Summary
In about 1839 a number of Roman urns and coins were found near to the location that a freestone obelisk, used as a drinking fountain, was placed. A visit to the proposed site in 1954 failed to find any trace of the pottery or obelisk. It was suggested that the obelisk and Roman finds were in fact located somewhere on Catton's Plantation. Further investigation in 1993 showed this suggestion to be correct as a farmer who worked the land possessed a stone head from the fountain, and various sherds of pottery had been found in the area.
| Grid Reference: | TF 6771 0813 |
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| Map Sheet: | TF60NE |
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| Parish: | SHOULDHAM, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Monument Types
Associated Finds
Full description
Around 1839. Roman finds (so-called).
'Over the chalybeate spring a freestone obelisk was erected in 1839 and the water flows through a lion's mouth into a stone basin about which shrubs are planted and the whole is enclosed in paling. Near it have been found quantities of Roman urns and a few coins (on R. T. Catton's estate, Melrose)' - (S1). Quoted by R. R. Clarke (NCM).
Source (S2) (checked by E. Rose (NAU)) gives a similar account, in which it says the spring is near another called Silver Well from the silver scum on the water. Bryant gives a legend which has grown up from the name, that silver stolen from the manor house was thrown in here.
21 February 1954. R. R. Clarke visited TF 6728 0812 but found no trace of pottery or obelisk.
He queried whether this was the right site and suggested as alternatives Sutton Green (674085) or Catton's
Plantation (679084). Catton's Plantation is in fact a good contender if this is not the site, for the tithe map of around 1840 shows Mr Catton only owning Frog's Hall (at site NHER 11267) just south of the wood, with some springs on the south. E. Rose (NLA).
1993.
Clarke was right, as source [1] has established that the site was definitely at TF 6771 0811 as the farmer filled in the pond himself many years ago and states that he still has the stone head (which he calls a horse not a lion) in his barn, though this was not seen by source.
Around the site, source found three Roman sherds, several medieval and post medieval sherds and tiles (list in file), so it is possible that original finds were indeed Roman.
Identifications by A. Rogerson (NLA).
E. Rose (NLA) 11 May 1993.
Sources and further reading
| --- | Secondary File: |
| S1 | Bibliographic reference: 1864. White's Directory. |
| S2 | Bibliographic reference: 1850. White's Directory. 2. |
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