Record Details
| NHER Number: | 15534 |
|---|
| Type of record: | Find Spot |
|---|
| Name: | Late Bronze Age hoard |
|---|
Summary
Metal detecting in Beeston Regis during 1979 discovered a Late Bronze Age hoard. It comprised fourteen complete socketed axes, three fragmentary socketed axes, a spearhead, a socketed axe mould and a number of other pieces. It was found in a pottery jar thought to be Iron Age in type. This hoard is one of the most important Bronze Age hoards to have been found in Norfolk.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | Not displayed |
|---|
| Map Sheet: | TG14SE |
|---|
| Parish: | BEESTON REGIS, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
|---|
Full description
11 to 12 December 1979. Beeston Hall School.
Found on playing field immediately beneath topsoil during metal detecting, later excavated NAU.
Late Bronze Age hoard; fourteen socketed axes, three fragments of same, one spearhead, one socketed axe mould, one jet, one cake fragment.
In base of pottery jar (apparently broken before hoard deposited) which otherwise would have been considered to have been an Iron Age type.
Probably the most important Bronze Age hoard to have been found in Norfolk.
A. Lawson (NAU), 17 December 1979.
Also contemporary string, examined at Kew - limebark bast.
See (S1), (S2) and (S3).
See file for letters and photographs (S4).
2012.
Draft report detailing Late Bronze age hoard recovered in 1979. Awaiting final report in digital format.
See (S5) in file.
A. Beckham (HES), 6 June 2012.
2013.
See report (S6) for a detailed description of the hoard found in 1979 and the circumstances of its discovery and excavation. It is noted that the axe mould valuve is a rare find, with only two other bronze moulds for faceted axes know. The direct association between the metalwork and the Post-Deverel Rimbury pottery vessel is also of interest.
This report also details the results of scientific analysis undertaken between 1980-1981, including the processing of metal samples and the examination of samples taken for plant material. Evidence recovered from the latter suggested that the axes had possibly been bound together with lime bast string prior to deposition. One of the axeheads also contained a length of finer, twisted string made from nettle bast.
P. Watkins (HES), 12 November 2019.
Monument Types
- FINDSPOT (Late Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 1000 BC to 42 AD)
Associated Finds
- HOARD (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
- METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
- MOULD (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
- SOCKETED AXEHEAD (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
- SPEAR (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
- STRING (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
- POT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1981. Axe head boy gets replica. 7 January. |
| --- | Publication: 1981. Eastern Daily Press?. 8/9 January?. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| --- | Slide: Various. Slide. |
| <S1> | Article in Serial: Vol.LIV, no. 212, pp 217-219. 1980. A late Bronze Age hoard from Beeston Regis, Norfolk.. Antiquity. Vol LIV, p 217. |
| <S2> | Unpublished Document: An Important Bronze Age finds from North Norfolk: The Beeston Regis Hoard.. |
| <S3> | Unpublished Document: Cutler, D.F.. 1981. Report on samples submitted to Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. |
| <S4> | Photograph: BPH, EAB. |
| <S5> | Unpublished Document: Lawson, A.J.. 2012. Beeston Hall School, Beeston Regis, Norfolk. 1a hoard. Draft Report.. |
| <S6> | Unpublished Report: Lawson, A. 2013. Three Late Bronze Age Hoards from North East Norfolk. |
Related records - none
Find out more...