NHER 66484 (Monument record) - ?Prehistoric, medieval and later remains

March 2017. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development area. This survey of the larger, eastern part of the site detected a range of responses, although none are of definite archaeological significance.
The more notable anomalies include a group of strong discrete responses at the northern end of the site. These are regarded as being of undetermined origin, although it is suggested that they might be the result of industrial activity. A number of scattered strong discrete anomalies are also present in the southern half of the site. The nature of these responses is also uncertain.
Various north-north-west to south-south-east aligned linear anomalies are probably largely the result of relatively recent agricultural activity, their orientation being similar to that of both the current direction of ploughing and various former field boundaries visible on 19th- and 20th-century maps.
A series of east-north-east to west-south-west aligned in the southern part of the site are also classified as 'undetermined', although their position and orientation suggest they relate to the railway line that previously ran through this area (NHER 13581).
A large roughly rectangular area of magnetic disturbance at the southern end of the site corresponds with the site of a clay pit shown at this location on the Ordnance Survey Second Edition 25 inch map (S1). This was related to a late post-medieval brickworks recorded as NHER 16668. The cause of another large area of magnetic disturbance in the south-east corner of the site is less certain.
See report (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 November 2022.

May 2017. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of potential archaeological impact of proposed development.
No archaeologically or historically significant features were noted during a brief site visit undertaken as part of this study. Modern pottery, brick and tile fragments were noted but no earlier finds were observed.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES) 21 November 2022.

January 2020. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development area.
A total of 19 trenches were excavated, seven of which were placed in the westernmost part of the site, which had not been examined by the preceding geophysical survey.
This work revealed numerous features, including ditches pits and post-holes. Although dating evidence was limited it appears likely that many of these remains were associated with medieval and post-medieval to modern phases of activity.
There was some artefactual evidence for earlier activity on the site, including Bronze/Iron Age worked flints, single fragments of undiagnostic prehistoric and possible Late Bronze/Early Iron Age pottery and several sherds of probable Early Saxon pottery. It is though likely that much of this material was residual within later contexts.
Arguably the most notable of the excavated features were a cluster of pits and post-holes exposed within two adjacent trenches in the north-east corner of the site – in the area where the geophysical survey had identified a cluster of discrete anomalies. Several of these features produced medieval pottery and although the quantities were small there was a notable absence of any later material. Other finds recovered from these features included fragments of fired clay and, in one case, pieces of lava quern. Samples taken from their fills were found to contain charcoal and small quantities of charred cereal grain and seeds.
The linear features included the remains of a north-north-west to south-south-east aligned trackway, which was represented by a pair of parallel ditches to either side of a series of probable wheel ruts. The alignments of this trackway and a number of parallel ditches to the west are identical to the orientations of extant and former field boundaries in the vicinity - suggesting a probable medieval to post-medieval date for these remains. Finds were though limited to two sherds of medieval pottery and a late medieval/early post-medieval brick fragment. The position of the trackway suggests that it once continued the line of Cess Road to the north, which is shown as a notably sinuous route way on the Martham Tithe map (S4).
Various other, differently-aligned ditches were likely to represent elements of at least one earlier field system, although the age of these remains is uncertain. It is though notable that many of these features are similarly aligned to a probable trackway and associated field boundaries visible as a series of linear cropmarks on aerial photographs of land to the south of Repps Road (NHER 32062). These are regarded as probably late prehistoric or Iron Age in date. A further group of linear cropmarks to the east is also regarded as potentially prehistoric (NHER 27331).
Remains exposed at the southern end of the site can be related to the 19th-century brickwork present at this location. These included the corner of a brick-built brick kiln, the position of which suggests it was almost certainly the structure noted on the Ordnance Survey Second Edition 25 inch map (S1). Several probable clay extraction pits were also recorded, including a particularly substantial feature in the south-east corner of the site that coincides with the large area of magnetic disturbance recorded by the geophysical survey. These features contained debris from brick production, including wasters.
Several modern postholes that had possible been associated with the railway line that once crossed the site (for which there was surprisingly little other evidence).
The undated remains recorded included various scattered possible pits and post-holes, the majority of which were fairly unremarkable. A number of probable natural features were also investigated.
See report (S5) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 November 2022.

November-December 2020. Excavation.
This final phase of archaeological mitigation saw the excavation of a relatively small area in the north-east corner of the site, where the preceding evaluation had revealed a cluster of medieval features.
There was again only limited evidence for earlier activity, one notable exception being a pit that contained several sherds of Early Neolithic pottery and a broken flint blade of similar date. A north-east to south-west aligned ditch first seen during the earlier work is also currently regarded as a prehistoric feature, although this is primarily due to its alignment – which is markedly different to the orientation of the post-medieval boundaries but similar to that of potentially later prehistoric field boundaries visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs of the land to the south (recorded as NHERs 27331 and 32062). A sample from a charcoal-rich deposit within this feature contained a number of charred cereal grains, some of which are identifiable as wheat.
Artefactual evidence for earlier phases of activity on the site includes a prehistoric pottery sherd that may be from a Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age Beaker and single sherds of probable Roman and Late Saxon pottery.
Numerous additional discrete features were exposed, 12 of which produced medieval pottery. Many other features were assigned to this period of activity based on their proximity and morphological similarity to the dated examples. A mix of early and high medieval pottery was recorded, although the quantities recovered from individual features were again very small, with the abraded nature of the sherds suggesting that many were potentially redeposited. The one notable exception was a pit that contained more than 25 sherds from a single early medieval jar. Of particular interest were a group of three features that contained loosely compacted flint cobbles and burnt clay, which have been interpreted as oven bases. This interpretation is supported by the presence of dark, charcoal-rich deposits within several of the surrounding pits. Fired clay was also recovered from a number of features and although the bulk of this assemblage consists of undiagnostic fragments, some pieces appear to have had flat surfaces suggesting they might represent oven wall or superstructure fragments. Samples taken from the features of probable medieval date contained charcoal and small quantities of charred cereal grain (some identifiable as wheat, barley and oat), along a range of other charred plant macrofossils. This material is most likely to represent the remains of fuel used to heat the ovens, rather than remnants of what they were being used to dry or cook.
A total of 50 features were deemed to be of natural origin - being interpreted as either tree throw hollows or periglacial irregularities.
See assessment report (S6) for further details. Final reports awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 22 November 2022.

An archive comprising material from both phases of fieldwork undertaken in 2020 has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2020.9).
P. Watkins (HES), 28 July 2023.