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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	1106
Type of record:	Monument
Name:	Roman feature and multi-period finds

Summary

Field observations, fieldwalking and metal-detecting have led to the discovery of at least one Roman feature and multi-period finds. In 1973 five pits or ditches were revealed during the cutting of drainage ditches. As one of the features contained Roman material, they may all be of this date. The artefacts collected from the site include Roman pottery, a Roman linch pin, a Roman finger ring and Roman coins. In 2006 a Gradiometer and walkover survey revealed evidence for 2 Romano-British masonry buildings, and a Roman road, amongst other features. Metal-detecting in 2009 recovered Romano-British coins, pottery sherds and metal objects including much molten copper alloy. Metal-detecting in 2010 recovered Roman coins and metal objects including much copper alloy metalworking/casting debris.

Images

Location

Grid Reference:	TF 87 19
Map Sheet:	TF81NE
Parish:	LITCHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

18 July 1973.
P. Wade-Martins visited field where finds had been reported by digger driver.
Trenches for field drains had been cut through five pits or ditches in the field; one of the features contained Roman pottery and tiles. This feature was about 0.9m (3 feet) deep, filled with dark soil and charcoal. The others had similar filling, but in these no pottery could be found. Except for these features there was no other sign of occupation in the trench sections.
The Roman north to south road should pass through this field.
See sketch map of features (S4).
P. Wade-Martins (NAU).

1975.
[1] found 3rd to 4th century Roman pottery including colour coated ware, mortaria, and greyware on ploughed surface.
E. Rose (NAU).

January 1981.
On Roman site as before. Found in fieldwalking,
Roman sherds; grey, including Icenian rusticated ware and waster rim sherd, Samian, red and colour coated wares including hunt cup fragment; stamped Spanish amphora handle and iron lynchpin.
Identified by A. Gregory (NAU), 1981.
W. Milligan (NAU), July 1982.

1986. Metal-detecting.
Bronze Roman finger ring (photographed at NCM) (S1).
Three badly corroded coins reported, not seen NCM.
Identified by A. Gregory (NAU).
W.F. Milligan (NAU), January 1987.

Location plan of 1973 finds (S2) in file.

October 2006. Geophysical survrey.
Surface evidence for 2 Romano-British masonry buildings, geophysical evidence for Roman road (NHER 3697), rectilinear enclosures, possible trackway and possible postholes of timber building(s).
See report (S3) for further details.

Before 20 February 2009. Metal-detecting.
12 Roman coins and a medieval furniture fitting.
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 31 August 2009.

September 2009. Surface find duing a geophysical survey.
Roman cosmetic mortar with bovid terminals.
See drawing (S5) and description in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 3 November 2009.

2009. Metal-detecting.
61 Roman coins and 1 post-medieval jetton. Roman sherds and metal objects including much molten copper alloy.
See list in file and drawings (S6)-(S9) and (S12)-(S13)
A. Rogerson (NLA), 8 February 2010.

2010. Metal-detecting.
28 Roman coins, Romano-British metal objects including much copper alloy metalworking/casting debris See list in file and drawing (S10)-(S13).
A. Rogerson (HES), 23 March 2011.

Monument Types

DITCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
PIT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

BEAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
BRACELET (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
CASTING WASTE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
COSMETIC MORTAR (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
CRUCIBLE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
FINGER RING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
FURNITURE FITTING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
HARNESS MOUNT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
LINCH PIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
MIRROR (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
RING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
SPOON (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
STEELYARD WEIGHT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
VESSEL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
WEIGHT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
COIN (Roman - 98 AD to 117 AD)
COIN (Roman - 117 AD to 138 AD)
COIN (Roman - 138 AD to 161 AD)
COIN (Roman - 138 AD to 192 AD)
COIN (Roman - 138 AD to 260 AD)
COIN (Roman - 161 AD to 211 AD)
COIN (Roman - 164 AD to 169 AD)
COIN (Roman - 180 AD to 184 AD)
COIN (Roman - 260 AD to 268 AD)
COIN (Roman - 260 AD to 286 AD)
COIN (Roman - 260 AD to 378 AD)
COIN (Roman - 260 AD to 378 AD)
COIN (Roman - 269 AD to 271 AD)
COIN (Roman - 269 AD to 274 AD)
COIN (Roman - 269 AD to 286 AD)
COIN (Roman - 271 AD to 274 AD)
COIN (Roman - 275 AD to 286 AD)
COIN (Roman - 275 AD to 286 AD)
COIN (Roman - 275 AD to 364 AD)
COIN (Roman - 275 AD to 364 AD)
COIN (Roman - 275 AD to 402 AD)
COIN (Roman - 286 AD to 293 AD)
COIN (Roman - 286 AD to 353 AD)
COIN (Roman - 297 AD to 305 AD)
COIN (Roman - 310 AD to 353 AD)
COIN (Roman - 319 AD to 320 AD)
COIN (Roman - 330 AD to 335 AD)
COIN (Roman - 330 AD to 335 AD)
COIN (Roman - 335 AD to 337 AD)
COIN (Roman - 335 AD to 337 AD)
COIN (Roman - 335 AD to 341 AD)
COIN (Roman - 335 AD to 341 AD)
COIN (Roman - 335 AD to 348 AD)
COIN (Roman - 335 AD to 348 AD)
COIN (Roman - 337 AD to 341 AD)
COIN (Roman - 337 AD to 341 AD)
COIN (Roman - 341 AD to 348 AD)
COIN (Roman - 341 AD to 348 AD)
COIN (Roman - 348 AD to 350 AD)
COIN (Roman - 351 AD to 353 AD)
COIN (Roman - 353 AD to 364 AD)
COIN (Roman - 358 AD to 364 AD)
COIN (Roman - 364 AD to 378 AD)
COIN (Roman - 364 AD to 378 AD)
COIN (Roman - 367 AD to 375 AD)
COIN (Roman - 367 AD to 375 AD)
POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
HARNESS MOUNT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
NUT CRACKERS (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
JETTON (Post Medieval - 1586 AD to 1635 AD)

Protected Status

SHINE

Sources and further reading

---	Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---	Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>	Photograph: I & RS. Digital finds image.
<S2>	Map: Finder's Map..
<S3>	Unpublished Contractor Report: de Bootman, M. 2006. A Gradiometer and Walkover Survey of a Romano-British Site. Heritage Marketing and Publications.
<S4>	Illustration: Wade Martins, P.. 1973. Sketch plan showing approximate location of features observed in July 1973. Film. Unknown.
<S5>	Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2009. Drawing of a Roman copper alloy centre-loop cosmetic mortar. Film. 2:1.
<S6>	Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2014. Drawing of Roman lead steelyard weights. Film. 1:1.
<S7>	Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2014. Drawing of Roman lead steelyard weights. Film. 1:1.
<S8>	Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2015. Drawing of Roman copper alloy military harness mount. Film. 2:1.
<S9>	Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2015. Drawing of Roman copper alloy military harness mount. Film. 2:1.
<S10>	Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2015. Drawing of ?Roman copper alloy ring. Film. 2:1.
<S11>	Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2015. Drawing of Roman coin and ?Roman unidentified object (bar fragment). Film. 2:1.
<S12>	Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2015. Drawings of three ?Roman copper alloy unidentified objects (rectangular bars and wedge-shaped object). Film. 2:1.
<S13>	Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2015. Drawings of two ?Roman copper alloy unidentified objects (fragment of bar and thick sheet fragment). Film. 2:1.

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Parish Summary: Litcham (Parish Summary)