Record Details

NHER Number:10486
Type of record:Monument
Name:Site of Roman vicus, Burgh Castle

Summary

This is the probable site of a Roman vicus, close to the Roman fort, see NHER 10471. A series of enclosures and trackways are visible on aerial photographs, and large numbers of Roman coins and other material has been found by metal detecting. The site of a possible Roman building was discovered during a watching brief carried out by the Norfolk Archaeological Unit in 1996. Some of the cropmarks visible on aerial photographs could date to the medieval period, when a motte and bailey castle was built within the Roman fort.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 4763 0431
Map Sheet:TG40SE
Parish:BURGH CASTLE, GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK

Full description

This site now forms a large scatter including site NHER 25320.
Two thirds of the site was scheduled in 1995, see (S1) and (S7).

RAF air photograph shows rectangular cropmark (noted by R. R. Clarke (NCM)).
NAU air photographs show linear features like tracks pointing to northwest corner of field.

See (S2) for photograph and drawing of these: it has been suggested they are part of a vicus, but this seems improbable from the haphazard layout. More likely to be medieval tracks leading to the medieval castle?

Pre 1958.
Found in this field (OS 91).
Roman coins.
See letter in file from [2], informing R. R. Clarke (NCM) of the discovery of the coins by [3].

1989.
Detailed metal detecting survey of whole field; see plan in file for areas.
279 Roman coins (lists in file).
Roman knob, knob from crossbow brooch and finger ring (see file).
D. Gurney (NAU) 12 July 1990.

December 1992.
Metal detecting finds.
62 Roman coins.
See forms in file.
D. Gurney (NLA) 13 January 1993.

18 April 1993. Detector rally finds.
224 Roman coins. See file for details.
1 Roman coin (overstrike). See form in file.
Roman knife/razor handle in form of human head.
?Roman axe.
Middle Saxon strap end.
Medieval and post medieval coins and metalwork.
Late Saxon cross.
See details in file and photographs.
D. Gurney (NLA) 9 June 1993.

16 to 17 October 1993. Detector rally site ('Field C') with NHER 13227 and NHER 17261.
40 Roman coins. See forms in file.
D. Gurney (NLA) 22 October 1993.

1993. Metal detecting finds.
Roman 3 coins.
See list in file.
Identified J. Davies (NCM)
V. Fryer (NCM) 19 June 1997.

23 April 1995. Metal detecting rally.
Roman, Middle Saxon, medieval and post medieval coins.
Roman, Early Saxon, Middle Saxon, medieval and post medieval finds.
See list in file.
See (S5) in the Illustration Library.
A. Rogerson (NLA) 22 August 1995.

23 April 1995. Metal detecting rally. Field C.
5 Roman coins.
See list in file. (S6)
Identified J. Davies (NCM).
A. Rogerson (NLA) 26 August 1995.

October 1995. Fieldwalking in 4 areas.
Roman, medieval, post medieval sherds,
Bronze nail, ?Roman.
?Roman tile/brick fragments.
Flint flake.
See list and sketch plan in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA) 12 February 1996.

4 March 1996. Watching Brief.
Observation of holes for new fence along north edge field revealed possible structural remains.
Watching brief on fence erection in area to southeast of Saxon Shore Fort.
Remains of brick wall (context [2]) and clay ?floor (context [3]) seen at depth of 0.7m in pair of newly excavated post holes.
Previously unrecorded Roman building?
See report (S3) for further details.
T. Ashwin (NAU) 2 May 1996.

23 April 1995. Field C. Metal detecting rally.
3 Roman coins.
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA) 5 April 1996.

October 1995. Survey.
See file for NHER 10471 for details.
D. Gurney (NLA) 5 February 1996.

Monument Types

  • BUILDING (Unknown date)
  • FLOOR (Unknown date)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Unknown date)
  • RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
  • SITE (Unknown date)
  • TRACKWAY (Unknown date)
  • BUILDING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FLOOR (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • VICUS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SITE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TRACKWAY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds

  • AXEHEAD (Undated)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • AXEHEAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BRACELET (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BRICK (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • COIN (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)
  • FINGER RING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FURNITURE FITTING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • KNIFE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • NAIL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • RAZOR (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SPOON (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • SLEEVE CLASP (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BROOCH (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • COIN (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BROOCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PENDANT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • COIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • COIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TOKEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • Scheduled Monument
  • SHINE
  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Photograph: FZS 12-15; FZV 11; FZX 4-5.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 40 SE 9.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Unpublished Report: Gurney, D.. 1997. October 1995 Survey, for theNorfolk Archaeological Trust [Finds By Period].
---Unpublished Report: Gurney, D.. [1997 ?]. The Extra-Mural Survey, 1995.
---Unpublished Document: Davison, A.. [1995?]. Notes on fieldwalking survey October 1995.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Miscellaneous. Burgh Castle.
<S1>Designation: English Heritage. 1990-2013. English Heritage Scheduling Notification. Notification. DNF172.
<S2>Photograph: 1977. Aerial Archaeology. Vol.I.
<S2>Publication: Mills, N.. June 1993. The Gariannonum Roman Fort Detector Rally.. Treasure Hunting. pp 4-9.
<S3>Unpublished Contractor Report: Ashwin, T. 1996. Burgh Castle: Watching Brief for Norfolk Archaeological Trust, March 1996. Norfolk Archaeological Unit.
<S5>Illustration: Rillings, P.. 1995. Sketch of an Early/Middle Saxon copper alloy buckle.. Card. 1:1.
<S6>Unpublished Document: [Unknown]. [1995?]. List of Roman coins recovered from Field C in 1995. Coin List.
<S7>Designation: English Heritage. 1994? -2011?. English Heritage Digital Designation Record. Record. DNF172.

Related records

10471Related to: Burgh Castle, or Gariannonum/Gariannum (Monument)

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