NHER 68392 (Monument record) - Medieval pits and ditches

November 2015. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site bisected by Old Hall Lane (NHER 16282).
The eight trenches excavated revealed a number of ditches and pits, the majority of which were probably of medieval or later date. Several large natural hollows were also recorded.
A number of worked flints were recovered, providing evidence for at least limited prehistoric activity in the vicinity of the site. A small tranchet adze is probable Mesolithic or Early Neolithic but the remainder of the assemblage is of probable Late Neolithic or later date. This material was mostly residual within what were likely to be later features - with the possible exception of a group of relatively sharp pieces recovered from an otherwise undated pit.
The majority of the ditches uncovered were aligned either parallel or perpendicular to the adjacent road. Dating evidence was limited, but the small assemblage of pottery recovered from these features is exclusively medieval in date. The upper fill of a north-west to south-east aligned ditch close to Eastgate Street contained a notable quantity of burnt clay, including some larger pieces that potentially represent fragments of oven dome or hearth lining.
Medieval pottery was also recovered from several of the smaller pits recorded, along with fragments of lava quern and fired clay.
Post-medieval finds were limited to a single brick fragment recovered from one of two adjacent pits to the east of Old Hall Lane. A feature to the west that contained granite chips and appeared to be cut from a high level was also probably post-medieval or later in date.
Two large peat-filled natural hollows were exposed in the eastern half of the site and a large depression to the west that contained 20th-century waste was also potentially an infilled natural hollow.
Unstratified finds were limited to a single medieval pottery sherd and a copper alloy disc (possibly a post-medieval jetton with both faces worn smooth).
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 July 2024. Amended 24 August 2025.

July 2018 and March-April 2019. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with construction of three new residential dwellings, one to the west of Old Hall Lane (Plot 1) and two to the east (Plots 4 and 5).
The foundation trenches dug to the east of Old Hall Lane revealed a possible pit and a possibly linear feature – neither of which produced any dating evidence. A large natural hollow was also observed, which was likely to correspond with one of those recorded during the preceding trial trenching. A fragment of post-medieval brick was recovered from one of the fills of this feature. A second natural hollow was exposed by the footing trenches excavated within the plot to the west of Old Hall Lane.
A small flint scraper of probable later prehistoric date and a medieval pottery sherd were the only unstratified finds recovered.
Information from report uploaded to OASIS. HER copy awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 23 July 2024.

An archive comprising material from both phases of work at this site has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2022.174).
P. Watkins (HES), 24 August 2025.