NHER 67834 (Monument record) - Late Saxon to post-medieval remains

July-August 2018. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
The fourteen trenches excavated revealed numerous ditches and other features likely to represent sustained activity and potentially settlement throughout the medieval and post-medieval periods. It is clear from the finds recovered that multiple phases of activity were represented, with the pottery assemblage comprising a mix of early medieval, high medieval, late medieval/early post-medieval and post-medieval wares. It appears the site was most likely abandoned at some time in the 18th century.
Although activity had clearly commenced at this location by at least the early 12th century it is uncertain exactly how many of the excavated features were medieval in date. Whilst a number of pits and ditches contained early medieval and high medieval pottery the quantities were general small and much of this material was residential within later contexts. It is though potentially notable that the majority of the features that produced exclusively medieval material lay in the northern half of the site.
A significant number of the ditches were aligned either north-north-west to south-south-east to east-north-east to west-south-west, suggesting many were potentially associated with enclosures lying adjacent to Oaks Lane.
The various discrete features included a number of fairly large pits that had probably been dug in order to extract the natural sands and gravels. The finds recovered suggest this activity had potentially commenced in the medieval period, although it is thought that the two largest examples were probably late post-medieval in date. Other discrete features of note included a large pit of possible late medieval or early post-medieval date that was found to contain the near complete articulated remains of a calf. The majority of the probably pits and post-holes recorded were though undated and of uncertain function.
Although no obvious structural remains were identified a compact layer of crushed chalk recorded in the southernmost trench was potentially the remains of an internal floor surface. Two small patches of compacted ironstone and gravel noted in a trench to the north were also potentially the remnants of a floor. It is possible that these remains relate to two dwellings shown to the west of Oaks Lane between Culling's Hill and Leeder Hill on Faden's map of 1797 (S1). The excavated features also produced a notable quantity of medieval brick fragments, along with number of later, post-medieval bricks and several fragments of late medieval or early post-medieval roof tile.
Other finds recovered from the excavated features included a medieval lace tag, fragments of animal bone, oyster shells, iron nails, a single piece of iron slag and a fragment of late post-medieval bottle glass. Environmental soil samples processed all contained charcoal, along with charred cereal grains and seeds. The quantities were though generally small, the one exception being a quarry pit of possible late medieval or early post-medieval date, which produced a moderately well-preserved cereal crop assemblage comprising wheat, barley and a single oat grain.
See report (S2) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2018.242).
P. Watkins (HES), 30 November 2023.

February-March 2019. Excavation.
Excavation of c.1.5ha area at the southern end of the site, where the preceding evaluation had demonstrated the survival of extensive remains. A range of ditches and discrete features were recorded, which again appeared to represent sustained activity throughout much of the medieval and post-medieval periods. Evidence for earlier activity was limited to a small number of Mesolithic/Neolithic and Neolithic worked flints and several handmade prehistoric pottery sherds – all of which were probably residual within much more recent contexts.
The recovery of both Late Saxon pottery and early medieval pottery demonstrates that the main phase of activity had commenced by at least the 11th century. However, while this pottery makes up a notable proportion of the overall assemblage, the bulk the present alongside later material - with relatively few features that could be tentatively associated with these phases of activity. Potentially Late Saxon features were largely limited to a small number of pits and while it is suggested several of these may represent a structure of some kind this isn’t particularly convincing. The only features to produced early medieval pottery and nothing of later date were several fragmentary linear features – all of which could easily relate to a later phase of activity.
The bulk of the ditches recorded appear to have related to two distinct arrangements of trackways and boundaries. The first was established at some point in the medieval period and comprised a north-to-south aligned double-ditched trackway with a number of associated perpendicular boundaries extending to the west. The trackway turned towards the east at the northern end of the excavation area, suggesting it bounded an enclosure adjacent to the road. Although dating evidence wasn’t abundant it is notable that several of these ditches contained sherds of late medieval/early post-medieval pottery. Two of the east-to-west aligned boundaries were potentially earlier in date, although they were clearly part of the same overall arrangement – both terminating at the point where the met the western trackway ditch. Overall there were few features that could be assigned a high medieval date with any degree of confidence. Although a reasonable number of discrete features and several short linear features were recorded within the interior of the probable roadside enclosure it appears that the majority were most likely associated with the late medieval phase of activity. It is suggested that two perpendicular lines of pits/post-holes may represent two sides of some kind of structure. Two small groups of discrete features to the west of the trackway are also identified as potentially structural remains associated with this phase of activity, although none produced any dating evidence. Other finds that were recovered from the various features of probable late medieval date included brick fragments, a medieval iron key, an iron knife blade, a medieval or later copper alloy ring and small quantities of animal bone and oyster shell.
At some point in the post-medieval period the boundaries on the site were reworked, with a new double-ditched trackway established approximately 10m to the east of the earlier example. As with the earlier arrangement there were several perpendicular boundary ditches extending westwards from the trackway. Finds recovered from these ditches included post-medieval pottery sherds, pieces of clay tobacco pipe, brick fragments, iron objects, a copper alloy pin, animal bone and oyster shells. Few discrete features appeared to be associated with this phase of activity, the most notable exception being a large probable quarry pit, which contained a range of finds including post-medieval pottery, brick and floor tile fragments, part of a glass vessel, an iron horseshoe and a post-medieval jetton. Also likely to be associated with this phase of activity was the remains of a chalk surface partially exposed at the northern end of the excavation area that clearly post-dated the ditches associated with the first trackway. It is likely that this deposit represented some form of floor surface.
Although a number of samples taken from features of probable medieval to post-medieval date produced iron slag and hammerscale the quantities were all very small. It is possible that at least some of this material represents contamination from waste derived from a smithy that lay opposite the site during the 19th century (the presence of which is noted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition Six-inch map (S3)).
As during the preceding trial trenching there was no evidence for significant activity beyond the 18th-century.
Information from assessment report (S4). Final report awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 December 2023.

August 2019-September 2021. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of excavation of footing trenches for several new dwellings within the area to the north of that excavated in early 2019. The excavation of an extensive drainage trench along the western edge of the site was also observed as part of this work.
The small number of additional features recorded included quarry pits and ditches of probable post-medieval date and several undated pits and ditches.
Information from assessment report (S3). Final report awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 December 2023.

An archive associated with the 2019 to 2021 phases of work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2019.65).
P. Watkins (HES), 4 December 2023.