Record Details

NHER Number:1142
Type of record:Monument
Name:Early Saxon cemetery

Summary

An Early Saxon inhumation cemetery, located on the top of a glacial esker. It was discovered in 1860 and excavated between 1900 and 1902. A further burial was excavated in 1969. The grave goods found with the burials include spearheads, knives, shield bosses, brooches and beads. A geophysical survey carried out in 1986 failed to locate any of the graves.

Images

  • An Early Saxon brooch from Old Hunstanton.  © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service

Location

Grid Reference:TF 6957 4110
Map Sheet:TF64SE
Parish:OLD HUNSTANTON, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Early Saxon inhumation cemetery on glacial esker in park.
In about 1860 an inhumation was discovered with a spear and a knife.
Between 1990 and 1902 at least half a dozen graves were excavated, and grave goods including 3 or 4 iron spearheads, 2 iron knives, 3 iron shield bosses and several brooches were recovered. Other finds included bronze bucket loops, jet, amber and glass beads, a complete stamped urn and fragments of at least three others.

1969. Excavation.
Carried out by A. K. Gilding east of the Early Saxon inhumation-cemetery which had been excavated by T. McKenny Hughes, revealed an inhumation-burial which also contained two iron spear heads and an iron knife.
See file for drawings, details. (S1) to (S3) in file. Information taken from (S6).
Photographs of brooch (S4) found in 1900-1902 in file.
E. Rose (NAU) amended by M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 09 May 2013.


1985. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of areas to south and north of Holly Mount failed to find any evidence of the location of graves.
See report (S5) for further details.
E. Rose (NLA), 17 February 1998.

Monument Types

  • CEMETERY (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • INHUMATION (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • INHUMATION CEMETERY (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)

Associated Finds

  • BEAD (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BEAD (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BEAD (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BUCKET (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • HUMAN REMAINS (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • KNIFE (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • PIN (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • PLANT REMAINS (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • POT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • SHIELD (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • SPEAR (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 64 SE 6.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Article in Serial: Hawkes, S.C. & Page, R.I.. 1967. Swords and Runes in South-East England.. Antiquities Journal. Vol XLVII, pp 22, 23, 25.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Early Saxon. Hunstanton [4].
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>Newspaper Article: Le Strange, H.. 1903. 'Traces of Early Man', lecture by Mr. Le Strange, reported in Lynn Advertiser, 20th February 1903.
<S2>Monograph: Hunstanton, A.S.C.. 1909. Saga Book of Viking Club.. Vol VI.
<S3>Correspondence: 1964. Various.
<S4>Photograph: Untitled.
<S5>Unpublished Contractor Report: David, A. 1986. Hunstanton Park, Norfolk. Report on geophysical survey, 1985. Ancient Monuments Laboratory. G 4/85.
<S6>Article in Serial: Wilson, D. M. & Hurst, D. G. 1971. Medieval Britain in 1969. Medieval Archaeology. Vol XIV (for 1970) pp 155-208. p 161.

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