NHER 8675 (Monument record) - Caister on Sea Late Roman 'Saxon Shore' fort and Middle to Late Saxon cemetery

Roman 'Saxon Shore' Fort and Early Saxon/Middle Saxon occupation. Earlier material includes three ring ditches, Bronze Age gold hoard, Iron Age harness. Also medieval finds.

NOTE: because of the complexity of this record the finds listed below are structured in this way:
Roman casual finds; Early Saxon/Middle Saxon excavations; Early Saxon/Middle Saxon casual finds; pre Roman finds; medieval/post-medieval finds; Roman excavations.
NOTE: Records from 1997 and later do not follow this structure, but are listed chronologically.

Roman casual finds:
19th century undated. Various Roman finds, all NCM.
1837. Pit lined with Roman tile. Skeletons, coins, sherds, summary of original report in file.
1843. Roman pot found.
1851. Roman pot found; drawing (S1) in file.
1851 to 1854. Casual find of Roman kiln. Sketch in file. Context 3, but probable confusion with site NHER 8678.
1853 or 1855. Found in building reservoir. Roman figurines, walls, coin. Finds NCM. Letters in file.

1855-c.1870. Stray Find.
See (S47) for a list of coins obtained from labourers that had been "…turned up by the plough in the fields in the vicinity of the reservoir..." between 1855 and c.1870. This article also summarises a number of the other discoveries made in the area during the same time period.
P. Watkins (HES), 31 August 2020.

Before February 1932. Casual Find.
Recovered during roadworks on Filby Road, near the church, at a depth of approximately four feet below the modern road.
1 silver denarius of Julia Mesa.
Information from newspaper article (S48).
Deposited with the Norwich Museums Service (NWHCM: 1947.171.575).
Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 8 February 2022.

1932 to 1935. Found in construction of Brooke Avenue. Roman building material, coins and pottery (see also Early Saxon section).
1934. Find of Roman tile.
1935. Roman walls cut by drain trenches. Photograph in file (S2).
1936. Context 6. Casual find Roman coin hoard. Finds NCM and personal possession.
1940. Find Roman sherds.
1946. Find Roman coin hoard in jar. Context 2. List of coins in file.
1949. Find of Roman coin.
1951. Find of Roman coin and sherds. Finds NCM.
1951. Find of Roman brooch.
1954. Context 5. Found in digging grave in cemetery. Roman inhumation.
1957. Context 8. Reported find of mosaic.
1959. Roman coin find. Finds NCM.
1965. Found when digging fishpond in Clifford Avenue. Roman sherds and finds. Finds NCM.
1969. Find of metalwork. Sketch (S1) in file.
1969. Finds of coins. Finds NCM.
1970. Find of coin. Find NCM.
1971 to 1979. Roman casual finds
1972. Finds made in digging trench. Roman pottery and building material. Finds NCM.
1972. Find of scatter of Roman sherds. Finds NCM.
1975. Find of coin.
1976. Find of steelyard weight, (S40).
About 1975. Found in digging foundations. Roman figurine.
1977. Find of coins.
1977. Find of coin.
1978. Find of coin.
1979. In laying gas pipes at 29 Norwich Road (see also Early Saxon/Middle Saxon section). Inhumations with coins and metalwork.
1978 to 1979. Metal detecting. Coins. Lists in file.
1980. Found in building works in Western Avenue. Possible military burial.
1982. Scatter of Roman tile and sherds.
Pre 1981. Casual find of coin.
1983. Field observation of garage construction at Sunnyside. Negative result.
1983. Find of coin. Found when digging in garden of 21 Belstead Avenue.
1986. Found in building extension in Gaywood Close. Flint wall Context 9. Location plan (S3) in file.
1986. Find of coin. Location plan (S3) in file.
1987. Find of coin and pottery.
1987. Context 10. In foundations of 22 Brooke Avenue. Pottery and coins.
1988. Find of coin.
1989. Find of coin and handle.
1992. Roman sherds and tile found.
1993. Roman brooch and needle.
1994. Roman coins.
1995. Roman coins.
1997. Roman pottery and coins in cable trench.

Early Saxon/Middle Saxon excavations:
1947. Excavation of inhumation. Finds NCM. See (S4).
1951 to 1953. Excavation by C. Green for Ministry of Works (see also Roman) of Middle Saxon huts with sherds and coins. Finds NCM.
1954. Excavation of Anglian cemetery with boat burials. Finds NCM. See (S5). Photographs of coin (S6).

Early Saxon/Middle Saxon casual finds:
1836. Found in digging brickearth. Early Saxon? Cremations.
1932. Found in digging trench. Found near skeletons. Sceatta. Compare with (S7). See newspaper article (S49)
1932 to 1935. Found in construction of Brooke Avenue. Early Saxon cemetery.
1935. Finds of Early Saxon pottery. Finds NCM. See (S7) and (S8).
1949. Find of Early Saxon sherd. Find NCM.
1979. Find of sceatta. Find NCM 293.983. Photograph (S9).
1979. Gas pipe trench at 29 Norwich Road. Inhumation. Possibly Early Saxon with pseudo boat burial (see also Roman).
1978 to 1979. Metal detecting. Coins.
1996. Early Saxon sherds in Roman excavation.

