Record Details

NHER Number:29923
Type of record:Monument
Name:Possible site of Early Saxon settlement and burials and multi-period finds

Summary

Metal-detecting between 1992 and 2018 has recovered ?Mesolithic, Early Neolithic and undatable prehistoric worked flints; Iron Age, Roman, Early Saxon, Middle Saxon, Late Saxon, medieval and post-medieval pottery sherds; Roman, and medieval to post-medieval coins and a Late Iron Age coin of Roman issue; medieval/post-medieval and post-medieval jettons and a post-medieval token; undatable metal-working debris and an unidentified object and Bronze Age and Late Iron Age to post-medieval metal objects. The metal finds include a Bronze Age copper alloy rapier fragment; Late Iron Age/Roman brooches, Roman brooches, military harness mounts, finger rings, seal box lid, strap end and buckle; several Early Saxon brooches (including a rare, imported Lombardic silver brooch), buckles, rectangular mount, sleeve clasp, die stamp, and girdle hanger; Middle Saxon tweezers; a Middle/Late Saxon brooch and hooked tag; Middle Saxon to medieval hooked tags; a Late Saxon harness fitting; Late Saxon/medieval iron knives and a strap-end; medieval to post-medieval dress accessories; medieval purse frames, a spur, seal matrix, mount, casket key, coin weight, ferrule and copper alloy vessel fragments, a medieval/post-medieval end cap from a scale-tang knife, coin weight, knife handle, and a cloth seal; and a post-medieval coin weight, furniture fitting, combination lock, harness boss and lead cloth seal. The amount of Early Saxon material recovered, particularly the number of pottery sherds, indicates this was an area of Early Saxon settlement. The nature of the Early Saxon metalwork assemblage suggests that inhumation burial of this date may also be present.

Images

  • Romano British harlow from NHER 29923  © Norfolk County Council
  • Medieval mount from NHER 29923  © Norfolk County Council
  • Early Saxon patrix from NHER 29923  © Norfolk County Council

Location

Grid Reference:Not displayed
Map Sheet:TF93NW
Parish:WALSINGHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

1992-1993. Metal-detecting. [1].
Field divided into areas. Individually located finds include:
1 Early Saxon Lombardic silver brooch (Context 1). Drawn (S1).
1 Early Saxon small-long brooch (Context 2).
1 Early Saxon cruciform brooch detachable knob (location not recorded).
1 Early Saxon wrist clasp (location not recorded).

General finds from southern area:
1 undatable prehistoric flints scraper and 1 worked flint.
14 Iron Age pottery sherds (gritty, predominantly Iron Age).
2 ?Iron Age pottery sherds (1 sandy with bird bone impression and 1 sandy with incised lines).
15 Roman coins, 13 pottery sherds (12 greyware and 1 shelly) and 1 buckle.
94 Early Saxon pottery sherds (sandy and or organic tempered) and 1 buckle.
1 Late Saxon pottery sherd (Thetford type).
3 Late Saxon/medieval iron knives.
2 medieval coins, 6 pottery sherds (3 unglazed, 3 glazed Grimston, 1 strap end, 1 purse frame, 1 mount, 1 belt mount, 1 belt-chape plate, 1 hooked tag, 1 buckle and 4 copper alloy vessel fragments.
1 post-medieval pottery sherd (Glazed Red Earthenware), 1 buckle, 1 harness boss and 1 button.
21 undatable pottery sherds.

Found in Area C ("opposite Mr Landale's House"; Context 3).
2 undatable prehistoric flint scrapers and 4 worked flints.
1 Bronze Age copper alloy rapier fragment. Drawn (S2).
13 Roman coins, 2 pottery sherds (greyware), 1 brooch and 1 strap end.
1 Early Saxon buckle.
1 ?Early Saxon pottery sherd (sand and ?organic tempered).
1 Middle Saxon pottery sherd (pimply Ipswich).
10 Late Saxon pottery sherds (Thetford type) and 1 ?harness attachment plate.
1 medieval coin, 4 pottery sherds (2 unglazed and 2 glazed Grimston), 1 brooch/buckle pin, 2 buckles, 1 mount, 2 strap ends, 1 purse frame, 1 strip, 1 spur, 1 staple and 3 copper alloy vessel fragments.
1 ?medieval copper alloy ring.
1 post-medieval coin and 1 coin weight.

Found in Area A (Context 4):
3 ?Early Saxon pottery sherds (1 gritty, 1 with fine white inclusion and 1 slight pimply).
1 Roman coin.

Found in Area B (Context 5):
5 Roman coins and 3 pottery sherds (greyware).
6 ?Early Saxon pottery sherds (sandy and gritty fabrics, some with oxidised surfaces).

Found in Area D (Context 6):
4 Early Saxon pottery sherds (gritty/sandy/organic tempered).
1 Early Saxon/medieval pottery sherd (handmade sandy).

Found "near a bone on the surface" (not located):
2 ?Early Saxon pottery sherds (1 sandy and 1 with fine white grits).
Bone was cattle.

