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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	3660
Type of record:	Monument
Name:	Site of Bronze Age barrow, possible Roman cremation, and multi-period finds

Summary

The site of a Bronze Age bowl barrow, recorded in the early 20th century. It has since been ploughed flat and no trace of the mound remains today. The site was excavated in 1972, when its surrounding ditch was recorded and Bronze Age cremations uncovered. Also found were Neolithic and Bronze Age flint tools and Bronze Age and Iron Age pottery fragments. Pieces of Roman pottery recovered suggest a possible cremation from this period.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:	TF 8542 1970
Map Sheet:	TF81NE
Parish:	WEASENHAM ALL SAINTS, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

1936. In south-centre of field known as Weasenham Lyngs.
Bowl barrow, Grinsell's no.6. 29.3m (96 feet) in diameter. 1.5m (5 feet) high, no visible ditch.
R. R. Clarke (NCM).

Other descriptions: 29.3m (96 feet) in diameter 1.5 or 18m,(5 or 6 feet) high, no ditch or bank undug, bracken-covered (A.Q. Watson, 1936)
28m (92 feet) in diameter, 1.4m (4 feet 9 inches) high, ploughed over (E.I. Puddy, 1941).
No sign in ploughed field.
A.J. Lawson (NAU), 1975.

August to September 1972. Excavated for Department of the Environment by F.F.Petersen.
30m (98.4 feet) in diameter, 1.25m high. Mound and old ground surface badly disturbed by rabbits.
Irregular ditch 0.6m to 1.6m wide, 0.10m to 0.32m deep, around sub-circular area 25.5m to 29.4m across, approximately concentric with barrow.
Female cremation 7m southeast of centre, 0.02m deep.
Multiple cremation in upper fill of large pit, 1.4m deep, 2.25m northwest of centre.
Many finds from mound, old ground surface and grave pit: fine and rusticated step 2 to 3 beaker sherds; struck flint, burnt flint, fired clay, charcoal.
Also at least one sherd from a Bronze Age pot (?Biconical urn), 3rd century sherds, Icenian rusticated jar, indeterminate (?Medieval) sherds. Material in KLM.
F. Healy (NAU), 11 July 1984.

Detailed publication of Petersen's excavation by F. Healy in (S8) notes also Neolithic fint including leaf arrowhead; Beaker barbed and tanged arrowhead; suggests indeterminate sherds suggested as medieval above may be Iron Age; suggests fired clay may be from kiln or oven; and that the Roman jar may indicate a burial.
E. Rose (NAU), 7 July 1986.

Details in file.

Article missing from file [J. Yates, 12 November 2010].

Monument Types

CREMATION (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
ROUND BARROW (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
CREMATION (Beaker - 2300 BC to 1700 BC)
PIT (Beaker - 2300 BC to 1700 BC)
ROUND BARROW (Beaker - 2300 BC to 1700 BC)
CREMATION (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

BRIQUETAGE (Undated)
KILN WASTE (Undated)
POT (Undated)
LEAF ARROWHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
ANIMAL REMAINS (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
HUMAN REMAINS (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
POT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
POT BOILER (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
BARBED AND TANGED ARROWHEAD (Beaker - 2300 BC to 1700 BC)
HUMAN REMAINS (Beaker - 2300 BC to 1700 BC)
LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Beaker - 2300 BC to 1700 BC)
POT (Beaker - 2300 BC to 1700 BC)
POT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Protected Status

Scheduled Monument

Sources and further reading

---	Designation: [unknown]. Ancient Monuments Form. SAM Record. DNF61.
---	Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 81 NE 4; TF 82 SW 19.
---	Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---	Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Bronze Age. Weasenham (All Saints).
---	Secondary File: Secondary File.
---	Fiche: Exists.
<S1>	Article in Serial: Clarke, W. G. 1913. Norfolk Barrows. The Antiquary. Vol XLIX pp 416-423. p 423.
<S2>	Monograph: Grinsell, L.V.. 1936. Ancient Burial Mounds of England.. p 185. p 185.
<S3>	Monograph: Grinsell, L.V.. 1953. Ancient Burial Mounds of England.. pp 199, 203.
<S4>	Monograph: East Anglian Archaeology. East Anglian Archaeology. Vol XII.
<S5>	Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1941. [unknown]. 14 May.
<S7>	Designation: Corbishley, M.. 1983. AM107.
<S8>	Article in Monograph: Peterson, F. F. and Healy, F. 1986. The Excavation of Two Round Barrows and a Ditched Enclosure on Weasenham Lyngs, 1972. Barrow Excavations in Norfolk, 1950-82. East Anglian Archaeology. Lawson, A. J. et al.. No 29 pp 70-103.

Related records

56103	Part of: Bronze Age Barrow Cemetery, Weasenham Heath (Landscape)
3658	Related to: Great Barrow, Weasenham Lyngs (Monument)
3662	Related to: Site of Bronze Age barrow (Monument)