Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

April 1996. Trial Trench.
Excavation of an evaluation trench to the rear of Bussey's Garage revealed Middle to Late Saxon, medieval and post-medieval occupation. At the eastern end of the trench, two slots and a small post hole were dated to the Late Saxon period. The slots may have held the beams of a timber structure and contained animal bone as well as Middle and Late Saxon pottery including Ipswich ware, Thetford ware, and St. Neots ware. These features were sealed by consolidation layers containing additional Middle to Late Saxon pottery as well as one 9th century sherd from a Baldorf-type relief-band amphora imported from Germany. The unusually high proportion of residual Middle Saxon pottery recovered from these features may indicate occupation of this period in the vicinity. An early medieval building was represented by a flint floor associated with a hearth and a chalk and mortar wall footing as well as three small rubbish pits. One of these pits contained a large quantity of cod vertebrae. Late medieval activity was represented by several post holes and pits, one of which contained a quantity of copper alloy slag. A brick-lined well located in the north corner of the trench was also dated to the medieval period and two residual sherds of imported 12th and 13th century Andenne Ware were recovered. A post medieval wall ran the entire length of the western edge of the trench, parallel to Pigg Lane. This may represent the rear limit of properties on the street frontage.
See report (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).
H. Hamilton (NLA), 10 March 2008.

February-April 2000. Trial Trenching. Contexts 1001-2231.
Excavation of two trial trenches investigated occupation sequences in the upland area immediately behind the Palace Street frontage and the Quayside area. Near the street frontage, Late Neolithic to Bronze Age occupation was indicated by a buried soil or palaeosol yielding an assemblage of 122 worked flints, primarily consisting of unmodified flakes and small spalls but also including two small blades. A group of four post holes, one containing struck flint and another a fragment of a Bronze Age Biconical Urn, may indicate a building of this period and a possible hearth may be contemporary with the structure. Eight post holes belonging to an 11th to 12th century east-west aligned building were identified as well as compact earth foundations of later medieval buildings. Post-medieval occupation near the street frontage was found to be particularly diverse, with large quantities of metal items recovered including 32 lead cloth seals dated to 1580-1610 indicating dyeing and 25 musket balls which may relate to Kett's rebellion of 1549. Unusual finds include a post medieval copper alloy travelling knife, fork and spoon set. Excavations at the waterfront recorded five wood posts dated to the 10th-11th century which formed a staithe or jetty. A succession of complex chalk-floored structures were also recorded in this area, indicating intensive development between the 11th and 14th centuries. Additional imported wares were identified during the evaluation, including 12th -14th century Andenne-Type wares, 15th to 16th century Langerwehe jugs from the Rhineland, and a variety of other late medieval and post medieval wares.
See report (S3) for further details. The prehistoric evidence is also discussed in more detail in (S4) and the results of this work are summarised in (S10).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2013.305 and NWHCM : 2017.84).
H. Hamilton (NLA), 10 March 2008.

January-June 2001. Building Survey.
Two listed buildings stand on the Palace Street frontage of this area, 15 Palace Street (NHER 26582) and 17 Palace Street (NHER 26364). A detailed survey of these buildings was undertaken prior to refurbishment and demolition of 20th century rear extensions.
See report (S5) and NHER 26582 and NHER 26364 for details.
The results of this work are also summarised in (S11).
H. Hamilton (NLA), 12 March 2008.

September-December 2002. Watching Brief. Contexts 3000-3511.
Groundworks in three separate areas were monitored. Two wells and two pits of possible medieval date and a late medieval to early post medieval flint rubble wall were recorded in a trench for car park wall footings. Groundworks for an access road off Pigg Lane revealed a pit containing animal bone and a single sherd of Middle Saxon Ipswich ware as well as a pit containing animal bone and Late Saxon Thetford ware. Remnants of a possible floor surface containing 12th and 13th century pottery and two possibly contemporaneous walls were also identified in this area along with two 18th century brick-lined wells. Post medieval remains were encountered during construction of new piled buildings near the river Wensum. The tops of several flint walls were observed, presumably the remains of buildings fronting Pigg Lane as shown on Hochstetter's 1789 map. Two short sections of 19th century brick wall footings relating to a scar on the side of the existing school building were also encountered. Finds from groundworks for these new buildings included a group of 662 17th to 18th century clay pipe fragments. No complete pipes were recoverd, and only one partial unidentified maker's mark.
See report (S5) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S12).
H. Hamilton (NLA), 12 March 2008.

March-July 2004. Watching Brief.
A watching brief was carried out during Piling for foundations of new buildings and excavation of drainage runs in the northwest corner of the site. No observations were possible during the piling operation, but (S6) includes data from models detailing the depth of archaeological deposits based on previous investigations. The impact of the development on waterlogged deposits will be monitored via three monitoring points that have been installed. 11th to 15th century pottery was recovered from excavation of manholes and 11th century (including Thetford ware) to modern pottery was recovered from a trench to the south of the old school house.
See report (S6) for further details.
J. Allen (NLA), 24 May 2005.

