Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

Holme II timber circle.

May 1999. NAU survey.
Revealed a structure (formerly NHER 33771 context 126), first observed 17 May 1999. Consists of a hurdle-like fencing (formerly NHER 33771 context 74) around two oak timbers (formerly NHER 33771 context 75 and 76).
A sub-oval structure approximately 3m to 3.5m by 2m of hurdle like fencing with two large oak timbers set horizontally within its centre. The wicker hurdling only survives for one course (presumably it was once higher) with small uprights (oak?) set around its circumference. Probably prehistoric in date.
In 2001 NHER 33771 contexts 130 to 165 were all of the second Holme timber circle.
J. Allen (NLA) 17 February 2003.

2001. Additional recording of the site, following erosion.
An arc of split oak timbers was present to the northeast of the oak and wicker structure.
A segment of the hurdling produced a radiocarbon date of 2470-2030 cal BC. Bark from one of the central oak logs produced a radiocarbon date of 2400-2030 cal BC. The two dates place the construction the central part of the monument within the Early Bronze Age. Possibly earlier in date than Holme I (NHER 33771).
The two oak timbers may have supported a tree trunk, a stretcher, a boat, a trough, a coffin or a bier.
Possibly a funerary monument, possibly a timber structure beneath a barrow.
See (S1).
D. Robertson (NLA), 23 May 2006.

August 2002. Norfolk NMP.
The site of a Bronze Age timber circle, with two central oak timbers encircled by an oval wicker structure is located within the intertidal zone on Holme beach and is visible on oblique aerial photographs aerial photographs taken in 1999 to 2000 (S2)-(S6). This circle is approximately 95m to the south east of the timber circle excavated by the Norfolk Archaeological Unit in 1999 (NHER 33771). The timber circle itself did not appear to be visible on any of the vertical aerial photographs consulted. The only aerial photographs where the structures could be discerned were 1999 to 2000 oblique aerial photographs taken of the excavations and site. Due to the intertidal location of these features the aerial photographs did not provide sufficient control for NMP mapping. Therefore the mapping was located using survey plans (S7) from the Holme timber circle excavation in 1999 (NHER 33771).
H. Clare (NMP) & S. Massey (NMP), 30 August 2002.

2003. NAU survey.
Structure seen again. Two oak timbers survive, as do the hurdle uprights. Hurdling itself has gone. Inner and outer circles now visible (the arc of timbers seen in 2001 is part of the outer circle). Contexts 200 to 203 used.
Former NHER 33771 contexts 74 to 76, 126, 130 to 165 have all kept their context numbers but are now under NHER 38044.
See (S8)-(S9).

September 2003. Monitoring.
Very hard to correlate timbers in eastern and western arcs with those in drawing - due to changes that have taken place since March. A considerable quantity of sand has been deposited in southern part of monument since July 2003.
D. Robertson (NAU), 20 October 2003.

March 2004. Monitoring.
Central log 280 was still present, but was no longer be in-situ. It had been displaced by the sea, washed eastwards and was found laid against the timbers of the outer arc. It was salvaged and is currently at Flag Fen.
A test pit was dug in the south of the monument, up against post 304. The aim of digging this slot was to determine how far down the timbers extend and, based on this observation, make a prediction on how long they are likely to survive. The excavation showed that timber 304 is 0.76m long, with 0.07m-0.1m visible above the surface of the peat. The upper 0.3-0.4m was observed to be eroded and damaged, with the lower 0.3-0.4m relatively intact. Comparisons between the condition of the peat and silt beds in 1999 and 2004 suggest that within Holme II about 0.1m of sediment has been lost a year. With 0.6m of 304 buried, it is probable that it will survive about six years. Two environmental samples were collected from the test pit: one was a bulk sample for plant macrofossils, the other a monolith for pollen, forams, ostracods and so on.
See (S10).
D. Robertson (NAU), 21 April 2004.

January 2006. Casual observations made while bird watching on Holme Beach.
The timber circle and the entire surrounding peat bed were covered in sand.
D. Robertson (NLA), 23 January 2006.

For further information on the Holme Beach walkover and monitoring surveys see final report (S11). The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2010.321).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 11 May 2019.

January 2011. Site visit.
Extensive bait digging in southwest quadrant of circle.
K. Hamilton (HES), 4 March 2011.

February 2011. Dendrochronology assessment.
Twenty two timbers were recorded in detail.
A possible approach for taking samples for dendrochronological dating was suggested.
See (S12).
D. Robertson (HES), 9 September 2014.

June 2013. Dendrochronology.
Six timbers were recorded and sampled and a single palaeo-environmental sample was collected. Four of the timber samples were suitable for dendrochronological dating. The felling of these four timbers, along with that of one of Holme II’s central logs, has been precisely dated to spring or early summer 2049 BC. The timbers from Holme I (known as ‘Seahenge’; NHER 37731) were felled in exactly the same season.
Evidence for woodworking technology was recorded, including felling methods, splitting, trimming and incomplete toolmarks. An assessment of plant macro-fossils confirmed Holme II was constructed in a saltmarsh and mudflat environment. The detrimental impact of coastal processes on the six timbers was clear.
See (S13) and (S14).
D. Robertson (HES), 9 September 2014.

November 2015. Metal-detecting. [1].
2 Middle Bronze Age pottery sherds. Recovered from close to the inner ring of the timber circle.
Information from PAS import.
A. Beckham (HES), 1 January 2016.

Monument Types

• FENCE (Beaker - 2049 BC to 2049 BC) + Sci.Date
• ROUND BARROW? (Beaker - 2049 BC to 2049 BC) + Sci.Date
• TIMBER CIRCLE (Beaker - 2049 BC to 2049 BC) + Sci.Date
• FINDSPOT (Middle Bronze Age - 1600 BC to 1001 BC)

Associated Finds

• POST (Unknown date)
• WORKED OBJECT (Unknown date)
• POST (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• WORKED OBJECT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• POT (Middle Bronze Age - 1600 BC to 1001 BC)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

Related records