Record Details

NHER Number:4997
Type of record:Monument
Name:Post-medieval quarries and possible flint mine

Summary

Earthworks probably relating to post-medieval extraction have been recorded from field visits and visualised lidar data. The feature consists of a large area of extraction centred at TL 7775 2933 and a large pit centred at TL 7753 9326. The site has previously been interpreted as being Neolithic in date, however these features most likely relate to post-medieval sand or gravel extraction and are recorded on the First and Second Edition Ordnance Survey maps.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TL 7776 9331
Map Sheet:TL79SE
Parish:CRANWICH, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

F. N. Hawards 'suspected flint mines' (polished axes etc). Flint mining industry all over this area.
R. R. Clarke (NCM).

February 1998. Walkover Survey.
Rapid Earthwork Identification Survey (Compartment 1013).
At least two large pits and a number of smaller pits were identified. The majority took the form of "long, wide trenches with deeper portions". Recorded sizes varied from 30m wide and 4m deep to 7m wide and 1m deep. No additional evidence for Neolithic flint mining was observed. A pit is marked in thie area on the First Edition Ordnance Survey map (S3) and these earthworks may relate to later flint mines or marl or gravel extractoin pits.
See report (S1) for further details.
S. Howard (HES), 16 August 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 18 August 2015. Amended by H. Hamilton (HES), 30 January 2021.

October 2014. Breaking New Ground field visit. HA 32.
A group of pits and hollows, some circular, others very irregular in shape.
The maped extent has been revised to cover the whole area of earthworks. The site was previously mapped as a point at TL 7780 9328.
Most of these features were probably excavated to extract sand and gravel.
D. Robertson (HES), 27 July 2015.

April 2019. Breckland National Mapping Programme
Earthworks probably relating to post-medieval extraction have been recorded from field visits and visualised lidar data (S2). The feature consists of a large area of extraction centred at TL 7775 2933 and a large pit centred at TL 7753 9326. The site has previously been interpreted as being Neolithic in date, however these features most likely relate to post-medieval sand or gravel extraction and are recorded on the First and Second Edition Ordnance Survey map (S3-S4).
The mapped extent of these earthworks has been refined based on the lidar data [1].
J.Powell (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 1 April 2019.

Monument Types

  • MARL PIT? (Unknown date)
  • PIT (Unknown date)
  • (Former Type) FLINT MINE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • PIT (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • EXTRACTIVE PIT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD? to 1900 AD?)
  • QUARRY (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • POLISHED AXEHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TL 79 SE 5.
---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 - Neolithic. Cranwich.
<S1>Unpublished Contractor Report: Pendleton, C. and Sommers, M. 1998. Rapid Earthwork Identification Survey. Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service. 98/25. Compartment 1013; p 4, Fig 1.
<S2>XYLIDAR Airborne Survey: Various. LIDAR Airborne Survey. LIDAR Weeting Forest Research 0.5m DTM 17-JUL-2015 (BNG Project, FC England, Fugro Geospatial). [Mapped feature: #64926 Extent of earthworks based on a LiDAR survey., ENF145328]
<S3>Map: Ordnance Survey. 1885-1891. Ordnance Survey Map. Six inches to the mile. First Edition. 1:10,560.
<S4>Map: Ordnance Survey. 1902-7. Ordnance Survey second edition 25 inch (1902-7) map. 25 inches to 1 mile.

Related records - none

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