Record Details
| NHER Number: | 32791 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Roman and Late Saxon ditches |
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Summary
A series of Roman and Late Saxon ditches were excavated by the Norfolk Archaeological Unit in 1997. The ditches may be part of a field system, and a possible Late Saxon building was indicated by the discovery of post holes. Roman, Late Saxon and medieval pottery were found.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TF 8359 4184 |
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| Map Sheet: | TF84SW |
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| Parish: | BURNHAM MARKET, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
June 1997. Trial Trenching.
Ten north to south trenches 10x15m. Sandy overburden sealing the following:
2nd to 3rd century ditches, which may represent some kind of agricultural activity, such as drainage or land divisions.
10th to 11th century ditches, possible post hole building.
Late 12th to 13th century pits and ditches.
See report (S1) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S2).
A. Crowson (NAU), September 1997. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 8 April 2015.
1998. Excavation.
Substantial open-area excavation on former allottment site.
Romano-British features included two large dutches defining rectangular fields or enclosures with rounded corners, and a 'T'-shaped malting oven which had apparently gone out of use in the late 2nd/3rd centuries. Middle Saxon activity was represented by 62 sherds of Ipswich ware and two large bath-shaped ovens lined with fired clay. The Late Saxon period appears to have seen more intensive activity, represented by abundant Thetford ware and a series of small square ditched enclosures. Medieval features include a 12th/14th century palisaded enclosure (possibly a pound), a series of sub-circular clay oven bases, and the ephemeral remains of a building. Analysis continues.
See published article (S3) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S4) (from which the above summary was taken) and the site is discussed in (S5). See also newspaper articles (S6)-(S7).
D. Holburn (HES), 28 November 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 8 April 2015.
A combined archive comprising material from both phases of archaeological work at this site has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.490).
P. Watkins (HES), 27 May 2019.
20 May 1998. NLA air photography.
Aerial photographs taken of excavation, the series of ditches and pits can clearly be seen.
S. Massey (NLA), 2 November 2001.
Monument Types
- DITCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- FIELD SYSTEM (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- HEARTH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- BUILDING (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
- DITCH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
- FIELD SYSTEM (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
- POST HOLE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
- DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FIELD SYSTEM (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- PIT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- QUARRY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Associated Finds
- BRIQUETAGE (Undated)
- PIN (Undated)
- QUERN (Undated)
- UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
- LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
- ANIMAL REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- POT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
- LAMP (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
- POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
- ANIMAL REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- SPINDLE WHORL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- SPINDLE WHORL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- ROOF TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1998. TF 8341T - AN. |
| --- | Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1998. TF 8341E, AT - ABE. |
| --- | Slide: Various. 1998. Slides 1-414 Archaeological Evaluation, Creake Road, Burnham Market, by NAU Archaeology. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| <S1> | Unpublished Contractor Report: Crowson, A. 1997. Evaluation Excavation of Allotment Gardens, Creake Road, Burnham Market. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 284. |
| <S2> | Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 1998. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1997. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIII Pt I pp 193-210. p 194. |
| <S3> | Article in Serial: Percival, S. and Williamson, T. 2005. Early Fields and Medieval Furlongs: Excavations at Creake Road, Burnham Sutton, Norfolk. Landscapes. Vol 6 No 1 pp 1-17. |
| <S4> | Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 1999. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1998. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIII Pt II pp 369-387. p 370. |
| <S5> | Publication: Williamson, T. 2003. Shaping medieval landscapes: settlement, society, environment. p 81. |
| <S6> | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1998. Burnham Market dig unearths exciting finds. 11 June. |
| <S7> | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1998. Three weeks extra for village dig. 20 April. |
Related records - none
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