Record Details

NHER Number:40213
Type of record:Monument
Name:Multi-period site, land at Ditchingham

Summary

Excavations in 2004 and 2005 revealed finds and features dating from the prehistoric to the post-medieval period. These mostly comprised ditches and pits, as well as three probable ponds. The abundance of medieval finds strongly suggests medieval occupation at the nearby moated site (NHER 35378).

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TM 32163 92135
Map Sheet:TM39SW
Parish:DITCHINGHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

November 2002. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of proposed mineral extraction area (covering c. 57 hectares).
See report (S1) for details.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 June 2015.

August 2004. Systematic Fieldwalking and Metal-detecting Survey.
Field survey of proposed mineral extraction area.
Finds recovered included prehistoric worked flints and medieval and post-medieval pottery sherds. Scatters of post-medieval brick and tile were also noted in the eastern part of the site.
No metal finds predating the modern period were recovered.
Report awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 23 June 2017.

September 2004 and September-October 2005. Trial Trenching.
Archaeological evaluation of proposed mineral extraction area. This work was undertaken in two phases, with 83 trenches excavated in September 2004 (Phase I; Trenches 1-83) and a further 40 trenches excavated the following year (Trenches 86-177).
Archaeologically signficant remains were identified in 69 of the trenches excavated and finds of prehistoric, Roman, Late Saxon, medieval and post-medieval date recovered.
Prehistoric pottery thought to date to the late Bronze Age or Iron Age was recovered from pits, a post hole and a ditch.
Late Saxon and early medieval features included ditches, possible drainage ditches and pits. The abundance of medieval finds strongly indicates occupation of the nearby medieval moated site (NHER 35378).
Post-medieval ditches are thought to represent field or property boundaries, perhaps relating to the farmstead shown in this location on the 1841 Tithe map and on Bryant's 1826 map of Norfolk.
See reports (S2) and (S3) for further information (the latter being a combined report that details both phases of evaluation). The results of this work are also summarised in (S4) and (S5).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 25 May 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 29 June 2015.

Monument Types

  • DITCH (Unknown date)
  • GULLY (Unknown date)
  • PIT (Unknown date)
  • POND (Unknown date)
  • PIT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • POST HOLE (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • DITCH (Late Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 1000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 1000 BC to 401 BC)
  • PIT (Late Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 1000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DITCH (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • PIT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Unknown date)
  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Unknown date)
  • OYSTER SHELL (Unknown date)
  • QUERN (Unknown date)
  • BLADE (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FLAKE (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Late Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 1000 BC to 42 AD)
  • BRICK (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TEGULA (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BRICK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Unpublished Document: 2003. Soil Quality and Land Use Assessment Report.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Unpublished Contractor Report: Richmond, A. 2002. Archaeological Desk Based Assessment. Land at Ditchingham, Norfolk. Phoenix Consulting. PC187a.
<S2>Unpublished Contractor Report: Nicholson, K., Rennell, R. and Williams, J. 2004. Land at Ditchingham, Norfolk. An Archaeological Evaluation. Archaeological Solutions. 1667.
<S3>Unpublished Contractor Report: Doyle, K., Nicholson, K., Rennell, R. and Williams, J. and Weston, P. 2005. Land at Ditchingham, Norfolk. An Archaeological Evaluation. Phases I & II. Updated October 2005. Archaeological Solutions. 1667 (amended).
<S4>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. 2006. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk in 2005. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLV Pt I pp 124-136. p 126.
<S5>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. 2005. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk in 2004. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIV Pt IV pp 751-763. p 754.

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