Record Details

NHER Number:65466
Type of record:Monument
Name:Churchyard of St Remigius' Church, Hethersett

Summary

Churchyard of St Remigius' Church (NHER 9470). Notable discoveries include a medieval Venetian coin found whilst a grave was being dug in 1963. For a time the church held a 16th-century helmet that had apparently been found "...beside the Norwich road" (presumably somewhere nearby). This was unfortunately stolen in 1989. A watching brief maintained during the renewal of the church’s drainage system in 2011 recorded the remains of a probable churchyard wall, adjacent to the former hollow way (NHER 14202) that lies between the churchyard and the Norwich Road. The excavated trenches also encountered previously disturbed human remains.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 1608 0490
Map Sheet:TG10SE
Parish:HETHERSETT, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Churchyard of St Remigius' Church (NHER 9470).

Pre April 1963. Stray Find.
Found in digging a grave:
1 medieval coin. Soldino of Venice issued under the Doge Antonio Venier (1382-1400) of galley half-pence.
Identified by R. H. M. Dolley.
Donated to Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1963.121).
Information from file notes for NHER 9470 (S1).
Previously recorded under NHER 9470.
E. Rose (NAU) 23 November 1984. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 17 March 2022.

March 1989.
A 16th-century helmet "found beside the Norwich Road" in 1983 and place in the church was stolen in March 1989.
Information from file notes or NHER 9470 (S1). No other details recorded.
P. Watkins (HES), 17 March 2022.

August-October 2011. Watching Brief.
Maintained during excavation of drainage pipe runs and inspection pits around north, east and south sides of church.
An inspection pit to the north of the church revealed the edge of some form of structure constructed from bricks and floor tiles of 19th-/20th-century date. It may be the kerb of some form of path or area of hardstanding associated with the adjacent war memorial.
A large concentration of disarticulated human bone fragments encountered in an inspection pit to the north-east of the church probably represented the reburial of previously disturbed remains.
Patches of crushed mortar chalk and brick fragments observed immediately beneath the topsoil in this area potentially represent construction debris associated with the 19th-century restoration of the church.
A drainage trench leading to a downpipe adjacent to a red brick buttress on the south side of the church exposed a large fragment of worked stone.
It is noted that in the immediate vicinity of the south-west corner of the church the ground level had previously been reduced to almost 1m below ground level; presumably to chancel water into a former drain. This outer edge of this trench had been lined with small gravestones moved from elsewhere in the churchyard.
Two drainage trenches were also excavated northwards from the two northernmost inspection pits so that they could drain into the former hollow way that lies between the churchyard and the Norwich Road (NHER 14202). The excavation of the trenches through the southern bank associated with this feature revealed a small flint and mortar wall (under which the pipes were bored). The is presumed to have been the remains of an earlier churchyard boundary wall (or the footings for railings).
The only unstratified finds recovered were two fragment of 19th-/20th-century flowerpot.
See report (S2) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2011.662).
P. Watkins (HES), 17 March 2022.

Monument Types

  • CHURCHYARD (Medieval to 21st Century - 1066 AD to 2050 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WALL (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (19th Century to Late 20th Century - 1801 AD to 2000 AD)

Associated Finds

  • HUMAN REMAINS (Undated)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • HELMET? (16th Century - 1501 AD? to 1600 AD?)
  • BRICK (19th Century - 1801 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FLOOR TILE (19th Century to Late 20th Century - 1801 AD to 2000 AD)
  • POT (19th Century to Late 20th Century - 1801 AD to 2000 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. NHER 9470.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service. NHER 9470.
<S2>Unpublished Contractor Report: Bull, M. 2012. Archaeological Watching Brief Brief at St Remigius’ Church, Hethersett, Norfolk. NPS Archaeology.

Related records

9470Part of: St Remigius' Church, Hethersett (Building)
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