Record Details

NHER Number:36218
Type of record:Monument
Name:Neolithic and Bronze Age features and Iron Age settlement at Honeypots Plantation

Summary

Investigation between 2001 and 2003 has revealed that this hilltop may have been the focal point of ritual activity from the Neolithic to the Roman period. Evidence for activity prior to the later Neolithic was limited to a small number of worked flints, including a possible Upper Palaeolithic bruised blade and a Mesolithic microlith. A small number of the other flints recovered also have features that are indicative of a Mesolithic or Early Neolithic date. Rare evidence of Neolithic and Bronze Age structures has been recorded as well as structured pit deposits interpreted as possible graves or ritual deposits. Unusually, the Bronze Age features appear to be confined to the western side of two boundary ditches and therefore may represent the earliest evidence of enclosed occupation in Norfolk. Similar ritual pits appear to have continued to be dug throughout the Iron Age, when use of the site greatly intensified, and three Early Iron Age features have been interpreted as possible barrows. Iron Age settlement is also represented by rectilinear enclosures, ring ditches, a possible trackway, two and four-post structures, and a large number of pits. A small number of features indicate that ritual activity continued into the Roman period, after which the site was used for agricultural purposes. Additional Neolithic and Bronze Age pits were recorded in the field immediately north of the site in 2006 (NHER 38228).

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TL 9844 9440
Map Sheet:TL99SE
Parish:SHROPHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

July 2001. Geophysical survey.
A magnetometer survey located two probable parallel ditches were located, possibly indicating the location of field boundaries, as well as two disturbances indicating the position of possible pits.
Information from (S1).
D. Gurney (NLA) 12 December 2001.

July 2001. Evaluation by NAU. Contexts .
Excavation of eight evaluation trenches revealed several linear features, pits, post holes, and a possible roundhouse gully containing Iron Age pottery in the western half of the field.
Information from (S2).
The results of this work are also summarised in (S8).
H. Hamilton (NLA), 17 March 2008.

July 2001 - October 2003. Excavation and Watching Briefs.
Four phases of excavation in advance of mineral extraction have recorded a dense concentration of Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age activity.
Over 800 worked flints were recovered from the site and although the bulk of these are likely to be of later prehistoric date there are a number of pieces that suggest at least a degree of activity during earlier periods. One of the larger blades recovered has possible use damage to its edges and may be a bruised blade of Upper Palaeolithic date. A single Mesolithic microlith was also recovered and a number of pieces, including thin neat flakes and blades, display evidence of having been soft-hammer struck - indicative of a Mesolithic or Early Neolithic date. A number of blade cores were also found and the presence of three piece from deliberate core preparation (two crested blades and a flake from a blade core) also suggests that part of this assemblage is of Mesolithic or Early Neolithic date.
P. Watkins (HES), 12 April 2013.

Neolithic and Bronze Age occupation was primarily represented by pits, and many of these contained structured deposits. Several undated features, including large, scattered post settings representing buildings and structures and two land boundaries which appear to confine the area of Bronze Age activity, are likely contemporary. Many of these early features may have been graves or pits deliberately dug to bury burnt material, and the hilltop may have been a ceremonial focal point. Evidence for Neolithic structures has only been recorded at approximately five other locations.
Occupation of the hilltop intensified in the Early Iron Age, and both ritual and settlement activities appear to have continued to intensify throughout this period. Three of the excavated features in the southwestern corner of the site have been interpreted as small barrows (likely dated to the Early Iron Age), and associated trapezoidal structures are believed to be associated with mortuary activity. Several of the Iron Age pits appear to continue the style of those dated to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, also suggesting a continuation of ritual activity at the site. A large number of undated post holes and pits have been assigned to the undated Iron Age, but a few features have been more closely dated. A large, square enclosure in the western third of the site has been tentatvely dated to the Middle Iron Age, while a large, bisected sub-rectangular enclosure at the southern edge of the excavation area is likely a Late Iron Age construction. Other occupation evidence includes smaller undated enclosures, four small ring ditches of uncertain function (one likely of Middle Iron Age date), linear features potentially associated with structures, a possible trackway, and a large number of two and four-post structures. Many of the latter yielded Early Iron Age pottery. Metal working debris was present in several of the Middle and Late Iron Age pits. Evidence for textile production was recorded in Middle and Late Iron Age contexts.
Roman pottery recorded in seven pits and three ditches indicate that limited activity continued into this period, after which the site was used for agricultural purposes. A possible medieval to post medieval strip-field system was recorded.
Evidence of a previously noted World War Two searchlight battery was also recorded (NHER 32925).
See assessment report (S2), publication synopsis (S3) and draft publication reports (S4) and (S5) for further details.
The results of this work are also summarised in (S8) and (S9).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2016.437).
H. Hamilton (NLA), 17 March 2008.

