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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	40497
Type of record:	Monument
Name:	Late Saxon to post medieval occupation, 40 Fishergate

Summary

An evaluation in 2004 revealed a wide variety of evidence from the Late Saxon to post medieval periods. The area lies on the north bank of the River Wensum and is within the core of Late Saxon occupation and the possible Middle Saxon wic. A small assemblage of prehistoric worked flint was also noted. Late Saxon evidence included ditches, gullies, post holes, surfaces, stakeholes and a pit. Nearer to the river front, features included possible stock fences dating to the 10th and 11th centuries, as well as a number of domestic and industrial artefacts and Middle Saxon pottery. A medieval building with a clay floor, walls and tiled hearth was noted, as well as a medieval pit associated with industrial activity, and a sequence of medieval floors.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:	TG 23296 09106
Map Sheet:	TG20NW
Parish:	NORWICH, NORWICH, NORFOLK

Full description

June-July 2004. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site in advance of proposed redevelopment. Contexts 1-394.
The site was bounded to the north by Fishergate Street and to the south by the River Wensum. The evaluation area is of particular interest as it was located in the historic core of the city within an area of Late Saxon occupation that might have had origins as a Middle Saxon wic.
The earliest evidence of human activity was indicated by a small assemblage of prehistoric worked flint, present in later contexts.
Trench 1, close to Fishergate street frontage, contained a dated sequence of Late Saxon ditches, gullies, post holes and a pit. Trampled surfaces and stakeholes of similar date were recorded in Trench 2. A medieval building with clay floor, wall footing and tile hearth overlaid the Late Saxon features. A medieval pit associated with industrial activity, perhaps tanning or textile production, cut late Saxon features. A sequence of medieval floors sealed this pit, and indicated episodes of burning and replacement. In both trenches medieval features were sealed by early post medieval stone rubble and mortar debris.
Late Saxon features were also recorded in Trench 3, close to the river frontage, with ditches and a pair of gullies, perhaps stock fences, dated to the 10th and 11th centuries. A depth of dark soil sealing these features dated to the 11th to 12th centuries, and contained domestic and industrial artefacts, together with a small assemblage of middle Saxon pottery. An origin for this soil might have been the clearing of the Late Saxon burgh ditch or a nearby watercourse, Dalymond Dyke.
The small assemblage of early to middle Saxon pottery is thought to indicate nearby contemporary settlement.
See reports (S1) and (S2) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S3).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 17 December 2004. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 2 July 2015.

2005. Excavation.
Prehistoric activity at the site was indicated by the presence of Late Mesolithic to Bronze Age worked flints.
A small quantity of Early Saxon pottery was recovered, suggesting at least a background level of activity during this period.
Middle and Late Saxon occupation was evidenced by 8th century coins (sceattas) along with bone pins, a fragment of loom weight, several pieces of lava quernstone and pieces of worked antler indicated a range of craft/industrial occupations occurred on site. Boundaries marked by probable Late Saxon ditches were recorded.
From around the 13th and 14th centuries, at least three buildings were constructed. A small number of medieval pits, perhaps associated with industrial use, were revealed.
A substantial masonry building was established at this time extended south from the frontage of Fishergate. The scale and build quality associated with this reorganisation infers a degree of wealth and organisation characteristic of religious institutions during the Middle Ages.
The excavation also uncovered a metalled track of medieval date and the foundations of a large post medieval building.
Final publication awaited. See assessment report (S4) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S5).
J. Allen (NLA), 19 July 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 2 July 2015.

May 2012.
The hoard of Late 7th century coins found 2005 and reported as Treasure case 2005 T445, were declared Treasure at inquest 11 May 2012.
E. Darch (HES), 29 May 2012.

A combined archive comprising material from both phases of archaeological work at this site has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.100).
P. Watkins (HES), 18 May 2019.

Monument Types

FINDSPOT (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC to 3001 BC)
FINDSPOT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
FINDSPOT (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
FINDSPOT (Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC)
FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
FINDSPOT (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
FINDSPOT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
BOUNDARY DITCH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
DITCH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
FENCE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
FINDSPOT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
FINDSPOT (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
GULLY (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
PIT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
POST HOLE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
POST HOLE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
STOCK ENCLOSURE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
BEAM SLOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
BUILDING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FLOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
HEARTH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
PIT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
POST HOLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
WALL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
BUILDING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

ANIMAL REMAINS (Undated)
BELL (Undated)
BURNT FLINT (Unknown date)
SLAG (Unknown date)
BLADE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC to 3001 BC)
BLADE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC to 3001 BC)
BLADE CORE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC to 3001 BC)
CRESTED BLADE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
CORE (Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC)
END SCRAPER (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
FLAKE (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
FLAKE (Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC)
RETOUCHED FLAKE (Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC)
DEBITAGE (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC)
FLAKE (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC)
TEGULA (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
POT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
COIN (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
COIN (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
COIN HOARD (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
POT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
ADZE (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
CLENCH NAIL (Late Saxon to 19th Century - 851 AD to 1900 AD)
COMB (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
COMB (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
GIMLET (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
HARNESS FITTING (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
HORSESHOE (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
KNIFE (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
LOOMWEIGHT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
PIN (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
QUERN (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
SHOE (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
TEXTILE (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
VESSEL (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
WHETSTONE (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
BRICK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
ROOF TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
COIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
FLOOR TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
JETTON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
ROOF TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
THIMBLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---	Unpublished Document: Department for Culture, Media and Sport and British Museum. 2008. Treasure Annual Report 2005/6. p 207; No 1155; Figs 1155 a1-e2.
---	Photograph: Adams, D.. 2007. PAA-PAT.
---	Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Adams, D. 2004. An Archaeological Evaluation at 40 Fishergate, Norwich. Interim Report. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 980.
<S2>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Adams, D. 2004. An Archaeological Evaluation at 40 Fishergate, Norwich. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 968.
<S3>	Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. 2005. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk in 2004. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIV Pt IV pp 751-763. p 758.
<S4>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Adams, D. 2006. An Archaeological Assessment and Updated Project Design for 40 Fishergate, Norwich, Norfolk. NAU Archaeology. 1096.
<S5>	Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. 2006. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk in 2005. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLV Pt I pp 124-136. p 131.