Pre-Roman finds and features:
Pre 1889. Iron Age strap union. No details. Find in NCM.
1946. RAF air photography. Three ring ditches. Context 7. Photograph number not known.
1955. Context 1. Casual find of Bronze Age gold hoard. Possibly post Roman concealment. Finds NCM.
Full details, press cuttings (S10 to S14) and photographs in file (S17).
1996. Iron Age sherds, worked flints in Roman excavation.

Medieval and post-medieval:
1978. Papal bull.
1978 to 1979. Metal detecting. Medieval and post medieval coins.
1991. Medieval metalwork.
1995. Medieval seal.
1998. Undated shell, brick, human bone.

Roman excavations:
1879. Excavation of flint pavement and ashpit. See (S19).
1951 to 1953. Excavation by C. Green for Ministry of Works of Roman seaport town and seamen's hostel (see also Early Saxon/Middle Saxon). Summary reports (S20 and S21) in file.
1954. Context 4. Excavation of Roman town defences and road (see also Early Saxon/Middle Saxon). The 1954 Excavation was reported in (S45).
1961 to 1962. Excavation of town defences by J. Ellison. Summary in file. See (S22 to S24).
1966 to 1968. Excavation at 6 Byron Way - Roman pits and structures. Compare with (S25).

1972. Excavation on defences. Archive at Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1999.321).

1976. Excavation by A. Gregory (NAU) revealed Roman building material.
1986. Excavation by D. Gurney (NAU) revealed Roman road and structures. See (S26).

Full publication in (S28).

Around 1980. Casual finds during building of conservatory.
Four Roman coins.
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 26 February 2007.

See full details, schedule form (S29), general notes and plans by R.R. Clarke (S3), and press cuttings (S10 to S16) and notes on stone types in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 3 June 1999.

1993. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of land at 3 West Road (Context 11). Several features of uncertain date excavated, including two pits that produced small amounts of medieval pottery.
See report (S18) for further details.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 4 March 2015.

1996. Trial Trenching, Metal Detector Survey and Watching Brief.
Evaluation at Caister on Sea First School. Single trench excavated revealed Roman ditches and an an extensive deposit that was interpreted as being associated with Roman cultivation. The presence of large Roman tile fragments suggests that Roman buildings had probably stood nearby. Other Roman finds included pottery sherds, a coin, lead weights and iron nails. Post-Roman finds included two handmade Saxon pottery sherds.
See report (S27) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S41).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 4 March 2015.

September 1997. Watching Brief.
Contexts 1 to 37.
Monitoring of cable trenching along Brooke Avenue and Clifford Lane, Caister on Sea, within the area of the Roman fort.
The trenches were seldom deeper than 0.4m and were largely cut through topsoil. No archaeological features observed. Finds included Roman coins, pottery and tile. Undated hand made (pre industrial) iron finds (nail, wedge, fitting and two spikes) were also retrieved.
See report (S30) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S46).
S. Tremlett (NAU), 27 February 2001.

18 September 1997. Minor Excavation.
Hand excavation of trenches for small extention at 44 Grange Road. The lowest deposit encountered was a mid orange brown sandy silt that contained chalk, brick/tile and mortar fragments and a small number of Roman pottery sherds. It was suggested that this deposit was potentially associated with Roman agricultural activity.
See reports (S31) and (S32) for further details.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 4 March 2015.

1999.
Roman pottery finds and wall reported.
D. Gurney (NLA), 15 October 1999.

June 2000. Stray find. In garden of 7 Uplands Avenue.
Roman coin. See file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 5 November 2000.

January 2001. Visit and field observation.
Hypocaust damage. See letter in file.
D. Gurney (NLA), 26 January 2001.

13 March 2001. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of excavation of foundation trenches at 14 Brook Avenue.
Largely negative.
See report (S33) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S38).
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2025.109).
D. Gurney (NLA), 19 April 2001. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 August 2025.

15 March 2001. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of site stripping and excavation of foundation trenches for new classroom at County First School. No significant findings.
See report (S34) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S38).
D. Gurney (NLA), 19 April 2001.

May 2002. Metal detecting. Brooke Avenue, west side. In a garden butting west on scheduled monument.
Roman copper alloy coin struck in Moesia Inferior.
Identified by A. Popescu (NLA).
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 30 June 2002.

May 2004. Found in spoil from grave at TG 5206 1228.
Roman pottery.
See list in file.
S. Ashley (NLA), 21 December 2004.

July 2005. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of installation of new bicycle stand. No contexts used.
No archaeological remains or deposits were observed.
See report (S35) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2016.49).
J. Allen (NLA), 18 August 2005. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 27 April 2019.

