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Record Details

NHER Number:1054
Type of record:Monument
Name:Early Saxon cremation cemetery

Summary

An important Early Saxon cremation cemetery, known since it was revealed by quarrying in 1949. Finds of cremation urns, human remains and grave goods were made over many years after that, including in the early 1980s when urns were recorded and recovered after several were revealed during tree planting. Subsequently the then owner cleared the site mechanically, removing, it is thought, most of the remaining urns, some of which found their way onto the antiquities market. An excavation in 1999 in advance of building work recorded two further urns.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:Not displayed
Map Sheet:TL99SE
Parish:ROCKLANDS, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

Early Saxon cremation cemetery.

1949, 1961-2, 1981 and 1983. Excavations, including cremation in re-used Roman vessel (S34).

1961. Excavation.
Three early Anglo-Saxon cremation-urns were found. Two contained cremated bones, these were discovered on the edge of a gravel-pit.
see (S1) for further details.

1962. Excavation.
Further excavation revealed fragments of an early Anglo-Saxon bronze brooch and a cremation-urn containing a pair of bronze tweezers.
Information from (S2).

1974. Flint flakes found.

1983.
Slim Aho's collection of 21 Early Saxon cremation urns. Assumed the collection was found by Mr Davey and were sold. See drawings (S3-S22) and rubbings (S23-S25, S35)

1999. Early Saxon urns found.
See details, photographs (S26) and (S27), plans (S28) and correspondence (S29) and (S30) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 9 February 2000 amended by M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 25 February 2013.

Possibly same as 'Shropham' cemetery NHER 9036.

November 1999. NAU excavation. On site of known Early Saxon cemetery.
The sole archaeological features were the remains of three urns, two of which were in situ, although no urn pit could be seen.
See report (S31) in file.
See also extract from (S32) in file.
See also (S33).
J. Ames (NAU), 21 March 2001.

Monument Types

  • CEMETERY (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • CREMATION (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • CREMATION CEMETERY (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)

Associated Finds

  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • SCRAPER (TOOL) (Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BEAD (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • HUMAN REMAINS (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • POT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • PURSE (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • RING (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • TWEEZERS (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TL 99 SE 4 [2].
---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 - Neolithic. Rockstead.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Early Saxon. Rocklands [3].
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>Article in Serial: Wilson, D. M. and Hurst, D. G. 1964. Medieval Britain in 1961. Medieval Archaeology. Vol VI-VII (for 1962 and 1963) pp 306-349. p 309.
<S2>Article in Serial: Wilson, D. M. and Hurst, D. G. 1965. Medieval Britain in 1962 and 1963. Medieval Archaeology. Vol VIII (for 1964) pp 231-299. p 237.
<S3>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawings of Early Saxon cremation urns and associated grave goods. Paper. Scale unknown.
<S4>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 5). Paper. 1:1.
<S5>Illustration: [Unknown]. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn lid (Urn 5). Paper. 1:1.
<S6>Illustration: [Unknown]. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn lid (Urn 5). Paper. 1:1.
<S7>Illustration: [Unknown]. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn lid (Urn 5). Paper. 1:1.
<S8>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 6). Paper. 1:1.
<S9>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 7). Paper. 1:1.
<S10>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 8). Paper. 1:1.
<S11>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 9). Paper. 1:1.
<S12>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 10). Paper. 1:1.
<S13>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 11). Paper. 1:1.
<S14>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 12). Paper. 1:1.
<S15>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 13). Paper. 1:1.
<S16>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 14). Paper. 1:1.
<S17>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 15). Paper. 1:1.
<S18>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 16). Paper. 1:1.
<S19>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 17). Paper. 1:1.
<S20>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 18). Paper. 1:1.
<S21>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 19). Paper. 1:1.
<S22>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Drawing of an Early Saxon pottery cremation urn (Urn 20). Paper. 1:1.
<S23>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Rubbing of an Early Saxon cremation urn lid. Paper. 1:1.
<S24>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Rubbings of stamped decoration on Early Saxon cremation urns. Paper. 1:1.
<S25>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Rubbings of stamped decoration on Early Saxon cremation urns. Paper. 1:1.
<S26>Photograph: NLA. Finds Photograph.
<S27>Photograph: BPX.
<S28>Map: Finder's Map..
<S29>Correspondence: Stratford, N., British Museum. 1986. Letter to Mrs J. R. Neighbour, Department of Trade. 30 September.
<S30>Correspondence: Stratford, N., British Museum. 1987. Letter to Jonathan Scott, Chairman, Council on the Export of Works of Art. 6 August.
<S31>Unpublished Contractor Report: Penn, K. 2000. Report on an Archaeological Excavation at Oaklands House, Mount Pleasant, Rocklands, Norfolk. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 467.
<S32>Publication: Meaney, A.. 1964. Gazetteer of Early Anglo-Saxon Burial Sites.
<S33>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 2000. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1999. Norfolk Archaeology. XLIII Pt III pp 521-543. p 535.
<S34>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Drawing of a Roman pottery jug re-used as Early Saxon cremation vessel (Urn 21). Film. 1:1.
<S35>Illustration: Ashley, S. 1983. Annotated copy of rubbings of stamped decoration on Early Saxon cremation urns. Paper. 1:1.

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