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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	8216
Type of record:	Find Spot
Name:	Late Bronze Age hoard from Bergavenny Field

Summary

Fourteen axeheads, three spearheads or arrowheads and two sword fragments were found 90cm deep when an old ditch in Bergavenny Field was deepened in 1811 or 1812. The location of Bergavenny Field is unknown. Most of the finds were broken. This is a Late Bronze Age metalworker's hoard. Four of the objects are in the Liverpool Museum, the location of the others is unknown.

Images - none

Location

Parish:	INGHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

NCM Record Card No. 1.
Late Bronze Age hoard.
Three socketed celts (+ one spearhead).
(i) 100mm length (6950M). Four raised ribs on blade.
(ii) 106mm length (6949 M).
(iii) 101mm length (6948 M). Three slightly raised ribs on the faces.
See (S1), (S2) and (S3).
Liverpool Museum - Rolfe Collection (Rev J. Layton). No. (i) only.
(S4) reports fourteen or fifteen objects found and illustrates two seen in 1812.
See (S5) for a copy of the illustration.
R.R. Clarke (NCM).

NCM Record Card No. 2.
Spearhead (+ two socketed axes) (118.5mm length) with two bands of four incised lines round socket.
?Also another (or the same?) spearhead found in a piece of land called Bergavenny.
Liverpool Museum 6947M (Rev. J.C. Layton).
See (S6).
R.R. Clarke (NCM).

Cutting in (S7) records Cotman in late 18th century as saying that labourers digging a trench found 'fourteen or fifteen brass implements and ancient weapons, one of which was a spear, another a chisel'. Same hoard?
Cutting is archived under Stalham - Wayford Wood.

Yes - (S3) gives hoard as fourteen celts, three spearheads or arrowheads, two sword fragments, found 90cm (3 feet) deep in deepening an old ditch. This was on arable land and not in marshes; the field was called Bergavenny and was attached to the estate of Neville's of Sutton. Most of the finds were broken, but 'no two had been cast in the same mould'. The find was made around 1811 to 1812 (within margin of error of (S7) reference). No field of this name on (S8).
E. Rose (NLA).

See photocopy of (S9) in file, for list and drawings of three socketed axes and one spearhead.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 14 November 2003.

Two NCM record cards record the same hoard.
M. Dennis (NLA), 6 April 2006.

Monument Types

FINDSPOT (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Finds

ARROWHEAD (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
CHISEL (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
HOARD (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
SOCKETED AXEHEAD (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
SPEAR (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
SWORD (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---	Publication: Evans, J. 1881. The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain and Ireland. p 319.
---	Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Bronze Age. Ingham [2].
---	Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>	Publication: D.T. Manuscripts. p 34.
<S2>	Monograph: 1901. The Victoria History of Norfolk. The Victoria History of the Counties of England. Vol 1. p 277.
<S3>	Serial: 1830. Woodward Correspondence.. Vol IV, p 22.
<S4>	Monograph: 1823. Memoirs of C. A. Stothard. p.67-8.
<S5>	Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
<S6>	Publication: Woodward, S.. Additional Manuscripts.
<S7>	Archive: Bolingbroke Collection.
<S8>	Map: 1840s. Ingham Tithe Map.
<S9>	Monograph: Nicholson, S.M.. 1980. Catalogue of the Prehistoric Metalwork in Merseyside Museums..