NHER 68655 (Monument record) - Evidence for undated iron industry and undated pits and ditches

February-March 2022. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development area (Fields 7 and 8).
This survey identified an east-to-west aligned linear anomaly at the northern end of this site that potentially represents a ditch associated with the linear earthwork known as Bunn's Bank – a section of which has been identified immediately to the north of this site (NHER 9206).
No other potentially archaeological-significant anomalies were recorded in this field.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 28 October 2024.

March-July 2023. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development area (Trenches 37-42 and 50-54).
The 11 trenches excavated at this location revealed a number of pits and ditches, the majority of which produced no dating evidence. One exception was a pit close to the eastern edge of the site that contained several fragments of post-medieval roof tile. Brick and tile fragments were also noted within a number of probable quarry pits in this part of the site (not excavated).
The more notable remains included a cluster of pits that all produced varying quantities of iron smelting slag. A significant quantity of smelting slag was also recovered from one of the features in a second group of pits approximately 150m to the south-west. Unfortunately none of these features produced any dating evidence so the age of this iron industry is uncertain at present.
A north-to-south aligned ditch corresponds with a former field boundary depicted on the Old Buckenham tithe map (S2). The remaining ditches were all undated, including a number of east-to-west ditches in the western half of the site. The nature of these features is though uncertain, as none were seen to continue into adjacent trenches.
Although several trenches were positioned to coincide with the east-to-west aligned linear anomaly identified by the preceding geophysical survey no corresponding subsurface remains were identified.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 28 October 2024.