed a number of ditches and a range of discrete features, although unfortunately the majority produced little in the way of dating evidence. As at the site to the west (NHER 65113) a number of features can be identified as associated with prehistoric phases of activity. The most notable of these was a large irregular shaped hollow at the southern end of the westernmost field, that, although of probable natural origin, nevertheless produced more than 150 worked flints. The fills of this feature were noticeably darker towards its centre, with the volume of flint increasing towards its base. Although much of the flint is undiagnostic, at least some is of likely Early Neolithic date, including probable blade cores and a number of flakes and blades from prepared cores. A number of thin, curving flakes are probably thinning flakes associated with Neolithic axe manufacture. The assemblage is though clearly multi-period as it also includes some much cruder, more irregular pieces of probable later prehistoric date.
Other features of probable or possible prehistoric date included a pit that produced four sherds of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age Beaker pottery and a smaller natural hollow that was found to contain two sherds of undiagnostic prehistoric pottery.
Many of the undated possible pits were fairly unremarkable features. The more notable exceptions included several with charcoal-rich primary fills and heat-scorched margins. These are also regarded as potentially prehistoric, although they appear to have been similar to features than are now commonly seen as associated with post-Roman charcoal production. Three large, deep, sub-circular, steep-sided features in the easternmost field were also thought to be deliberately dug pits, although their partially undercut sides and the nature of the fills suggest they may well have been natural solution features. The upper fill of one produced a small quantity of Roman pottery.
The various probable ditches recorded were all undated, although most, if not all, probably predated the creation of the park in the late 18th century. The majority were aligned either north-west to south-east or north-east to south-west, suggesting a possible relationship with the group of fragmentary linear cropmarks recorded in the central and eastern fields. There was though little correlation between these cropmarks and the excavated remains. Only one of those investigated was found to be correspond with a surviving sub-surface feature and the majority of the other excavated ditches had no associated cropmarks.
A number of the excavated pits and ditches produced small numbers of prehistoric worked flints and more than 60 flints were also recovered from topsoil and subsoil contexts. Several periods of activity are represented, with the more diagnostic pieces including a Mesolithic/Early Neolithic blade, Early Neolithic implements (including a backed knife and possible unfinished leaf arrowhead) and a knife of possible Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age date. As with the material from the large hollow a number of cruder, more irregular pieces of probable later prehistoric date are also present.
The small number of other unstratified finds recovered include single prehistoric, post-medieval and post-medieval/modern pottery sherds, two post-medieval roof tile fragments and a small number of post-medieval and undatable metal objects.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 June 2021.

February 2017. Excavation.
This phase of work saw the excavation of three relatively small areas, each of which targeted specific features exposed by the proceeding trenching.
The first (Area 2) was placed to investigate the large hollow in the westernmost field that had been found to contain a large number of prehistoric worked flints. Four large quadrants were excavated, with several hundred more flints recovered. The flint assemblage is broadly comparable to that recovered during the evaluation, with at least some Early Neolithic material found, as well as a number of thinning flakes of probable Neolithic date and fragments of three polished flint axeheads (one is a quite small implement that had been almost entirely reflaked and the other two also show signs of reused as cores or tools). A total of 35 prehistoric pottery sherds were also recovered from this feature, along with a sherd of presumably intrusive post-medieval pottery. The prehistoric pottery was also clearly derived from multiple phases of activity, with sherds of Middle Neolithic, Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age and possible Late Iron Age date identified.
This excavation area was bisected by a north-east to south-west aligned ditch that had not been recognised during the evaluation. This feature was potentially associated with a linear cropmark recorded at this location, although its mapped orientation is not quite the same. This ditch appeared to cut the upper fill of the large hollow and produced several sherds of possible Late Iron Age pottery, along with two sherds of undiagnostic prehistoric sherds and a mixed assemblage of worked flints that includes some irregular pieces of later prehistoric date.
The only other remains recorded in this excavation area were three probable natural features that produced small amounts of worked flint and a number of additional sherds of prehistoric pottery.
The other two excavation areas at this site targeted the three large, deep, circular features that had been recorded in the central field. The first of these (Area 3) was centred on the isolated example located in the south-western part of the field. Further excavation of this feature confirmed that it was probably a naturally-formed sinkhole, as were two other features of similar size and form. Machine excavation of one of these features confirmed that it was up to 2.4m deep. Four worked flints were the only finds recovered.
Other features exposed at this location included six relatively shallow, sub-circular pits with rounded profiles, charcoal-rich fills and, in some cases, evidence for heat scorching of their margins. Although finds were limited to small quantities of burnt flint and these features were initially though to represent further evidence for prehistoric activity on the site. However, radiocarbon dating of wood charcoal recovered from two of the pits returned Middle to Late Saxon dates of 677-873 cal AD at 95% probability (SUERC-73613; 1248 +/- 31 BP) and 777-986 cal AD at 95% probability (SUERC-73612; 1135 +/- 31 BP) and it is assumed that the other features in this cluster were associated with the same phase of activity. Although the bulk of the features recorded during the evaluation had been regarded as potentially prehistoric, it was clear that those with particularly charcoal-rich fills were very similar to pits recorded elsewhere that are now seen as the traces of post-Roman charcoal production. The radiocarbon dates obtained make it highly likely that at least some of the pits at this site were associated with similar activity.
The third and final excavation area targeted the two large possible pits identified at the eastern edge of the easternmost field (Area 4). This revealed six features of similar form and size to those exposed by the evaluation trench. As with remains to the south-west, the depth and undercut sides of these features strongly suggested that they were also naturally-formed solution features, with subsequent machine excavation demonstrating that two were in excess of 3m deep. There had been considerable past disturbance in this part of the site, with more than half of the features exposed thought to represent either tree-throw hollows or the results of animal burrowing. The small number of more convincing pits were all regarded as potentially prehistoric, although finds were limited to occasional worked and burnt flints. The main exception was a possible pit that contained a fragment of fuel ash slag, pieces of slate and a small quantity of fairly well-preserved animal bone - suggested it probably contained post-medieval debris. Another fragment of fuel ash slag was recovered from one of the probable solution features.
The unstratified finds recovered during this final phase of work included additional worked flints, a sherd of post-medieval pottery and three post-medieval copper alloy buttons.
See report (S4) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 24 June 2021.

A combined archive comprising material from the two phases of intrusive fieldwork has now been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.384).
See report (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 24 June 2021.