NHER 69641 (Monument record) - Prehistoric, potentially Roman, post-medieval and undated remains

June 2021. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development site.
Although this survey identified a number of linear anomalies the majority of the more convincing examples all appear to correspond with former field boundaries depicted on the North Walsham tithe map of 1838 (S1). An extensive area of magnetic disturbance at TG 2835 2897 corresponds with a building shown on this map, which is marked as a 'Field Barn' on the later Ordnance Survey First Edition Six-inch map (S2). This was demolished at some time in the second half of the 20th century. A single strong dipolar discrete anomaly at the margin of the this area of disturbance potentially represent the traces of some form of high-temperature activity, such as burning. This was potentially associated with the former barn, although an earlier archaeological origin cannot be ruled out.
Various fragmentary linear anomalies recorded elsewhere in this field are recorded as being of undetermined origin and well be natural in origin.
Two broad amorphous anomalies in the northernmost part of the area examined may represent areas of extraction.
Information from draft report.
P. Watkins (HES), 8 December 2025.

June 2021. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of potential impact of proposed development.
Nothing of archaeological or historic significance was noted during a site visit undertaken as part of this study.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 8 December 2025.

February-March 2024. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
A total of 47 trenches were excavated, five to the north of the garden area (Area 1; Trenches 1-5) and 42 within the arable field in the southern part of the site (Area 2; Trenches 6-47).
Although various scattered ditches and discrete features were recorded the majority produced little or no dating evidence.
There was some limited evidence for prehistoric activity, the most notable of which was a pit in the south-east corner of the site that contained 30 grog-tempered handmade pottery sherds broadly dated as Late Neolithic to Middle Bronze Age. A sample from the very dark fill of this feature produced charcoal but little else in the way of charred plant macrofossils or other debris. Other prehistoric finds included a single sherd of probable Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pottery recovered from a pit in the northernmost part of the site. A sample from the fill of this feature produced charcoal, occasional charred seeds and a small amount of burnt clay.
There was also evidence for activity at this location during the earliest part of the Roman period, with small amounts of 'prototype greyware' pottery recovered from several features. These potentially Roman remains included several widely dispersed pits and three ditches. Although the latter produced only single sherds, these features were all differently aligned to nearby post-medieval ditches, suggesting they may indeed represent elements of an earlier field system.
Apart from a single residual sherd of late medieval/early post-medieval pottery there was no evidence for significant subsequent activity until the late post-medieval period. A number of north-west to south-east and north-east to south-west aligned ditches correspond with former field boundaries depicted on 19th-century maps, most of which had also been identified by the preceding geophysical survey. A range of post-medieval finds were recovered from these features, including a pottery sherd, brick and tile fragments, pieces of clay tobacco pipe and glass, along with animal bone, an oyster shell, unidentified iron objects and a fragment of possible iron slag. Various adjacent, similarly-aligned ditches probably represented earlier elements of the same field system, particularly as several also produced post-medieval finds. Post-medieval material was also recovered from a large probable extraction pit in the central part of the site, which corresponds with one of the broad geophysical anomalies that had been thought to potentially represent areas of former quarrying.
The undated features included a small number of possible post-holes and numerous pits, the majority of which had sterile, unremarkable fills.
No unstratified finds were recovered.
See report (S4) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 8 December 2025.

November 2024. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of an area in the central part of the site that had been covered with trees and overgrowth at the time of the preceding work (Area 3; Trenches 48-55).
The eight additional trenches revealed only two ditches and a pit – none of which produced any dating evidence. One of the ditches does though correspond with a former field boundary shown on the North Walsham tithe map of 1838 (S1) and the other was parallel to another boundary shown on this map, suggesting it potentially represented an earlier element of this field system.
See report (S5) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 8 December 2025.