NHER 66649 (Monument record) - Multi-period remains including Early Neolithic ditches and post-medieval or earlier hollow way

July 2012. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of potential archaeological impact of proposed development.
Available cartographic sources include a map of 1780 (S1) which shows the site bisected by a curving length of road labelled as the road to Fakenham. This section of road is shown on Faden’s map of 1797 (S2) and is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs (recorded as NHER 36861). The road that now runs to the west of the site was not present at this time, although it was created not long after - being visible on an enclosure map of 1813 (S3). On this map the line of the road that had previously crossed the site is marked only as a field boundary. A perpendicular cropmark feature crossing the line of the former road can be seen to correspond with an extensive field boundary shown on these late 18th- and early 19th-century maps (NHER 11316, a mapped section of which is also recorded under NHER 36861). This was part of an extensive field system to the south of the town that had potentially early origins. On the map of 1780 its line was continued to the east by a section of track or road and it is possible that at least the easternmost part of this field boundary had also once been a route way of some kind.
See report (S4) for further details
P. Watkins (HES), 29 December 2022.

November 2012. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development area.
The most prominent response was a curving north-to-south aligned linear anomaly that clearly corresponds with the former road shown on late 17th-century maps and visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs (NNHER 36861). A perpendicular linear anomaly to the west corresponds with part of another cropmark recorded as this location (NHERs 11316 and 36861), which also relates to features shown on late post-medieval maps. The one other response of possible archaeological interest was a north-north-east to south-south-west aligned linear anomaly in the south-east part of the site. This may well represent a ditch associated with an earlier phase of activity.
Although numerous discrete areas of magnetic enhancement were identified these are all thought to represent variations in the underlying geology.
A north-east to south-west aligned dipolar linear anomaly crossing the southern half of the site represents a buried pipe.
Numerous small discrete dipolar anomalies were probably caused by ferrous material on or close to the surface, most likely modern debris.
See report (S5) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 December 2022.

June-August 2013. Strip Map and Sample Excavation.
Final phase of archaeological mitigation undertaken ahead of residential development.
Two relatively small areas were excavated, both of which targeted anomalies identified by the preceding geophysical survey – one the former road at its junction with a perpendicular feature (Area A) and the other the apparently isolated linear anomaly in the south-east part of the site (Area B).
Although the bulk of the remains uncovered were of probable post-medieval date, this work also revealed clear evidence for sustained activity at this location during the Early Neolithic, with Mildenhall Ware pottery of this date found in a number of the excavated features. A small assemblage of predominantly Early Neolithic worked flints was also recovered, although the bulk of this material came from unstratified contexts. Significantly, the largest single assemblage of Early Neolithic pottery came from a north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditch in the eastern excavation area (Area B) that corresponds with the previously identified geophysical anomaly. The three slots excavated across this feature produced more that 140 sherds of Early Neolithic pottery, along with several worked flints (including two refitting core rejuvenation flakes) and fragments of animal bone and fired clay. The form of the ditch suggested that it had probably been recut on a number of occasions, although only one separate cut was discernible in plan. Two parallel ditches immediately to the west were also likely to represent the re-establishment of the same boundary, with one producing a number of Early Neolithic pottery sherds and no later material recovered from any of these features. Other Early Neolithic features included an apparently isolated, flat-based ovoid pit in this western excavation area (Area A), the relatively dark fill of which produced nine sherds of Mildenhall ware pottery. Two groups of features in the eastern excavation area are also through to have been associated with prehistoric phases of activity, although the dating evidence was very limited. The first group lay to the east of the ditches and comprised four post-holes, a pit and two short linear features. It is suggested these might represent the remains of some form of structure. Finds were limited to a single sherd of Early Neolithic pottery, flints and fragments of fired clay (two of which had a convex surface, suggesting that they were part of an object such as a loomweight). Also regarded as potentially prehistoric is a group of six post-holes that lay to the west of the ditches, one of which produced a single sherd from an Early Bronze Age collared urn. A sherd of medieval pottery found close to the surface of this feature is regarded as intrusive. A pit partially exposed in the south-east corner of the western excavation area was found to contained a large quantity of burnt flint, suggesting it was potentially also prehistoric, although a later date is possible.
Evidence for subsequent activity on the site prior to the post-medieval period was limited to a small number of objects, most of which were either unstatified or likely to have been residual within later contexts. These included a Roman pottery sherd; a Late Saxon pottery sherd and an Anglo-Scandinavian borre-style disc brooch; a medieval silver coin, pottery sherds, bricks, a buckle pin, strap end and casket key; medieval/post-medieval copper alloy vessel fragments and lead weights and several estuarine clay bricks of late medieval or early post-medieval date.
Post-medieval features were found exclusively in the western excavation area, which was dominated by a substantial hollow way associated with the road shown on late 18th-century maps. A number of post-medieval ditches were recorded in the vicinity of the road, including two that clearly correspond with the perpendicular cropmarks and are likely to represent elements of the field system visible on late 18th- and 19th-century maps. Several north-to-south and east to -west aligned ditches to the west of the road appear to represent elements of a separate, presumably earlier field system (although there was no reason to think it predated the establishment of the road). The majority of the ditches produced no finds, the exception being one of the earlier features, which contained two bricks of possible late medieval or early post-medieval date.
The hollow way was a substantial feature with relatively steep edges. Unfortunately no secure dating was recovered from its primary fills, although it is noted that its western edge appeared to truncated a feature containing pottery of late 18th- to 20th-century date. It does though remain entirely possibly this route way had much earlier origins. Amorphous hollows to the east of the hollow way may have represented areas of disturbance at the entrance into the adjacent field. A number of post-medieval and undated pits were also recorded in the vicinity of this road.
Numerous post-medieval finds were recovered, many of which were unstratified. These included a range of pottery sherds; brick and roof tile fragments, floor tiles (including two malting floor tiles), clay tobacco pipe fragments, pieces of bottle glass, coins, a jetton and various other metal objects. These post-medieval metal finds include buckles, buttons, mounts, furniture handles, thimbles, a crotal bell, spoon, lead cloth seals and a lead toy.
Information from draft archive report. Final version awaited.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.194).
P. Watkins (HES), 29 December 2022.