Record Details

NHER Number:4575
Type of record:Monument
Name:Site of Roman building and multi-period finds

Summary

Excavations in 1950 revealed the foundations of a Roman building. Roman building material, mortared walls, painted wall plaster, pottery, a Roman rubbish pit and a floor layer have been reported. Five children's skeletons may have been excavated from here. Metal detecting finds include many Roman coins, brooches and bracelet fragments. Two fragments of the same Early Saxon brooch have also been recovered.

Images

  • Two fragments of the same Early Saxon brooch  © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service

Location

Grid Reference:Not displayed
Map Sheet:TF70SE
Parish:GOODERSTONE, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

1950.
In field 1950 ploughing revealed the foundations of "probable Roman villa", with rubble, flue tiles and oolite and pottery brought to the surface. Details of this find were initially received from [1] and a selection of the finds (including pottery and flue tiles) was donated to the Norwich Castle Museum by [2] (NWHCM : 1950.136). Information from (S8).
According to the museum's records the collection of finds held by the NCM also includes at least one potentially Mesolithic worked flint. None of the available sources make any reference to this material.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 29 August 2014.

1951.
Roman coin found.
See (S1).

April 1980. Found during farm work.
Half a shortcross penny.

May 1980. Metal detecting.
Roman and medieval coins, Roman sealbox.
See coin lists.

April 1982. Found on surface.
Roman sherds found.
Identified by E. James (KLM).

Summer 1984. Metal detecting. Between rows of carrots on villa site.
Roman coins and metalwork.
See coin lists.

September 1985. Fieldwalking. In vicinity of villa site.
Roman sherds and glass found. Foundations of villa partly exposed.

4 December 1985. Visit.
Spread of building rubble revealed and mortared wall footings running southwest to northeast and turning to run northwest. Opus signinum floor.
T. Gregory (NAU), 4 December 1985.

1986. Excavations.
Roman rubbish pit. Finds included Roman coins, face from Hadham Ware face pot and two joining fragments of Roman plain copper alloy bracelet.
D. Gurney (NAU), 22 November 1988.

Early 1986. Metal detecting. 'Field One' to north.
Seventy Roman coins, Roman metalwork.
See coin lists.

'Field Two' to south.
Forty four Roman coins, Roman metal work.
See coin lists and (S2).
Identified by T. Gregory (NAU).
A. Rogerson (NAU), 23 May 1986.

May 1986. Metal detecting.
Roman metalwork and coins.
Medieval gilt copper alloy fitting (S6).
See coin lists and (S2).
Identified by T. Gregory (NAU).
A. Rogerson (NAU), 26 June 1986.

1986. Metal detecting.
Late medieval strap hook.
Bronze decorated purse frame.
Identified by S. Margeson (NCM).
A. Rogerson (NAU), July 1986.

June to July 1986. Metal detecting.
Twenty two Roman coins. See coin list.
Early Saxon brooch square headed brooch. See (S2) and drawing (S3). A second fragment of this object was found in 1991 (see below).

August 1986. Metal detecting.
Roman coins and pin.
See coin list.
Identified by T. Gregory (NAU).
A. Rogerson (NAU), 15 September 1986.

October 1986. Metal detecting.
Bow and foot of Early Saxon brooch (S7).
Medieval bronze stud.
See (S2).
A. Rogerson (NAU), 24 November 1986.

November 1986. Metal detecting.
Roman coins.
See coin lists.
A. Rogerson (NAU), January 1987.

December 1986. Metal detecting.
Roman coins.
See coin lists.
Roman pin with spherical head.
See (S2).
A. Rogerson (NAU), February 1987.

March 1987. Metal detecting.
Roman coins. See coin list.
1 Boy Bishop token 13th to 14th century.
1 fragment 4th century AD bronze bracelet.
Decorated bronze fragment, probably medieval belt mount.
Medieval bossed mount.
Identified by S. Margeson (NCM).
A. Rogerson (NAU), April 1987.

1986 to 1987. Fieldwalking.
Roman, Late Saxon and medieval pottery.
1 fragment Early Saxon pottery
Flints.
See (S2), (S4) and (S5).
Identified by A. Rogerson (NAU).
E. Rose (NAU), 26 June 1987.

May to June 1987. Metal detecting.
Roman coins. See coin lists.
Roman metalwork.
See (S2).
Identified by T. Gregory (NAU).
A. Rogerson (NAU), 24 July 1987.

Summer 1988. Metal detecting.
Thirty nine Roman coins. See coin lists.
A. Rogerson (NAU), 11 August 1988.

Early 1989. Metal detecting.
Thirteen Roman coins. See coin lists.
A. Rogerson (NAU), 12 May 1989.

1989. Metal detecting.
Eighteen Roman coins. See coin lists.
Roman metal work.
Identified by D. Gurney (NAU).
A. Rogerson (NAU), 8 September 1989.

1991.
Roman sherd and crude stylus found. Roman coins. See coin lists.
Identified by D. Gurney (NLA).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 7 October 1991.

September 1991. Metal detecting.
Small fragment of Early Saxon brooch. Joins Early Saxon squarehead brooch found earlier.
See drawing (S3).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 5 November 1991.

1992. Metal detecting.
Roman finger ring.
S. Margeson (NCM), 28 August 1992.

1994.
Infant skeleton said to be one of five found on this site seen. Roman pottery, glass and painted plaster also identifed. These may be from finds in the 1950s or excavations carried out in 1985.
E. Rose (NLA), 1 September 1994.

Monument Types

  • FINDSPOT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC? to 4001 BC?)
  • BUILDING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PIT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC? to 4001 BC?)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BRACELET (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (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)
  • FINGER RING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FLUE TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FLUE TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HUMAN REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • KEY (LOCKING) (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SEAL BOX (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • STUD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • STYLUS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TOILET ARTICLE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • VESSEL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • WINDOW GLASS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • WORKED OBJECT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DRESS COMPONENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FURNITURE FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PURSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STUD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TOKEN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TF7701 A-F,M-S.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 70 SE 4 [2].
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Photograph: EDN1-2, EDV28-9, CZQ32-38, EAR21-29, EAV1-5.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>Article in Serial: 1951. [unknown]. Journal of Roman Studies. Vol XLI, pp 131-2 fig20. p 132.
<S2>Map: Finder's Map..
<S3>Illustration: [Unknown]. 1991. Drawing of an Early Saxon copper alloy square-headed brooch. Card. 2:1.
<S4>Unpublished Document: de Bootman, M.. 1986 to 1987. Gooderstone Survey Field 4575 Record. Parcel No 272..
<S5>Unpublished Document: de Bootman, M.. 1986 to 1987. Gooderstone Survey Field 4575 Record. Parcel No 271..
<S6>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Sketch of a medieval gilt copper alloy fitting. Paper. 1:1.
<S7>Illustration: Penn, K. 1986. Drawing of the bow and foot of an Early Saxon copper alloy small long brooch. Film. 2:1.
<S8>Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Roman. Gooderstone.

Related records - none

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