It should be noted that many of the interpretations presented in (S4) and (S5) (summarised above) are no longer believed to be correct. See (S10) for a more recent overview of the features uncovered on this site.
P. Watkins (HES), 12 April 2013.

2006. Excavation.
Additional Neolithic and Bronze age features were recorded during excavations in the field immediately north of this site. See NHER 38228 for details.
H. Hamilton (NLA), 26 March 2008.

April 2008. Outline publication synopsis.
This site will be included in a forthcoming monograph investigating Iron Age sites in Norfolk.
See (S6) and (S7) for further details.
S. Howard (NLA), 5 January 2010.

Monument Types

  • BEAM SLOT (Unknown date)
  • BOUNDARY DITCH (Unknown date)
  • BUILDING (Unknown date)
  • DITCH (Unknown date)
  • DITCH (Unknown to Late Bronze Age)
  • FENCE? (Unknown date)
  • LONGHOUSE? (Unknown date)
  • MORTUARY STRUCTURE (Unknown date)
  • PIT (Unknown date)
  • PIT CIRCLE (Unknown date)
  • POST ALIGNMENT (Unknown date)
  • STRUCTURE (Unknown date)
  • DITCH (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • PIT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • POST HOLE (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Upper Palaeolithic - 40000 BC to 10001 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • BEAM SLOT (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC? to 42 AD?)
  • BOUNDARY DITCH (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC? to 42 AD?)
  • BOUNDARY MARKER (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • BUILDING (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC? to 42 AD?)
  • BUILDING (Neolithic - 4000 BC? to 2351 BC?)
  • DITCH (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • FIELD BOUNDARY (Early Neolithic to Middle Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 1001 BC)
  • FIELD BOUNDARY (Neolithic - 4000 BC? to 2351 BC?)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • GRAVE? (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • GULLY (Neolithic - 4000 BC? to 2351 BC?)
  • LONGHOUSE? (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC? to 42 AD?)
  • MARKER POST (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • MORTUARY STRUCTURE (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • MORTUARY STRUCTURE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • PIT (Early Neolithic to Middle Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 1001 BC)
  • PIT (Neolithic - 4000 BC? to 2351 BC?)
  • PIT CIRCLE (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC? to 42 AD?)
  • POST HOLE (Neolithic - 4000 BC? to 2351 BC?)
  • SETTLEMENT (Early Neolithic to Middle Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 1001 BC)
  • STRUCTURE (Early Neolithic to Middle Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 1001 BC)
  • STRUCTURE (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC? to 42 AD?)
  • STRUCTURE (Neolithic - 4000 BC? to 2351 BC?)
  • TIMBER CIRCLE? (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • BOUNDARY MARKER (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • GRAVE? (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • MARKER POST (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • PIT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • PIT CLUSTER (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • BEAM SLOT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • COAXIAL FIELD SYSTEM? (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • DITCH (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC?)
  • FINDSPOT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • PIT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • PIT ALIGNMENT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • PIT CLUSTER (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • POST HOLE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC? to 701 BC?)
  • BARROW (Early Iron Age - 800 BC to 401 BC)
  • BARROW? (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
  • BEAM SLOT (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
  • BEAM SLOT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • BUILDING (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
  • DITCH (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
  • DITCH (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • ENCLOSURE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • FENCE? (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD?)
  • FIELD BOUNDARY (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
  • FIELD SYSTEM (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • GULLY (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
  • GULLY (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • MORTUARY ENCLOSURE? (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
  • PIT (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
  • PIT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • POST ALIGNMENT (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD?)
  • POST HOLE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC? to 101 BC?)
  • RITUAL PIT (Early Iron Age - 800 BC to 401 BC)
  • ROUND HOUSE (DOMESTIC) (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
  • ROUND HOUSE (DOMESTIC) (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • SETTLEMENT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • SQUARE ENCLOSURE (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
  • STRUCTURE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • BUILDING? (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)
  • FIELD BOUNDARY (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)
  • FIELD SYSTEM (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)
  • PIT (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)
  • POST HOLE (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)
  • BEAM SLOT (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
  • DROVE ROAD (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
  • ENCLOSURE (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
