NHER 66670 (Monument record) - Early Saxon settlement and limited evidence for earlier and later activity

December 2012. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
The five trenches excavated revealed a number of linear and discrete features, although dating evidence was limited. The finds recovered did though include a small assemblage of handmade pottery comprising sherds with organic temper of probable Early to Middle Saxon date and other sherds that could be either Iron Age or Early Saxon (most likely that latter). The organic-tempered sherds were recovered from one of a pair of adjacent north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditches at the northern edge of the site and two pits. The other handmade sherds were also recovered from probable pits. The absence of any later finds from the excavated features was notable, as was the fact the majority also contained fragments of oyster shell and animal bone, suggesting that they may well have been associated with a single phase of activity. Samples taken from the fills of several features also produced broadly similar assemblages of carbonised plant remains, with low densities of free-threshing wheat and barley grains found to be present in most deposits. Probable weed seeds were also noted in several of the samples.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2016.237).
P. Watkins (HES), 6 February 2023.

May-July 2016. Excavation.
This final phase of archaeological mitigation prior to development saw the excavation of a substantial part of the area evaluated in 2012.
This work revealed a range of significant features, the most notable of which were two sub-rectangular sunken-feature buildings (also known as grubenhauser) and other remains associated with an Early Saxon settlement.
There was also some limited evidence for sporadic prehistoric activity on the site, although this was largely limited to small amount of artefactual material that was mostly residual within later features. These finds included several worked flints of probable Early Neolithic date, two sherds of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age Beaker pottery and several fragments of possible Bronze Age or Early Iron Age pottery. A small assemblage of Iron Age pottery was also recovered, with by far the largest assemblage coming from a pit adjacent to one of the Early Saxon buildings. Animal bone from this pit produced a Middle Iron Age radiocarbon date of 397-209 cal BC at 95.4% probability (Beta-464729; 2260 +/- 30 BP), which is entirely consistent with the predominantly sand-tempered pottery recovered from this feature. Of particular interest is a sherd from a haematite-coated vessel, which are principally found in the Wessex region, with only a few outliers known in East Anglia. It is suggested that a north-west to south-east aligned ditch adjacent to this pit was also potentially Iron Age, although this is largely due to its position in the stratigraphic sequence (being truncated by one of the SFBs and several ditches of probable Early Saxon date). The bulk of the Iron Age pottery found elsewhere was though clearly residual within later features. The same was also true of the small assemblage of Roman finds recovered, which comprises pottery sherds and approximately 30 tile fragments (including several pieces of flanged tegula).
The two SFBs were adjacent features of broadly similar size although one was notably deeper. This structure had pairs of internal post-holes at both ends of its long axis and appeared to have been recut. Artefactual and environmental evidence from the main fill of this feature suggests that either pre-existing midden material had been deposited here once the structure fell out of use, or it had lain open and been used as a dumping place for subsequently generated waste. Finds recovered from this deposit and an underlying primary fill included by far the largest assemblage of Early Saxon pottery, bone needles, part of a possible weaving or textile comb, a spindle whorl, possible loomweight fragments, pieces of bone- and antler-working waste, the bulk of the Roman tile fragments recovered, oyster shells (one pierced) and a large quantity of unworked animal bone. The animal bone assemblage was largely derived from primary and secondary butchery and food processing waste and was notable for the presence of bones from at least 12 species of bird, including a white-tailed eagle. Micromorphological analysis of a column sample from this feature revealed evidence for a constructed floor at the base of the structure but the evidence was inconclusive as to whether it had had a suspended floor above. The inclusions in the overlying deposits were indicative of reworked occupation debris and relate to domestic refuse, food waste and herbivore dung. This is consistent with evidence from a pollen sample, with relatively high level of coprophilous fungal spores also indicating the presence of animal dung.
The shallower structure was associated with both internal and external axial post-holes, with the latter thought to represent a rebuilding of the structure. This feature produced a much sparser finds assemblage.
These two buildings were surrounded by a number of similarly-aligned and potentially broadly contemporary ditches, although the intercutting nature of these remains makes it clear the arrangement of the boundaries had been changed on a number of occasions. These features included a recut north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditch to the east of the buildings and an adjacent fragmentary ditch that had potentially bounded some form of trackway or droveway. These cut an ‘L’-shaped enclosure ditch to the north and a presumably contemporary ditch extending westwards from western trackway ditch was itself cut by an another adjacent pair of north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditches that lay to the west of the SFBs. A line of post-holes ran along one edge of one of these westernmost ditches. These ditches produced small amounts of Early Saxon pottery, fragments of animal bone and oyster shells. The exact relationship between these various features and the SFBs is unclear – all that can really be said it that it appears they may well have lain within an enclosed plot of land.
It is also possibly that at least some of the scattered pits, post-holes and natural features were also Early Saxon in date, although none could be convincingly associated with this phase of activity.
The range of Early Saxon pottery fabrics is similar to those seen at other sites in the region, although the high proportion of calcareous, shelly types appears to be unusual. Given that presumably locally-collected oyster shell were present in so many of the excavated features it is possible that these were also being used as a pottery temper in this locale. Overall the pottery can be broadly placed within the 6th century, although there is a suggestion of a small ?later 5th century component and a number of organic-tempered sherds may represent later ware. This is consistent with a radiocarbon date of 392-538 cal AD at 95.4% probability (Beta-464728; 1610 +/- 30 BP) obtained for animal bone within the fill of the more substantial SFB.
There was little evidence for significant activity on the site following the end of the Early Saxon period. No Middle or Late Saxon material was recovered and the only potentially medieval feature was a large possible quarry pit at the southern end of the site that produced a single sherd of high medieval pottery and fragments of lava quern. Several pits were potentially post-medieval in date and it is suggested a ditch recorded during the evaluation may correspond with a curving boundary shown crossing the southern-western and southern part of the site on a map of 1592 (S1). Groups of post-holes in the eastern half of the site may relate to the use of this area as allotments during the 20th century.
The most notable of the undated features was a shallow oval pit with a dark fill of burnt flint gravel, charcoal and ash. A sample from this deposit produced little other than charred wood and charcoal.
Information from draft assessment and archive reports. Final versions awaited.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.344).
P. Watkins (HES), 7 February 2023.