2008. The monument is being considered as a pilot Heritage Partnership Agreement.
The scheduled monument is slightly larger than the Historic Property in the Guardianship of English Heritage. The SAM extends a little further to the south of the Guardianship area, and includes the ground under the lay-by and under the bus shelter, though the surface of the lay-by and the bus shelter itself are excluded from the scheduling. The Historic Property in the Guardianship of English Heritage is, unusually, owned by the Department for Culture Media and Sport, as the successor to the Ministry of Works, to which the land was conveyed in 1954 and 1955.
There is a Maintained Property Agreement (formerly known as a Local Management Agreement) between English Heritage and Great Yarmouth Borough Council. This began on 2 April 2005 and runs for 5 years, subject to earlier termination subject to the provisions of the Agreement. Under the MPA the Borough Council undertakes to provide day to day care and management of the site, in return for an agreed payment from English Heritage. A Schedule to the Agreement sets out management principles and specific tasks.
D. Gurney (NLA), 3 July 2008.

May 2008. Watching Brief.
Monitoring during installation of an interpretation panel within the Scheduled area.
No archaeological finds or features were encountered.
See report (S36) for further information.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 14 October 2008.

December 2008. Watching brief to rear of 17 Roman Way.
See NHER 52560 for details.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 2 December 2008.

March 2010. Trial Trench.
Single trench excavated on site of new dwelling at 29 Belstead Avenue.
A ditch that may have formed part of a plot boundary and post-hole contained Roman greyware pottery were recorded within the fills. Roman pottery and a fragment of daub were recovered from the topsoil and are possibly indicative of an area of civilian settlement. The presence of charred plant remains suggests that agricultural processing was being undertaken close to the site. The abraded nature of the pottery could suggest that this material was redeposited into the ditch feature via natural silting rather than a dumping event. A fragment of tegula suggests that there is a Roman building close to the evaluation area and that the main focus of Roman settlement is further north.
See report (S37) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2010.103).
S. Howard (NLA), 12 April 2010. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 11 May 2019.

April 2010. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks for new dwelling at 29 Belstead Avenue.
A possible Iron Age ditch was observed during the excavation and the lack of Roman finds within the fill could suggest that the feature had silted up by the time there was the Roman civilian settlement within the area. The ditch is likely to be a boundary associated with agricultural practices or husbandry. The lack of pottery within the fill could indicate that it was located away from the area of settlement.
See report (S38) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2011.50).
S. Howard (HES), 28 February 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 11 May 2019.

September 2010-June 2011. Excavation.
Excavation of foundation trenches for new structures at Uplands Avenue.
The excavation revealed Romano-British deposits covering three distinct phases. The earliest phase comprising a buried soil horizon, postholes, ditches, pits and a gully dating to between the 1st and 2nd century AD. The second phase is associated with the establishment of the fort and comprises evidence for the construction of the rampart and structures including part of a building. A number of refuse pits and a possible hearth were also associated with this period of development. During the 4th century there is evidence for the reorganisation of the interior of the fort with metalled surfaces and heightening of the ramparts. Finds recovered include pottery mainly dating to the 3rd and 4th century, a coin, nails, quern, slag, human and animal bones. With the presence of brick and tile indicating the presence of permanent structures within the vicinity. A bone sword chape also indicates a military presence.
Post-Roman deposits comprise an extensive dark earth deposit which has been found to seal Middle Saxon features in other areas, but no features of this date were observed.
See report (S43) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S44).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2011.442).
S. Howard (HES), 28 February 2012. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 16 May 2019.

February 2012. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks for an extension to the rear of 21 Grange Road. Encountered a Romano-British ditch containing pottery, ceramic building material and animal bone, broadly dated to the 2nd to 4th century. This ditch appeared to be a re-cut of a pre-existing ditch on the same alignment from which sherds of late 3rd- to 4th-century pottery were recovered. The southern area of the vicus associated with the Roman fort may well have extended as far as this low-lying area by the 3rd to 4th century.
See report (S39) for further details.
E. Bales (HES), 05 July 2012.

July 2013. Field Visit.
Site in excellent condition under a good grass sward and clearly recently cut. Structural remains free of weeds or any other vegetation and clearly visible.
K. Powell (HES), 7 January 2014

2016 - note added
The excavation in 1986 within the guardianship area demonstrated that the original road surface was very much finer than that visible on site today. At the end of the 1950s excavations Charles Green sent his workmen to collect pebbles from the beach and these were then laid on site to show the 'road' and central gutter. A sample of the original road surface encountered in 1986 has been retained to inform any future more accurate reconstruction, and this has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum.
David Gurney (HES), 08 December 2016.

January-March 2019. Metal-detecting in garden of 21 Longfellow Road. [2].
1 Roman coin.
Information from PAS import.
E. McDonald (HES), 3 December 2019.