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Record Details

NHER Number:13316
Type of record:Monument
Name:Site of Roman settlement and multi-period finds

Summary

A number of prehistoric worked flints were recovered at this site in 1967. Systematic fieldwalking and metal-detecting undertaken between 1984 and 1988 identified this as the probable site of a Roman settlement, with large amounts of Roman pottery and a number of roof and flue tiles recovered. Other finds found during this work included prehistoric worked flints; Iron Age and Roman coins; Early Saxon, medieval and post medieval pottery and medieval and post-medieval metal objects. Metal-detecting undertaken since 2008 has recovered Late Iron Age, Roman and medieval coins; medieval/post-medieval tokens and Bronze Age to post-medieval metal objects. The metal finds include an Early Bronze Age flat axe; a Late Bronze Age awl; a Bronze Age copper alloy axe fragment; Late Iron Age/Roman brooches; Roman brooches, bracelet fragments, a nail cleaner, spoon, lock-pin, bell, unusual comb or awl combination tool, military harness mount and hair pins; an Early Saxon brooch and probable wrist clasp fragment; a Middle Saxon copper alloy pin; a Middle/Late Saxon strap fitting; medieval to post-medieval dress accessories (including a post-medieval silver button or cufflink element); a medieval harness mount fragment; a medieval/post-medieval copper alloy ring and copper alloy probable vessel repair rivet and a post-medieval thimble.

Images

  • Bronze Age axehead from NHER 13316 © Norfolk County Council
  • Romano British brooch from NHER 13316 © Norfolk County Council
  • Romano-British furniture fitting from NHER 13316 © Norfolk County Council
  • Romano-British strap end from NHER 13316 © Norfolk County Council

Location

Grid Reference:Not displayed
Map Sheet:TF70NW
Parish:BARTON BENDISH, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

March 1967. Stray Find.
From Day's Fen:
1 fragmentary flint dagger, 1 flint adze and 1 "arrow straightener".
Findspot marked on (S1). In [1].
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU), 2 October 1981. Information from (S2).
The dagger is probably the ?Beaker dagger from "Day's Fen" listed in (S7) and noted on (S8). It had been reported to the King's Lynn Museum by [2].
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 November 2013.

It is recorded in (S3) that two Mesolithic flint microliths were recovered from "Day's Fen". As noted by (S2) this would suggest that these finds were found at this this site. However it appears that they were actually found at NHER 17616, where a King's Lynn Museum record map marks that two microliths were recovered. This site lies close to the area known as Barton Bendish Fen and is much closer to the general reference listed in by (S3). See NHER 17616 for further details.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 November 2013.

November 1984-September 1988. Barton Bendish Survey fieldwalking and metal-detecting.
Fieldwalking over field, metal detecting in north part only, see plan in file.
Sites BB 157 to 194.
3 prehistoric worked flints. One identified as a ?Mesolithic blade in (S4).
3 late prehistoric pottery sherds.
1 Iron Age coin (S5).
28 Roman coins.
Roman pottery sherds. Identified by T. Gregory (NAU). Most coarseware is of Nar Valley type including storage jars with a few 2nd century greywares. Very little Nene Valley colour coated. Few Oxfordshire colour coated. Two sherds of Pentney mortarium. Very little Samian. One black-burnished one-handled dish. Assemblage predominantly 3rd-4th century.
Roman tiles including some tegulae. Identified by T. Gregory (NAU).
3 Roman metal objects including 1 one-piece Colchester brooch (20-50 AD), 1 Late Roman strap end and 2 lead steelyard weights.
Small number of Roman flue tiles. Identified by T. Gregory (NAU).
Small number of Early Saxon pottery sherds.
1 ?Early Saxon girdle hanger fragment.
1 medieval coin.
1 medieval annular brooch (14th century). Identified by S. Margeson (NCM). See (S6).
Small number of medieval pottery sherds.
Small number of post-medieval pottery sherds.
1 undatable copper alloy sheet fragment.
Finders A. Rogerson (NAU), [1] and [2].
Identified by A. Rogerson (NAU) unless stated otherwise.
See file for detailed lists tables and plans.
E. Rose (NAU) 22 January 1985. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 November 2013.

Before November 2008. Metal detecting.
126 Roman and 7 medieval coins; 2 medieval/post-medieval tokens; Romano-British, Early Saxon, medieval and post-medieval metal objects.
See lists in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 16 May 2010.

November 2012-February 2013. Metal-detecting [4].
Early/Middle Bronze Age axehead fragment (S9).
Roman penannular brooch, lock-pin, military harness mount, military strap-end, spoon, bracelet, copper alloy hair pins and a delicate knob from a piece of furniture.
Information from PAS import.
P. Watkins (HES), 1 May 2013.

February-July 2013. Metal-detecting. [3].
Finds recorded on the PAS database:
Early Bronze Age flat axe with the butt end and central part missing (S10).
Late Bronze Age copper alloy awl (S11).
Bronze Age copper alloy axe fragment.
1 Late Iron Age coin.
Roman brooches, bracelet fragments, furniture studs, a nail cleaner, spoon, finger ring, bell and unusal combination tool consisting of four short comb-like teeth on the end of a narrow awl-shaped tool (S12).
Early Saxon Applied brooch and probable wrist clasp.
Middle Saxon copper alloy pin.
Middle/Late Saxon strap fitting.
Medieval strap ends, buckles, a brooch pin and harness mount fragment.
Medieval/post-medieval copper alloy ring.
Post-medieval buckle and thimble.
Finds identified by HES but not recorded on the PAS database:
49 Roman copper alloy coins.
2 medieval silver coins.
Information from PAS import.
A. Beckham (HES) and A. Rogerson (HES), 10 July 2013. Amended by E. McDonald (HES), 3 March 2020 and P. Watkins (HES), 8 January 2024 and 28 August 2024.

