NHER 874 (Monument record) - Norwich Castle Bridge

1989-1991. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of three trial holes inserted around southern pier of the bridge as part of Castle Mall development (T52, T54 and T60).
These keyhole excavations raised the possibility that the bridge was early medieval in date and not, as previously suspecte, a post-medieval rebuilt - something which was confirmed by subsequent fieldwork.
See notes (S8) and unpublished document (S10) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 9 October 2017. Amended by A. Beckham (HES), 07 June 2021.

March-April 1992. Trial Trenching
Excavation for Norwich City Council Engineers to ascertain structural integrity of bridge.
Three trial trenches dug.
Early medieval structure with post medieval alterations and refacing/ replacement of internal arch in 1830.
See report (S1) and published article (S2) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S3).
A. Shelley (NAU) 27 May 1992. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 10 March 2017.

November 1993. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of trial trench excavated in order to locate source of water leak.
Little archaeology was disturbed during this work, the bulk of the material removed being the backfill of various previous episodes of ground disturbance. It did however confirm the existence of a medieval external arch on the western face of the bridge.
See short report (S9) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 9 October 2017.

An archive comprising material from the 1992 and November 1993 phases of work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2022.147).
P. Watkins (HES), 5 December 2022.

December 1993. Watching Brief.
Observation of trench dug to find a water leak.
This work exposed a section of the internal face of the eastern arch and confirmed that the original bridge existed as two masonry arches with a timber surface covering the void between.
See report (S4) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S5).
K. Forrest (NAU) 1993. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 10 March 2017.

January-February 1994. Trial Trenching.
Trial holes excavated by NAU at castle end of bridge revealed structures of the underlying castle vaults.
See report (S6) and published article (S2) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S7).
E. Rose (NLA) 17 February 1994. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 10 March 2017.

Main reference is (S2) which gives details of bridge and excavations including finds of medieval pottery within structure.
E. Rose (NLA) 24 October 1997.

1999-2000. New paving scheme.
See papers in file.
D. Gurney (NLA) 23 January 2001.