Norfolk Heritage Explorer

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Full description

March 2008. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks visible on aerial photographs (S1-S7) relating to the late Iron Age to Roman date settlement at Watlington (NHER 39458) are recorded under this number. The excavations to date have demonstrated that this site represents an extensive and intensively utilised rural settlement and field system dating from the late Iron Age to 4th century AD. The site is centred on TF 6293 1068. Any undated or potentially pre-late Iron Age features are recorded under NHER 11724. The cropmarks have been separated out of this main record for ease of recording to add the phasing of the feature mapped from the aerial photographs. Cropmarks following a similar alignment to the northwest in Police House Field (NHER 39457) have been recorded under NHER 50945. A possible extension of the boundaries and enclosures to the south of this site have been recorded under NHER 50944. It is assumed that these features are broadly contemporary with at least one of the phases of this site.

The excavations revealed a complex history of cutting and re-cutting ditches, often along the same or similar lines to earlier boundaries (S8). Obviously this level of dating and phasing of similarly aligned features cannot be achieved from the cropmark evidence. Although it is anticipated that in the future more sophisticated phasing of the cropmarks could be achieved using the post-excavation information, when this is made fully available.

The cropmarks indicate a square or slightly trapezoidal enclosure located at TF 6304 1060, measuring approximately 56m by 64m. This has two rectangular annex enclosures to the south. A variety of pits, ditches and small rectilinear enclosures testify to a level of activity within this enclosure, which must be assumed to be the main settlement focus of the site, although it is possible that some or all of the features within the enclosure pre-date or post-date the actual enclosure. It is clear that a sub-rectangular enclosure, 30m by 15m, clearly cuts or is cut by the western ditch of this enclosure, indicating at least two phases to this part of the site. The remainder of the mapped features relate to boundary ditches and trackways that would broadly appear to represent enclosures and fields contemporary to the main enclosure. However as stated above the excavations reveal a complex system of recutting, indicating that not all of the ditches are in use at anyone time, with at least four phases of late Iron Age to Roman activity and boundary construction (S8).

The excavations revealed numerous pits, post-built structures, interpreted as granaries and workshops, corn dryers and pottery kilns. The geological conditions at this site meant that the cropmark response was quite weak or disturbed over much of the site and therefore any non-boundary features were hard to distinguish from within the background geological ‘noise’. A number of small rectilinear and oblong enclosures were identified, such as at TF 6308 1053, TF 6296 1055, TF 6297 1060 and TF 6297 1060. The function of these small ditched enclosures is not apparent from the cropmarks, although it is probable that they relate to a specific domestic, agricultural or possibly industrial activity. Two possible groups of pits were identified at TF 6295 1076 and TF 6298 1062, although the archaeological nature of some of these mapped pits is not certain and it is feasible that some are geological in origin. A number of small circular enclosures, interpreted as late Iron Age mortuary enclosures, were identified during the excavations within the area of the cropmark enclosures, such as at TF 6307 1071 and TF 6310 1071. These more ephemeral features could not be detected on the aerial photographs and it is likely that many more ephemeral features have gone undetected from the cropmarks, as comparison with the areas excavated to date has proved.
S. Massey (NMP), 05 March 2008.

Fieldwork on this site is recorded under NHER 39458.

Monument Types

• RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
• DITCH (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 409 AD)
• FARMSTEAD (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 409 AD)
• FIELD BOUNDARY (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 409 AD?)
• FIELD SYSTEM (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 409 AD)
• PIT (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 409 AD)
• RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 409 AD?)
• RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 409 AD)
• SETTLEMENT (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 409 AD)
• SQUARE ENCLOSURE (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 409 AD)
• TRACKWAY (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
• TRAPEZOIDAL ENCLOSURE (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 409 AD?)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• SHINE

Sources and further reading

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