Record Details

NHER Number:1555
Type of record:Monument
Name:Excavated Roman site within Late Iron Age to Roman settlement, Snettisham

Summary

Metal detecting and fieldwalking recovered large numbers of Roman finds. Excavation here in advance of the A149 bypass in 1989 discovered a Roman settlement site with five phases of occupation from the 1st century AD to the 3rd century AD. A small roundhouse and enclosure grew into a much larger domestic site where craft and industrial activity took place. The settlement was based on a mixed economy of farming and industry. Roundhouses and handmade pottery were used into the Roman period. During the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD occupation decreased and the site was divided into small agricultural enclosures. A corn drier was built during this phase. Later activity decreased and rubbish was dumped in the wells, ditches and pits. The site is part of a larger Late Iron Age to Roman settlement (NHER 26626).

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 6776 3281
Map Sheet:TF63SE
Parish:INGOLDISTHORPE, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK
SNETTISHAM, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

1951 and 1953.
Roman sherds, coins, slag found.

1983 to 1984. Phosphate/magnetic survey.
Roman, Late Saxon, medieval sherds.

1984 to 1988. Found with metal detector.
Roman and medieval coins and metalwork.
Iron Age and Middle Saxon sherds.
Roman ?pottery production site.
Late Saxon Borre style disc brooch.

July 1989. Excavation. Metal-detecting. [1].
Excavation of Roman site. Five separate phases identified.

Phase 1. Mid 1st century AD.
House and series of enclosures.
Prelude to main occupation.

Phase 2. Late 1st century to early 2nd century AD.
Increased activity.
Domestic occupation. Linear boundaries constructed.
Craft and industrial areas identified.
Wooden-lined well.

Phase 3. Early to mid 2nd century AD.
Change from domestic activity to linear divisions of an open area.
Series of ditched trackways, amd small enclosures.
Wooden-lined well.
Corn drier.

Phase 4. Late 2nd century AD.
Abandonment of land divisions and settlement pattern.
Reoplaced with lower density activity.
Trackways, enclosures.
Grave.

Phase 5. 3rd century AD.
Settlement had ceased to exist.
No new structures or boundary features.
Backfilling and dumping of rubbish.

Pre-Roman finds included a number of worked flints, half a Mesolithic or later pebble macehead, Neolithic stone adze and 3 Icenian gold staters.
See published report (S1) for full details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).

During the excavation a range of objects were also recovered from unstratfied contexts by local metal-detectors who were working alongside the archaeologists. These finds (which were not examined in detail at the time) include:
Middle Saxon/Late Saxon hooked tag.
Medieval buckles, a pot mend, strap-end and strap fitting.
Medieval/post-medieval copper alloy vessel fragments, a weight, buckle and end stop from a scale-tang knife.
Post-medieval furniture fittings, a buckle and a button.
Information from PAS import.
Amended by E. McDonald (HES), 4 July 2017 and P. Watkins (HES), 1 April 2020.

22 January 1990. Metal detecting.
Romano-British figurine of captive in chains, now in NCM.
See description in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 29 June 2007.

1991 to 1992. Metal detecting finds.
Roman coins and metalwork.

1992 to 1993. Metal detecting finds.
Roman brooches, terret.

1995 to 1996. Metal detecting finds. [2].
Three 1st/2nd century coins.

1996 to 1997. Metal detecting finds.
Roman metalwork.

1997 to 1998. Metal detecting.
Roman coins and metalwork (S3)-(S4); Iron Age/Roman (S5), Early Saxon, medieval metalwork; Roman sherds.

See details in file. See also NHER 34531.
E. Rose (NLA), 2 August 1999.

June/July 2005. Metal detecting.
Roman copper alloy strap end or strap fitting.
See description in file.
E. Darch (NLA), 8 August 2005.

August/September 2005. Metal detecting.
Post medieval hooked tag.
See description in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 7 October 2005.

October/November 2005. Metal detecting.
Three Roman and two post medieval coins.
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 12 December 2005.

January/February 2006. Metal detecting.
One Roman coin and Roman brooch.
See lists in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 13 March 2006.

January 2006. Metal detecting.
One Roman and one post medieval coin.
Post medieval belt mount.
See lists in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 6 April 2006.

