Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

June 1996(?).
Cropmarks of possible villa enclosure site seen and photographed from the air by member of the public [1].
Photocopies of air photographs seen by D. Edwards (NLA) in late July 1996.
Site location indicated by member of the public [1], who retained copies of prints.
Copy (S1) in file.
D. Edwards (NLA), 6 January 1997.

1996. Metal detecting.
Medieval/post medieval vessel rim/bell.
Identified by V. Fryer (NCM).
1st century As.
Identified by J. Davies (NCM), 13 November 1997. See list in file.
Large lead pot mend with sherd in situ. Probably medieval.
W. Milligan (NCM), 24 October 1997.

27-28 September 1997. Trial Trench.
Single trench excavated across corpmark site by members of the West Norfolk and King's Lynn Archaeological Society.
A series of linear features were revealed, the fills of which contained Roman pottery.
See file for report (S2) by D. Gurney (NLA) and report by excavators (S3).
The results of this work are also summarised in (S4).
The finds recovered have been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2001.202).
D. Gurney (NLA), 12 November 1997.

The trench was cut across the eastern side of the cropmark aligned east to west and revealed two post-holes and ditches containing pottery mostly dating to the Roman period including black glazed wares and part of an amphora. A single sherd of medieval pottery was also recovered.
S. Howard (HES), 13 September 2011.

January 1998.
Identification of finds recovered during 1997 work.
See list in file. Features appear to be Roman, of 2nd/3rd century date.
D. Gurney (NLA), 7 January 1998.

6-7 May 1998. Geophysical Survey and Trial Trench.
Geophysical survey undertaken by [2] and a single trench excavated by [3], in advance of the Time Team.
Trench revealed part of one very large pit, probably 3m to 4m in diameter and 1.5m deep, lower grey silty fill, with sherds of 2nd/3rd century pottery. Large unabraded sherds, some joining, suggesting primary domestic refuse.
See reports (S5) and (S6). The results of this work are also summarised in (S7).
The associated archive has now been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2018.265)
D. Gurney (NLA), 8 May 1998. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 15 April 2019.

March 2006.
The enclosure is broadly comparable in form to religious sites at Fison Way, Thetford (NHER 5853) and Plants Farm, Maxey, Cambridgeshire.
See (S4).
It may not be a villa site, although the function of the enclosure is uncertain.
D. Robertson (NLA), 8 March 2006.

Monument Types

• DITCH (Unknown date)
• PIT (Unknown date)
• POST HOLE (Unknown date)
• ENCLOSURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• PIT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• VILLA (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

• ANIMAL REMAINS (Undated)
• MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Undated)
• MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Undated)
• NAIL (Undated)
• POT BOILER (Undated)
• UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
• VESSEL (Undated)
• POT BOILER (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
• POT BOILER (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
• POT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• BELL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• VESSEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BELL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• COIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• SPUR (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• TOBACCO PIPE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• VESSEL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

• Higher Level Stewardship

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Hillington (Parish Summary)