Record Details

NHER Number:41949
Type of record:Monument
Name:Prehistoric and possible Roman features and multi-period finds, Bittering Quarry Extension

Summary

In 2005 a desk based assessment, a geophysical survey, fieldwalking and a trial trench evaluation excavation were carried out ahead of gravel quarrying. The area of the proposed quarry included the site of an undated but possible Bronze Age ring ditch (NHER 11697). The results showed the presence of at least two phases of prehistoric activity, the earlier represented by Mesolithic/Early Neolithic worked flints and an earlier Neolithic pit. A number of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age features were also identifed and it is likely that much of the worked flint recovered, along with a large assemblage of burnt flintm was associated with this phase of activity. There was also limited evidence for low level activity during the Iron Age and Roman periods. A considerable number of undated features were also identified, including a number of pits and ditches. Large parts of the site were however devoid of archaeological remains. Little of note was recovered during the fieldwalking apart from a small assemblage of worked flint and a single sherd of Roman pottery.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 93719 16721
Map Sheet:TF91NW
Parish:LONGHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

May 2005. Desk-based Assessment.
Cultural Heritage Assessment of proposed aggregate extraction area.
See reports (S1) and (S2) for details.
J. Allen (NLA), 17 November 2005. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 15 July 2015.

September-December 2005. Evaluation.
Archaeological evaluation comprising aerial photograph assessment, systematic fieldwalking and metal-detecting survey, geophysical survey and trial trenching. Contexts 1-83.

Prior to the start of this work a number of cropmark features had been identified in the vicinity of this site including a probable ring-ditch (NHER 11697). The presence of a large (double ditched?) square enclosure and linear and curvilinear features were also noted. These features (which are now recorded seperately under NHER 49691 and NHER 49692) were rectified as part of the evaluation and were subsequently subject to NMP mapping and analysis.

The geophysical survey identified a number of discrete individual pit-like anomalies across the whole survey area, possibly indicating the remains of pits. A number of diffuse linear anomalies were also recorded although these probably represented the magnetic response from cultivation scores (ploughmarks). In the area of NHER 11697, however, a series of duffuse linear anomalies were detected in the area of the known cropmarks. These were believed to represent probable ditch-like features, a number of which appeared to correlate with the aerial photographic evidence.

All parts of the proposed development area were subject to fieldwalking. This work recovered a large quantity of burnt flint (almost 7kg) and 35 worked flints. A notable proportion of the worked flint comprised blades and blade-like flakes of potentially Mesolithic or Early Neolithic date. Four blade cores may also be of this date. As with the excavated flints the remainder of the assemblage is likely to be of a much later date, including thick, broad, often cortical flakes and a core or core tool made on a fragment of tabular flint. A sherd of Roman pottery and 12 sherds of post-medieval/modern pottery were also recovered, along with small amounts of animal bone, post-medieval brick and tile and bottle glass. Metal detecting identified only post medieval/modern finds, including coins, buttons, horse fittings and nails.

Trial trenching took place in two of the three fields (the north-western field containing the cropmarks being excluded), with this work demonstrating the presence of limited but potentially significant archaeological remains. A number of prehistoric pits were identified in the southern part of the site, including one which contained an assemblage of earlier Neolithic pottery and two which contain later, Beaker pottery. Significantly a fairly sizable assemblage of Beaker pottery was also recovered from from the fills of a linear features. A small quantity of fired clay was also found including a possible loomweight fragment and pieces with wattle impressions. All stratified pieces were recovered from Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age contexts. The site also produced 164 worked flints and over 5000 fragments of burnt flint, the majority recovered from the prehistoric features. A small number of worked pieces bore evidence of techniques that are characteristic of Mesolithic or Early Neolithic assemblages, including blades, narrow flakes, a serrated blade and a retouched blade. The remaining material was characterised by broad, thick, much more irregular flakes and is likely to be of later prehistoric date, perhaps Bronze Age. These later pieces included flake cores and several possible scrapers. Small amounts of Iron Age and Roman pottery were also recovered, suggesting at least a degree of activity during these periods.
A number of relatively sterile, undatable features were also identified, including an area of pits in the central/northern part of the site. These features are potentially prehistoric, although a small number of the pits in this area appeared to be of post-medieval or modern date. Several ditch-type linear features were also identified in the eastern/central part of the site that presumably represent some form of boundary/enclosure system. The lack of finds suggests these features was removed from any areas of contemporary occupation. One trench also exposed a large modern ditch, which appeared to have a similar alignment to one of the major linear cropmark features that have been identified in the field to the north (NHER 49692). Other areas were largely devoid of archaeological remains.

See report (S3) and revised Cultural Heritage Assessment (S4) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S5).
J. Allen (NLA), 15 February 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 5 August 2013.

Monument Types

  • DITCH (Unknown date)
  • ENCLOSURE? (Unknown date)
  • PIT (Unknown date)
  • PLOUGH MARKS (Unknown date)
  • DITCH (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • PIT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • PIT (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • DITCH (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC? to 1501 BC?)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • PIT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC?)
  • FINDSPOT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Unknown date)
  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Unknown date)
  • PLANT MACRO REMAINS (Unknown date)
  • SAMPLE (Unknown date)
  • BURNT FLINT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • 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)
  • BURNT FLINT (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • FLAKE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • FLAKE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • RETOUCHED BLADE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • SERRATED BLADE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • POT (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • BURNT FLINT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • CORE (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC)
  • CORE (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC)
  • FLAKE (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC)
  • FLAKE (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC)
  • LOOMWEIGHT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • POT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • SCRAPER (TOOL) (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC)
  • XFIRED CLAY (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • POT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BOTTLE (Post Medieval to 21st Century - 1540 AD to 2050 AD)
  • BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • COIN (Post Medieval to 21st Century - 1540 AD to 2050 AD)
  • HORSE TRAPPING (Post Medieval to 21st Century - 1540 AD to 2050 AD)
  • NAIL (Post Medieval to 21st Century - 1540 AD to 2050 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Unpublished Contractor Report: Josephs, A. 2005. Bittering Quarry, Longham, Norfolk. Proposed Extension. Cultural heritage Assessment. Andrew Josephs Environmental Consultant.
<S2>Unpublished Contractor Report: Josephs, A. 2005. Bittering Quarry, Longham, Norfolk. Proposed Extension. Cultural Heritage Assessment. Andrew Josephs Environmental Consultant.
<S3>Unpublished Contractor Report: Hounsell, D. 2006. Bittering Quarry Extension, Longham, Norfolk. An Archaeological Evaluation. Cambridgeshire County Council Archaeological Field Unit. 848.
<S4>Unpublished Contractor Report: Josephs, A. 2007. Bittering Quarry. Proposed Extension. Cultural heritage Assessment. Andrew Josephs Environmental Consultant.
<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 129.

Related records

11697Parent of: Cropmark of a ring ditch (Monument)
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