Monument Types

  • FINDSPOT (Undated)
  • FINDSPOT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Mesolithic to Early Bronze Age - 10000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • CORN DRYING KILN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • DITCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ENCLOSURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FENCE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FIELD SYSTEM (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HEARTH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HOUSE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • INHUMATION (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • IRON WORKING SITE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • METAL WORKING SITE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PIT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POST HOLE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POTTERY WORKS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ROUND HOUSE (DOMESTIC) (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SETTLEMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SPINNING MILL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • STOCK ENCLOSURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TRACKWAY (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • WELL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Middle Saxon to Late Saxon - 651 AD to 1065 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POND (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • (Undated)
  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Undated)
  • POT (Undated)
  • SPINDLE WHORL (Undated)
  • STAPLE (Undated)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
  • WEIGHT (Undated)
  • WHETSTONE (Undated)
  • FLAKE (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • PEBBLE MACE (Early Mesolithic to Early Bronze Age - 10000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • POLISHED AXEHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • CHISEL (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • SPEAR (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • BOW BROOCH (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • COIN (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • COIN (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • COIN (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • VESSEL (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BOTTLE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BOW BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BOX (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BRACELET (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BRICK (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BRIQUETAGE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 75 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • CRUCIBLE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FIGURINE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINGER RING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FURNITURE FITTING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HARNESS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HARNESS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HOARD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HUMAN REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • INSECT REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • LOOMWEIGHT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • MILLSTONE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • MOULD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PERSONAL ORNAMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PLANT REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PLANT REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (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)
  • ROOF TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SAMPLE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SHEARS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • STRAP END (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)
  • WORKED OBJECT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HARNESS PENDANT (Roman - 120 AD to 300 AD)
  • FINGER RING (Roman - 200 AD to 409 AD)
  • BOW BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • POT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • HOOKED TAG (Middle Saxon to Medieval - 730 AD to 1100 AD)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BOX (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • CASKET (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PERSONAL ORNAMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • RING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WEIGHT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT MEND (Medieval - 1100 AD to 1500 AD)
  • BROOCH (Medieval - 1150 AD to 1200 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1150 AD to 1400 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1300 AD)
  • WEIGHT (Medieval to 16th Century - 1200 AD to 1600 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1400 AD)
  • STRAP END (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1400 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1400 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1450 AD)
  • VESSEL (Medieval to 17th Century - 1300 AD to 1700 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1350 AD to 1400 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1350 AD to 1400 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1350 AD to 1450 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1350 AD to 1450 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1350 AD to 1500 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1400 AD to 1450 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
  • KNIFE (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
  • BELL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BUTTON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BUTTON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • COIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • COIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HARNESS (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HOOKED TAG (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • JETTON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • KNIFE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • SPOON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • STUD (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • THIMBLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TOKEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WEIGHT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BUTTON (16th Century to 17th Century - 1600 AD to 1700 AD)
  • DAGGER (16th Century to 17th Century - 1600 AD to 1700 AD)
  • FURNITURE FITTING (17th Century to 18th Century - 1660 AD to 1730 AD)
  • BUCKLE (17th Century to 18th Century - 1690 AD to 1720 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • Higher Level Stewardship

Sources and further reading

---Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1989. [Articles on the excavation undertaken in approval of A149 by-pass].
---Map: Finder's Map..
---Photograph: NCC Find Identification and Recording Service. c. 1975-2000. HES Find Polaroid Collection. HES Find Polaroid Collection. polaroid. black and white.
---Monograph: Ashley, S. 2002. Medieval Armorial Horse Furniture in Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 101.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 63 SE 13.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1989-1990. [Articles on the discovery of a Roman skeleton].
---Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1989. Roman skull is found on by-pass site. 8 December.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1990. Ordinary life 1900 years ago. 1 January.
---Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1991. Buried coins: 2000 years old. 5 March.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1991. Gold and silver coins worth £2400 handed to finders. 2 March.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Roman. Ingoldisthorpe.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Slide: Various. Slide.
---Photograph: EDT15-17, FVC 21-8, FEC-FEZ, FFA-FFK.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>Monograph: Flitcroft, M.. 2001. Excavation of a Romano-British Settlement on the A149 Snettisham Bypass 1989.. East Anglian Archaeology. Vol 93.
<S2>Article in Serial: Gurney, D (ed.). 1990. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1989. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLI Pt I pp 107-112. p 109.
<S3>Illustration: Holness, A. 1999. Drawing of a Roman copper alloy serpent-headed bracelet which has been filed into a sawtoothed blade. Paper. 1:1.
<S4>Illustration: Holness, A. 1999. Drawing of a Roman copper alloy ?lid/handle. Paper. 1:1.
<S5>Illustration: Holness, A. 1999. Drawing of a Iron Age/Roman copper alloy ?handle terminal from a vessel. Paper. 1:1.

Related records

26626Part of: Extensive Late Iron Age to Roman settlement (Monument)

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