  • FARMSTEAD? (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
  • FIELD BOUNDARY (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
  • PIT (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
  • POST HOLE (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
  • ROUND HOUSE (DOMESTIC) (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
  • BOUNDARY DITCH? (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • DITCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • GRAVE? (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PIT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FIELD SYSTEM? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • GULLY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PIT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • PIT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • PLANT MACRO REMAINS (Unknown date)
  • SAMPLE (Unknown date)
  • XFIRED CLAY (Unknown date)
  • POT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • BLADE (Upper Palaeolithic - 40000 BC? to 10001 BC?)
  • BLADE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC? to 3001 BC?)
  • BLADE CORE (Early Mesolithic to Late Neolithic - 10000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • CORE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC? to 3001 BC?)
  • FLAKE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC? to 3001 BC?)
  • MICROLITH (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • BLADE (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • BLADE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • BLADE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • BORER (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • BURNT FLINT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • CORE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • END SCRAPER (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FLAKE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • HAMMERSTONE (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • POT (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • POT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • RETOUCHED FLAKE (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • SCRAPER (TOOL) (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • SIDE SCRAPER (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • ARROWHEAD? (Late Neolithic - 3000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • BURNT FLINT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • CHARCOAL (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • FLAKE (Late Neolithic to Late Iron Age - 3000 BC to 42 AD)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Late Neolithic to Late Iron Age - 3000 BC to 42 AD)
  • PLANO CONVEX KNIFE (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • POT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • POT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • URN (Middle Bronze Age - 1600 BC to 1001 BC)
  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • BLADE? (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
  • KNIFE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • LOOMWEIGHT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Early Iron Age - 800 BC to 401 BC)
  • POT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • QUERN (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • SPINDLE WHORL (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • VESSEL (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • WEIGHT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • CHARCOAL (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)
  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS? (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
  • PENANNULAR BROOCH? (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 100 AD)
  • POT (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BUTTON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • COIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Photograph: NAU. KBA-KBH.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Unpublished Contractor Report: Wardill, R. 2001. Honeypots, Shropham, Norfolk. Geophysical Survey Report. Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit.
<S2>Unpublished Contractor Report: Whitmore, D. 2002. Honeypots Gravel Pit, Shropham: Assessment Report and Updated Project Design. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 665.
<S3>Unpublished Report: Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 2006. Excavations at Honeypots Gravel Pit, Shropham, Norfolk. Preliminary synopsis for publication in East Anglian Archaeology, Occasional Paper Series.
<S4>Unpublished Document: Green, F.M.L.. 2005. Chasing Shadows: an interpretation of late prehistory on a hilltop at Shropham, Norfolk..
<S5>Unpublished Document: NAU Archaeology. 2007. NAU Archaeology. An Iron Age Settlement at Shropham, Norfolk. Draft Archive Report.. Norfolk Archaeological Unit.
<S6>Unpublished Contractor Report: Watkins, P. J. 2008. An Archaeological Excavation at Honeypots Plantation, Shropham. Revised Project Design. NAU Archaeology. 969.
<S7>Unpublished Contractor Report: Watkins, P. 2008. The Archaeology of Iron Age Norfolk: an outline publication synopsis. NAU Archaeology. 1716a.
<S8>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 2002. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk, 2001. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIV Pt I pp 162-177. p 174.
<S9>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 2003. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk, 2002. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIV Pt II pp 368-384. p 380.
<S10>Unpublished Contractor Report: Watkins, P. 2009. An Iron Age Settlement at Shropham, Norfolk. NAU Archaeology.

Related records - none

Find out more...

Norfolk County Council logo Heritage Lottery Fund logo

Powered by HBSMR-web and the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd, and mojoPortal CMS
© 2007 - 2024 Norfolk Historic Environment Service