Record Details

NHER Number:5061
Type of record:Monument
Name:Merton Roman Villa and multi-period finds

Summary

A probable Roman villa is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs. In 1856 a tessellated pavement amongst the cropmarks was excavated. Metal detectorists have found numerous Roman objects on the site, including pottery, tiles, over 150 coins, brooches and a stylus. Other artefacts from the site include two Iron Age coins, Early Saxon brooches, a pendant and a wrist clasp, a Late Saxon brooch and medieval coins.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:Not displayed
Map Sheet:TL89NE
Parish:MERTON, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

1856.
Tessellated pavement excavated.

1946. RAF aerial photographs.
Cropmarks of possible villa.

1980 or before .
Roman and metalwork (S1), tiles, brooches (S1 and S2), coins, Early Saxon brooches (S3).

1981 to 1982. Roman and Early Saxon metalwork.

1994. Metal detecting.
Iron Age, Roman, medieval coins. Roman brooches, tiles and pottery. Early Saxon (S4), Late Saxon, medieval, post medieval metalwork.

1995. Metal detecting.
Roman and post medieval coins.

1996.
Roman coins and brooch. medieval ferrule.

1997.
Roman coins.

FOR FULL DETAILS, SEE LIST AND SITE PLAN IN FILE.
V. Fryer (NCM), 18 June 1997.

Monument Types

  • SITE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TESSELLATED FLOOR (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • VILLA (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Undated)
  • MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Undated)
  • COIN (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • BEAD (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)
  • DRESS COMPONENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINGER RING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FLUE TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HARNESS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • KEY (LOCKING) (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ROOF TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • STUD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • STYLUS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TESSERA (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TOILET ARTICLE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TWEEZERS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • VESSEL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • VESSEL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • PENDANT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • SLEEVE CLASP (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BROOCH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • FINGER RING (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • CAULDRON (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DRESS COMPONENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FERRULE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FURNITURE FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • HARNESS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • KNIFE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PENDANT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • SPINDLE WHORL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STUD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • COIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • DRESS COMPONENT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FERRULE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • SEAL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TOKEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • VESSEL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Map: Finder's Map..
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TL 89 NE 7.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Roman. Merton.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Slide: Various. Slide.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>Illustration: Walker. A.. 1980. Drawing of a Roman hod hill type brooch and a Roman copper alloy mount or strap slide.. Card. 1:1.
<S2>Illustration: Walker, A.. 1980. Drawing of a Roman cruciform brooch.. Card. 1:1.
<S3>Illustration: Walker, A.. 1980. Drawing of an Early Saxon small long brooch.. Card. 1:1.
<S4>Illustration: White, S.. 1994. Drawing of an Early Saxon bronze pendant.. Film. 2:1.

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