November 2023-May 2024. Metal-detecting. [5].
Finds from area centred at [6]:
2 Late Iron Age/Roman brooches.
Roman brooch and copper alloy possible hairpin.
Medieval/post-medieval copper alloy 'paper-clip' probable vessel repair rivet.
Post-medieval silver button or cufflink element.
Information from PAS import.
The post-medieval silver button or cufflink was disclaimed as Treasure (Ref: 2024 T763) and returned to the finder.
P. Watkins (HES), 15 May 2024,1 September 2024 and 3 July 2025.

Monument Types

  • FINDSPOT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC? to 4001 BC?)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC? to 1501 BC?)
  • FINDSPOT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 1001 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman to Early Saxon - 43 AD to 650 AD)
  • SETTLEMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (16th Century - 1501 AD to 1600 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (16th Century to 17th Century - 1550 AD to 1650 AD)

Associated Finds

  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
  • ADZE (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC? to 42 AD?)
  • BLADE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC? to 4001 BC?)
  • POT (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • DAGGER (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC? to 1501 BC?)
  • AXEHEAD (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • AXEHEAD (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 1001 BC)
  • FLAT AXEHEAD (Beaker to Middle Bronze Age - 2000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • AWL (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
  • COIN (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • COIN (Late Iron Age - 10 BC to 42 AD)
  • BROOCH (Late Iron Age to Roman - 25 AD to 60 AD)
  • BROOCH (Late Iron Age to Roman - 25 AD to 60 AD)
  • BEAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BELL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BRACELET (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 65 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 65 AD)
  • COIN (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)
  • COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • COMBINATION TOOL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINGER RING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FLUE TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FURNITURE FITTING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FURNITURE FITTING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FURNITURE FITTING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HAIR PIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HAIR PIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HAIR PIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • HAIR PIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • LOCK (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • NAIL CLEANER (Roman - 43 AD to 150 AD)
  • NAIL CLEANER (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • RING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ROOF TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SPOON (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • STEELYARD WEIGHT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • STRAP END (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • STRAP END (Roman to Early Saxon - 43 AD to 650 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 50 AD to 150 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 100 AD to 200 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 100 AD to 225 AD)
  • HARNESS MOUNT (Roman - 100 AD to 300 AD)
  • SPOON (Roman - 100 AD to 400 AD)
  • BRACELET (Roman - 200 AD to 400 AD)
  • BRACELET (Roman - 200 AD to 400 AD)
  • BRACELET (Roman - 200 AD to 409 AD)
  • BRACELET (Roman - 200 AD to 409 AD)
  • BRACELET (Roman - 200 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINGER RING (Roman - 200 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 250 AD to 409 AD)
  • STRAP END (Roman - 340 AD to 370 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • GIRDLE HANGER (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • POT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • SLEEVE CLASP (Early Saxon - 480 AD to 550 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 500 AD to 550 AD)
  • PIN (Middle Saxon - 700 AD to 850 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Middle Saxon to Late Saxon - 800 AD to 900 AD)
  • BROOCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BROOCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • LACE TAG (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BROOCH PIN (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1300 AD)
  • HARNESS MOUNT (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1400 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1400 AD)
  • RIVET (Medieval to 17th Century - 1300 AD to 1700 AD)
  • STRAP END (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1400 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1350 AD to 1450 AD)
  • RING (Medieval to 16th Century - 1350 AD to 1600 AD)
  • THIMBLE (16th Century - 1501 AD to 1600 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BUTTON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • COIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HARNESS MOUNT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • NAIL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BUCKLE (16th Century to 17th Century - 1550 AD to 1650 AD)
  • BUTTON / CUFF LINK (16th Century to 18th Century - 1550 AD to 1750 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE
  • Higher Level Stewardship

Sources and further reading

---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 157. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 158. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 159. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 160. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 161. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 162. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 163. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 164. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 165. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 166. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 167. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 168. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 169. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 170. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 171. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 172. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 173. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 174. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 175. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 176. BB.
---*Fieldwork: Barton Bendish Survey. 177. BB.
---Photograph: I & RS. Digital finds image.
---Map: Finder's Map..
---Illustration: Unknown. Unknown. Sketch of a finds map.. Film. 1:2500.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Map: King's Lynn Museum. KLM 6 inch Record Map.
<S2>Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
<S3>Monograph: Wymer, J. J. and Bonsall, C. J. (eds). 1977. Gazetteer of Mesolithic Sites in England and Wales with a Gazetteer of Upper Palaeolithic Sites in England and Wales. Council for British Archaeology Research Report. No. 20. p 204.
<S4>Article in Monograph: Rogerson, A. and Davison, A. 1997. An archaeological and historical survey of the parish of Barton Bendish. Barton Bendish and Caldecote: fieldwork in south-west Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. Rogerson, A. et al.. No 80 pp 1-42. p 6.
<S5>Photograph: CSW 31-36 IA coin.
<S6>Photograph: CSF 30-32 ring brooch.
<S7>Serial: 1972. Council for British Archaeology, Group 7: Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries for 1972. No 19. p 3.
<S8>Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 70 NE 20.
<S9>Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2016. Drawing of a Early/Middle Bronze Age axe fragment. Find Illustration. Film. 1:1.
<S10>Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2017. Drawing of an Early Bronze Age flat axe. Find Illustration. Film. 1:1.
<S11>Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2016. Drawing of a Late Bronze Age awl. Find Illustration. Film. 1:1.
<S12>Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2014. Drawing of possibly Roman copper alloy object.. Film. 2:1.

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