September 2005. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of test pits.
No archaeological deposits or artefacts were recovered during the excavation of eight test pits along the Palace Street frontage, in the area of the former garage. A think modern overburden was recorded across much of the development area.
Window sampling was also carried out in this region.
See report (S7) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S13).
J. Allen (NLA), 7 March 2006.

November 2005. Watching Brief.
Three post medieval cellars were recorded during removal of modern concrete stanchion bases. Two of the cellars, one at the frontage of the former Horseshoes public house and one under the surface of the former lane Chestnut Place, were previously unrecorded. Backfill from the cellar at Chestnut Place contained green glass wine bottles dating to between 1750 and 1820 and a piece of Caen Limestone moulding from an ecclesiastical doorway dating to the 12th/13th century. A second fragment of moulded Caen Limestone had been re-used in the wall.
See report (S7) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S13).
J. Allen (NLA), 11 January 2006.

January-March 2006. Excavation and Watching Brief. Contexts 5000-6403.
The earliest feature identified on site was a flat-based square pit containing a residual sherd of Ipswich ware and thought to date from the 10th-11th centuries. The remains of a cellared building were located approximately 2m from the Palace Street frontage. This small building measured at least 2.3m N-S and 1.8m E-W. It had been destroyed by fire, with sand in the north-east corner scorched red by the intensity of this burning, and the charred remains of timbers surviving in the same corner. The structure appears to have had a trampled earth floor, and above this were deposits containing fish bones and cereal grains. A spread of burnt debris was found above the occupation deposits and contained fragments of burnt textile which included the remains of a rolled up fishing net. A second post-built structure was located in the north-western corner of the site, approximately 2.5m from the Palace Street frontage. This structure also had an earth floor, and a small spread of charcoal indicates the location of the hearth. The building appears to have been backfilled after it had fallen out of use, and this backfill deposit was rich in artefacts, including a St Edmund memorial coin (AD 895-905). Several pits and isolated post-holes dated from the same phase of activity as these two structures.
Activity appears to have declined on this site during the 11th-13th centuries and few features apart from quarry pits belong to this period.
During the 13th-14th centuries a road was laid out, connecting Palace Street to Quayside, with substantial masonry buildings constructed along its frontage. This road is first documented in 1286 and the archaeological evidence appears to support this construction date. On each side of the road were the remains of wall footings primarily built of flint with some brick. The plans of several buildings set back from this frontage had survived at foundation level. The majority of pits recorded on this site belonged to this period. Most were large (over 2m in diameter), and indicate intensive exploitation of this area during this period. Most of this pits appear to have been quarry pits, and the extracted material may well have been used for constructing the road and its associated buildings during this period.
During the 15th to 16th centuries further quarry pits were excavated in the north-eastern part of this site. The road connecting Palace Street to Quayside appears to have gone out of use after the end of the 15th century, and a small building, perhaps an outbuilding was constructed across the full width of the road.
In the 16th to 17th centuries this area continued to be exploited for its mineral resources. Two cellars close to the Palace Street frontage were constructed, as well as a building fronting the street. It might be expected that the disuse of the road from Palace Street to Quayside could indicate economic decline in this area. However, the artefactual evidence (especially the vessel glass and imported pottery) indicates a high status and thriving community. A group of cloth seals recovered during the evaluation at this site may indicate a change in use of Quayside from a port to being a location for textile production.
See unpublished report (S8) and assessment report (S15) for further details. The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.84).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 10 July 2009. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 27 April 2019 and 5 July 2021.

September 2008.
Examination of Holy water stoup recovered during 2006 excavation.
Formed out of a single piece of limestone (possibly portland stone). The bowl is circular with a flat bottom, and is contained within a polygonal stone with one right angled side where the bowl was set into an internal corner. It is likely to have been in a church porch between the door and the wall. The facets are carved, with the central facet showing crossed bishops' crosiers threaded through the letter 'M'. The letter is flanked by bishops' mitres, which are typically 14th century in design. The episcopal symbols and the letter 'M' indicated that the stoup comes from the church of St Martin- at- Palace. The sculpture and shapes of the mitres suggests a date during the second half of the 14th century. The stoup was probably removed in the 17th century, and may have been re-used as a quoin.
See report (S9) for further information.
H. White (NLA), 1 December 2008.

June-August 2011. Watching Brief
Excavation of foundation trench monitored. No archaeologically significant features or deposits were exposed during this work, which only disturbed the uppermost soil layers.
See report (S14) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 18 October 2012.

