NHER 40919 (Monument record) - Late Saxon boundary ditch next to Rushford Church

November 2004. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site. Two trenches excavated. Contexts 1-26.
Revealed settlement features in the immediate area around Rushford Church, which are probably the remains of the early nucleated settlement, possibly around an earlier church.
The features revealed comprised a Late Saxon ditch, which may have been a field boundary, or another type of boundary, and a series of undated postholes, from which Middle Saxon pottery was recovered.
Medieval pottery and animal bone was also found.
See report (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2025.108).
S. Spooner (NLA) August 2005. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 August 2025.

August 2005. Strip Map and Sample Excavation.
Footprints of three new buildings excavated (two of which had been targeted by the earlier evaluation trenches). Contexts 100-189.
Revealed on field boundary ditch and one possible large ditch or hollow way of Roman date, both of these were probably at some distance from domestic activity.
A ditch of Middle Saxon date was also identified, which was also some sort of land boudnary but in closer proximity to occupation.
Subsequently, later in the Saxon period there is evidence to suggest stock were kept on the site and this northern location was either within a farmyard or the corner of a field.
Medieval rubbish pit which may pre-date Rushford College which was founded in 1342.
isolated cattle burials occurred during the post medieval period, which are likely to have been diseased animals from the dairy farm, within the college grounds to the west.
See report (S3) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S4).
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.103).
J. Allen (NLA), 3 April 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 14 July 2015 and 18 May 2019.