NHER 66615 (Monument record) - Probable later Iron Age to Roman enclosure and other, Roman, potentially medieval to post-medieval and undated remains

November 2020-March 2021. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site on proposed route of Norwich Western Link (Area 20).
This survey identified a number of linear anomalies, with the most notable being adjoining north-east to south-west and north-west to south-west aligned responses at the western edge of the site that potentially represent two sides of a rectilinear enclosure. Several of the other linear anomalies are likely to represent infilled field boundary ditches, including a 'T' shaped arrangement of straight north-east to south-west and north-west to south-east aligned responses to the east of the possible enclosure. The other, more fragmentary linear anomalies display a wider range of alignments and are of a more uncertain nature. The age of these features is unclear, although none are associated with former field boundaries shown on the available 19th-century maps.
Other responses of note include a pair of strong positive anomalies with inverse dipolar magnetic signals in the south-east corner of the site that may relate to material that has been magnetically enhanced by burning or firing activities.
Scattered dipolar 'spikes' were probably caused by ferrous material on or close the surface, most likely modern debris.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 June 2026.

May-July 2022. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed route of Norwich Western Link (Field TT07; Trenches 198-207).
The 10 trenches excavated at this location revealed a range of pits and ditches, with many of the latter corresponding with the linear anomalies recorded by the preceding geophysical survey. Two of the ditches recorded were associated with the possible rectilinear enclosure at the western edge of the site, with one producing a small amount of Middle Iron Age pottery and the other 18 sherds from a jar of early Roman (1st- to 2nd-century) date. Small amounts of Roman pottery were also recovered from two north-west to south-east aligned ditches and a pit in the western half of the site. The pit also contained fragments of daub. The other north-west to south-east and north-east to south-west aligned ditches recorded produced no dating evidence but were potentially associated with the Roman phase of activity.
The limited evidence for post-Roman activity included a small pit in the southern part of the site that contained two sherds of early medieval pottery. Two parallel, roughly east-to-west aligned ditches in the northern central part of the site (both of which had been identified by the geophysical survey) were probably much more recent in date, with one being found to contain part of a post-medieval glass vessel.
The most notable of the undated features was an isolated pit in the central part of the site with a dark, charcoal-flecked fill – a sample from which was found to contained charred cereal grains, weeds seeds and charcoal.
There was no evidence for sub-surface remains associated with the two discrete geophysical anomalies thought to potentially represent the traces of burning or firing activities.
See report (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 June 2026.