NHER 10232 (Monument record) - Probable Early Saxon burial

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Summary

In 1932, during the construction of a tennis court, a human skeleton was found with an iron javelin head and iron knife. This was found with Roman pottery, but it is probably an Early Saxon burial on a Roman site.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TG30NW
Civil Parish BRUNDALL, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

Map

1932. 64 metres (70 yards) northeast of station in making tennis court at 'Water Meadows' south of Station New Road, a disturbed area about 0.5m deep in sand and loam was found with a skeleton lying north to south with iron javelin head measuring 19.7cm long, 3.8cm wide and 1.9cm thick. (7 3/4 inches long by 1 1/2 inches by 3/4 of an inch) at foot, and iron knife 10.8cm long with a blade of 6.3cm , 1.9cm thick (4 1/4 inches long, blade 2 3/8 inches back 3/4 of an inch at waist).
Burnt stones, wattle and daub, Niedermendig lava and coarse Roman pottery (jug, rim and mortar and jar) Castor ware (Nene Valley Colour-Coated Ware).
Probably an Early Saxon burial on a Roman site. See (S1), (S2), (S3).
R.R. Clarke (NCM).
A possible Roman spoon bit (E.B. Green NCM 1971). (S4) publishes as Early Saxon (E. Rose NAU).

It is reported that, at the turn of the 19th/20th centuries a number of skulls were found in the same area by local schoolboys. This angered their parents who arranged for the skulls to be reburied in a corner of Braydeston churchyard (NHER 10266) (S5).
D. Gurney (HES), 31 October 2012.

  • --- Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Early Saxon. Brundall.
  • --- Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Roman. Brundall.
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 30 NW 8 [2].
  • <S1> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. [unknown]. [unknown]. 30 November.
  • <S2> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1938. [unknown]. 23 June.
  • <S3> Article in Serial: Clarke, R. R. 1940. Norfolk in the Dark Ages, 400-800 A.D., Part II. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXVII Pt II pp 215-249. p 236.
  • <S4> Monograph: Wilson, D.M.. 1976. The Archaeology of Anglo-Saxon England.. p 258, fig 6.2c.
  • <S5> *Verbal Communication: Ann-Marie Simpson. 2012. [unknown].
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • DRILL BIT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HUMAN REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • KNIFE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • QUERN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SPEAR (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • DRILL BIT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • HUMAN REMAINS (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • KNIFE (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • QUERN (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • SPEAR (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Nov 29 2024 11:48AM

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