Coins identified by J. Davies (NCM), animal bone by T. Ashwin (NAU), pottery by A. Rogerson (NLA) and other objects by S. Margeson (NCM). See list, descriptions and finders map (S3) in file. The imported Early Saxon Lombardic brooch is published in (S4).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 4 August 1993. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 6 July 2014.

1994-1996. Metal-detecting. [2].
From southern area:
1 Early Neolithic flint blade core, 1 end scraper and 2 blades.
6 Roman coins.
1 Late Saxon pottery sherd.
1 medieval coin, 1 belt mount, 1 pendant/hinged fitting and 2 buckles.
1 medieval/post-medieval lead hooked tag and 1 buckle.
1 post-medieval token, 1 jetton and 1 lead cloth seal.
1 undatable lead weight (very unusual).

From area around Lombardic brooch find spot (Context 4):
1 ?Mesolithic flint blade.
1 undatable prehistoric flint blade.
3 Roman coins.
1 Early Saxon brooch.
1 Early Saxon to medieval buckle.
1 medieval buckle, 1 book/box mount fragment, 1 ferrule and 1 copper alloy vessel repair.
1 post-medieval buckle.
1 undatable lump of metalworking debris.

Flints identified by P. Robins (NCM), pottery by A. Rogerson (NLA), numismatic items by J. Davies (NCM) and other objects by H. Geake (NLA). See list and descriptions in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 1 June 1999. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 6 July 2014.

March/April 2002. Metal-detecting.
1 Roman brooch.
1 Early Saxon girdle hanger.
Identified by S. Ashley (NLA), see list and descriptions in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 10 May 2002. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 6 July 2014.

2002-2003. Metal-detecting.
From area around Lombardic brooch find spot (Context 4):
7 Early Saxon pottery sherds.
1 post-medieval button.
Identified by A. Rogerson (NLA), see list and descriptions in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 17 March 2005. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 6 July 2014.

May 2013-July 2015. Metal-detecting. [3].
1 Iron Age pottery sherd.
16 Roman coins, 1 pottery sherd, brooches, including a plate brooch and a military harness mount.
Early Saxon mount.
Middle Saxon tweezers.
Middle Saxon/Late Saxon hooked tag.
Late Saxon strap-end.
Medieval buckle and a strap-end.
Medieval/post-medieval button and hooked tag.
Post-medieval furniture fitting.
Information from PAS import.
A. Beckham (HES), 3 June 2016. Amended E. McDonald (HES), 6 June 2017.

July 2015-April 2017. Metal-detecting. [4].
Finds recorded on the PAS database:
Undated unidentified object, a discoidal 'ca objecal with 12 symemtetrically arranged arpertures.
1 Late Iron Age coin, a Roman issue of Mark Anthony.
Late Iron Age/Roman Rosette brooch.
8 Roman coins, a seal box lid, a finger ring, and a Headstud brooch.
Early Saxon brooch and a die stamp (S5).
Middle Saxon tweezers.
Middle/Late Saxon hooked tag.
Middle Saxon to medieval hooked tag.
Medieval strap-end.
1 medieval/post-medieval coin, 1 jetton, a coin weight, a dress hook, an end cap from a scale tang knife and an Augsburg cloth seal.
Post-medieval combination lock.
Finds identified by HES but not recorded on the PAS database:
1 medieval to post-medieval silver coin.
No other numismatics were recovered. [5].
A. Beckham (HES) and A. Rogerson (HES), 5 July 2017. Amended E. McDonald (HES), 1 November 2017.

April 2017-January 2018. Metal-detecting. [6].
Late Iron Age/Roman Langton Down brooch fragment.
13 Roman coins, finger rings, a military harness mount, and a Harlow brooch.
Middle Saxon tweezer arm.
Middle/Late Saxon disc brooch.
1 medieval coin, 1 pottery sherd, buckles, a strap fitting, mount, seal matrix, strap-end, and a coin weight.
Medieval/post-medieval button and a knife handle.
2 post-medieval coins and 1 jetton.
Information from PAS import.
E. McDonald (HES), 2 May 2018. Amended by E. McDonald (HES), 4 November 2018.

