NHER 69902 (Monument record) - Potentially prehistoric pits, medieval to post-medieval field system and other, undated remains

February-March 2020. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of site of proposed quarry extension.
The most notable response is a short, curvilinear anomaly in the south-east corner of the site that corresponds with part of a cropmark ring-ditch visible on aerial photographs and thought to represent the remains of a Bronze Age round barrow (NHER 50756).
A number of more extensive, north-to-south and west-north-west to east-south-east aligned linear anomalies are likely to represent infilled field boundary ditches. Two relate to former field boundaries depicted on the Horstead Tithe map (S1), while the others potentially represent earlier boundaries, including three anomalies that correspond with other linear cropmarks visible on aerial photographs of this field (all part of a group of undated features recorded as NHER 50757).
Other responses of note include a large discrete anomaly at TG 2542 2032 that coincides with a former quarry pit shown at this location on the Ordnance Survey First Edition map (S2).
A broad, sinuous anomaly is almost certainly natural in origin.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 June 2026.

July 2021. Strip, Map and Sample Excavation.
Excavation of strip in south-west part of site ahead of aggregate extraction (Area 9).
Numerous discrete features and several extensive ditches were recorded, the majority of which produced little or no dating evidence.
The pits included two distinct clusters and various more isolated features, a number of which were potentially natural in origin. None were securely dated, finds being limited to a small number of prehistoric worked flints. The flints appear to represent two distinct phases of activity, with the assemblage comprising a mix of Early Neolithic and potentially Bronze Age pieces. Early Neolithic material includes a backed knife and a number of potentially contemporary blade-like flakes recovered from an isolated natural feature. An Early Neolithic end scraper was also recovered from a nearby ditch. It is notable that bulk of the later material was recovered from the northernmost of the two pit clusters, with two of the features in this group both producing single thumb-nail scrapers of Early Bronze Age date and a number of broad, squat flakes that were also probably Bronze Age. Similar flakes were also recovered from one of the pits in the second cluster.
The more isolated pits included several features with very dark, charcoal-rich fills. Despite the lack of evidence for later activity these features were not necessarily prehistoric, potentially being similar to pits seem elsewhere that appear to represent the traces of small-scale Saxon to medieval charcoal production.
The ditches were all aligned either north-north-east to south-south-west or west-north-west to east-south-east and were clearly closely related to both the geophysical anomalies recorded in the vicinity and the group of undated cropmarks visible on aerial photographs immediately to the east (NHER 50757). The arrangement of these ditches strongly suggests they represented elements of a broadly contemporary group of fields or enclosures, part of which extended into the field to the west (NHER 39676). Small amounts of medieval pottery were recovered from two of these features, suggesting a potential date for this field system.
Information from draft interim report. Final reports awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 June 2026.

April 2022. Strip, Map and Sample Excavation.
Additional work ahead of aggregate extraction, which saw the excavation of a rectangular area immediately to the east of the strip investigated in 2021 (Area 10).
A number of additional discrete features and ditches were recorded, which were again mostly undated. A small assemblage of worked flints was recovered, the composition of which was similar to that from the earlier work – comprising an Early Neolithic blade core and blade-like flakes and several broad, squat flakes of possible Bronze Age date. This material was widely dispersed and probably mostly residual within later features.
The probable pits recorded mostly lay in the northern half of the area investigated, although no distinct clusters were apparent. Two produced small amounts of what was potentially Early Bronze Age pottery, while single sherds of Roman and medieval pottery were recovered from two others. A post-medieval pottery sherd was found in the top of a large feature interpreted as a natural solution feature ('sink hole').
The ditches recorded were aligned west-north-west to east-south-east, north-north-east to south-south-west and north-to-south and clearly represented a continuation of the field system exposed to the west. One of these features was associated with a geophysical anomaly while two others appeared to correspond with linear cropmarks visible on aerial photographs of this field (part of a group recorded as NHER 50757). Finds were limited to worked flints, a single Roman pottery sherd recovered from the one north-to-south aligned feature and a fragment of post-medieval brick found in one of the extensive west-north-west to east-south-east aligned features.
Information from draft interim report. Final reports awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 June 2026.

November 2024. Strip, Map and Sample Excavation.
Additional work ahead of aggregate extraction, which saw the excavation of a triangular block of land immediately to the north of the strip investigated in 2021 (Area 10).
This work identified numerous discrete features and several additional ditches.
As during the preceding phases of work the finds recorded were mostly prehistoric in date, included Early Neolithic and later worked flints and a small quantity of Early Bronze Age pottery. The various pits recorded lay mostly at the southern end of the stripped area and were all poorly dated, although three did produce single sherds of Early Bronze Age pottery.
Other finds recovered including a small number of post-medieval brick and tile fragments, all of which came from large discrete features interpreted as natural ‘sink holes’. One of these solution features also contained a single Roman pottery sherd.
The ditches were all aligned west-north-west to east-south-east and included a pair of intercutting features that coincided with a former field boundary shown on the Horstead Tithe map (S1).
Information from draft interim report. Final reports awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 June 2026.