Monument Types

• OCCUPATION SITE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• BUILDING (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• HEARTH? (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• OCCUPATION SITE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• POST HOLE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• POST HOLE (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
• BUILDING (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
• FLOOR? (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
• OCCUPATION SITE (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
• BLACKSMITHS WORKSHOP? (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• BUILDING (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• FLOOR? (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• HEARTH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• JETTY (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• PIT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• POST BUILT STRUCTURE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• POST HOLE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• TIMBER FRAMED BUILDING (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• WELL (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• BEAM SLOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BUILDING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CESS PIT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FLOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HEARTH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• JETTY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PIT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• POST HOLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• RETTING POND? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• STOUP (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WELL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• YARD? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• POST BUILT STRUCTURE (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1399 AD)
• WALL (Medieval to 16th Century - 1200 AD to 1539 AD?)
• ROAD (Medieval - 1286 AD to 1499 AD?)
• CELLAR (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• FLOOR (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• HEARTH (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• PIT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• POST HOLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• WALL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• WELL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

• ANIMAL REMAINS (Unknown date)
• PLANT MACRO REMAINS (Undated)
• POT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
• BLADE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• BURNT FLINT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• FLAKE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• KNIFE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• SCRAPER (TOOL) (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• BLADE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• BURNT FLINT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• FLAKE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• KNIFE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• SCRAPER (TOOL) (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• POT (Middle Bronze Age - 1600 BC to 1001 BC)
• IMBREX (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• COIN (Roman - 364 AD to 392 AD)
• HECKLE (Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• POT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
• BROOCH (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
• POT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
• AMULET? (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
• FISHING NET (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• FISHING NET (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• HASP (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• KNIFE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• NEEDLE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• OYSTER SHELL (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• PLANT MACRO REMAINS (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• QUERN (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
• SAMPLE (Late Saxon to 19th Century - 851 AD to 1900 AD)
• SPIKE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• STAPLE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• COIN (Late Saxon - 890 AD to 905 AD)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BEAD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BRICK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BRIDLE FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CASKET? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHAIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CLOTH SEAL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• COMB (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• DRESS FASTENER (DRESS) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FASTENING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FISH HOOK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FLOOR TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HARNESS FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HOOKED TAG (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• KNIFE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• LACE TAG (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• LACE TAG (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOUNT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• NEEDLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• NET SINKER (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• OYSTER SHELL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• OYSTER SHELL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PEG (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PLANT MACRO REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PLANT REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• POINT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• ROOF TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• ROWEL SPUR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• SCABBARD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• SPIKE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• STOUP (BASIN) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• STRAP END (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• THIMBLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• VESSEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WEFT BEATER (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WEIGHT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WHETSTONE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WORKED OBJECT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BUCKLE (Medieval - 1100 AD to 1299 AD)
• KNIFE (Medieval - 1100 AD to 1299 AD)
• SEAL MATRIX (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1299 AD)
• BULLA (Medieval - 1294 AD to 1303 AD)
• COIN (Medieval - 1351 AD to 1352 AD)
• AWL (Medieval to 16th Century - 1400 AD to 1599 AD)
• BARREL PADLOCK (Medieval to 16th Century - 1400 AD to 1599 AD)
• BUCKET (Medieval to 16th Century - 1400 AD to 1599 AD)
• BUCKET (Medieval to 16th Century - 1400 AD to 1599 AD)
• KNIFE (Medieval to 16th Century - 1400 AD to 1599 AD)
• PINTLE (Medieval to 16th Century - 1400 AD to 1599 AD)
• SHEARS (Medieval to 16th Century - 1400 AD to 1599 AD)
• COIN (Medieval - 1422 AD to 1427 AD)
• JETTON (Medieval to 16th Century - 1490 AD to 1550 AD)
• JETTON (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1585 AD)
• VESSEL (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1599 AD)
• BEAKER (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• BOOK FITTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• CLOTH SEAL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• COMB (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• CUTLERY (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• FASTENING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• FINGER RING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• FLOOR TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• FORK (UTENSIL) (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• HOOKED TAG (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• HORSESHOE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• KNIFE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• KNIFE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• LACE TAG (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• MORTAR (VESSEL) (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• MUSKET BALL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• NAIL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• NAIL CLEANER (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• NEEDLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• PIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• PLANT REMAINS (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• ROOF TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• ROOF TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• SPOON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• THIMBLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• TOOTH PICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• WINDOW GLASS (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• COIN (16th Century - 1553 AD to 1554 AD)
• COIN (17th Century - 1675 AD to 1675 AD)
• BOTTLE (17th Century to 18th Century - 1700 AD to 1799 AD)
• WINE BOTTLE (18th Century to 19th Century - 1750 AD to 1820 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Norwich (Parish Summary)
• Parish Summary: Norwich (Saxon Period) (Parish Summary)