Monument Types

  • FINDSPOT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC? to 4001 BC?)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • INHUMATION (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • SETTLEMENT (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 (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Undated)
  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Undated)
  • POT (Unknown date)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Unknown date)
  • WEIGHT (Undated)
  • BLADE (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • SCRAPER (TOOL) (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • BLADE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC? to 4001 BC?)
  • BLADE (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • BLADE CORE (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • END SCRAPER (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • RAPIER (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • POT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD?)
  • COIN (Late Iron Age - 30 BC to 31 BC)
  • BROOCH (Late Iron Age to Roman - 25 AD to 60 AD)
  • BROOCH (Late Iron Age to Roman - 35 AD to 55 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 75 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 75 AD)
  • BUCKLE (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)
  • FINGER RING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HARNESS MOUNT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • STRAP END (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SEAL BOX (Roman - 70 AD to 250 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 75 AD to 100 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 119 AD to 122 AD)
  • HARNESS MOUNT (Roman - 120 AD to 300 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 194 AD to 194 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 200 AD to 300 AD)
  • FINGER RING (Roman - 200 AD to 300 AD)
  • FINGER RING (Roman - 200 AD to 300 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 200 AD to 409 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 218 AD to 222 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 260 AD to 268 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 260 AD to 296 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 270 AD to 357 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 271 AD to 274 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 275 AD to 285 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 275 AD to 285 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 275 AD to 285 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 275 AD to 285 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 294 AD to 402 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 330 AD to 348 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 330 AD to 378 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 335 AD to 348 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 335 AD to 357 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 337 AD to 340 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 337 AD to 340 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 337 AD to 341 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 - 343 AD to 357 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 347 AD to 348 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 347 AD to 348 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 353 AD to 364 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 355 AD to 361 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)
  • COIN (Roman - 367 AD to 375 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Early Saxon to Medieval - 411 AD to 1539 AD?)
  • GIRDLE HANGER (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • POT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • POT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • POT (Early Saxon - 411 AD? to 650 AD?)
  • POT (Early Saxon to Medieval - 411 AD? to 1539 AD?)
  • SLEEVE CLASP (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 475 AD to 525 AD)
  • MOUNT (Early Saxon - 480 AD to 600 AD)
  • DIE STAMP (Early Saxon - 500 AD to 600 AD)
  • POT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • HOOKED TAG (Middle Saxon to Medieval - 720 AD to 1100 AD)
  • TWEEZERS (Middle Saxon - 720 AD to 850 AD)
  • TWEEZERS (Middle Saxon - 730 AD to 850 AD)
  • TWEEZERS (Middle Saxon - 730 AD to 850 AD)
  • BROOCH (Middle Saxon to Late Saxon - 800 AD to 900 AD)
  • HOOKED TAG (Middle Saxon to Late Saxon - 800 AD to 900 AD)
  • HOOKED TAG (Middle Saxon to Medieval - 800 AD to 1100 AD)
  • HARNESS FITTING? (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • KNIFE (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • STRAP END (Late Saxon to Medieval - 900 AD to 1100 AD)
  • BOOK FITTING? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BOX (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BROOCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FERRULE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FURNITURE FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • HOOKED TAG (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • HOOKED TAG (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • KNIFE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • MOUNT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PENDANT? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PURSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • RING (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
  • SPUR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STAPLE (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)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • VESSEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • VESSEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • KEY (LOCKING) (Medieval - 1150 AD to 1400 AD)
  • MOUNT (Medieval - 1150 AD to 1400 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1400 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1400 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1400 AD)
  • SEAL MATRIX (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1300 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1210 AD to 1213 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1400 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1400 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1500 AD)
  • STRAP END (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1400 AD)
  • STRAP END (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1400 AD)
  • STRAP END (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1400 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1400 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1350 AD to 1500 AD)
  • COIN WEIGHT (Medieval - 1350 AD to 1500 AD)
  • KNIFE (Medieval to 16th Century - 1475 AD to 1550 AD)
  • JETTON (Medieval to 16th Century - 1490 AD to 1550 AD)
  • BUTTON (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
  • BUTTON (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
  • CLOTH SEAL (Medieval to 17th Century - 1500 AD to 1625 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
  • COIN WEIGHT (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
  • DRESS HOOK (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
  • DRESS HOOK (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
  • KNIFE (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 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)
  • CLOTH SEAL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • COIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • COIN WEIGHT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HARNESS (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • JETTON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TOKEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • PADLOCK (16th Century to 17th Century - 1550 AD to 1650 AD)
  • COIN (16th Century - 1560 AD to 1561 AD)
  • COIN (16th Century to 17th Century - 1582 AD to 1603 AD)
  • JETTON (16th Century to 17th Century - 1586 AD to 1635 AD)
  • FURNITURE FITTING (17th Century to 18th Century - 1660 AD to 1720 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Photograph: GYF. Early Saxon finds..
---Photograph: NLA. Finds Photograph.
---Photograph: I & RS. Digital finds image.
---Photograph: NCC Find Identification and Recording Service. c. 1975-2000. HES Find Polaroid Collection. HES Find Polaroid Collection. polaroid. black and white.
---Photograph: 2002. KTG 6, Early Saxon girdle hanger..
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Illustration: Ashley, S.. 1992. Drawing of an Early Saxon Lombardic brooch.. Film. 2:1.
<S2>Illustration: White, S.. 1993. Drawing of a Bronze Age rapier fragment.. Film. 1:1.
<S3>Map: Finder's Map..
<S4>Article in Serial: Ager, B., Ashley, S. and Rogerson A. 1993. Two Norfolk Finds of Imported Continental Brooches. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLI Pt IV pp 510-512.
<S5>Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2018. Drawing of an Early Saxon patrix. Find Illustration. Film. 2:1.

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