Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

February 1978. Casual Observation.
A pit feature was oberved in section in the side of a gravel quarry. Located at TG 2425 0468.
Beaker domestic ware and worked flints were recovered from the fill of the pit.
Later in the month, similar finds were recovered from a second pit. (S2) records the second pit as 30m to the south, but (S1) records it as 90m south - located in the southeast corner of the quarry pit.
The finds from these first two pits are quantified in the subsequent report and are included in the details of the entry below.
Information from unpublished report (S2) and record card (S1).
Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 23 June 2022.

February-March 1978. Excavation.
The quarry site was examined over a two-day period.
At the time, the majority of the working area had been stripped down to chalk level where quarrying had been taking place. However on the eastern edge of the quarry only the topsoil had been removed from a 2m to 3m side strip, revealing a thin layer of gravel, and a number of archaeological features were recorded over 35m area.
9 circular pits containing prehistoric pottery and flints, an area of burning, a hollow with residual topsoil containing pottery, and 1 modern pit were recorded. The pits ranged in size from 40cm to 72cm in diameter and depths of 10cm to 80cm deep, with the majority only 10cm-20cm deep. 7 of the pits can be formed into two groups, and it has been suggested that they may represent small structures.
Environmental samples were taken from seven of the pits. All samples were contaminated with modern roots and seeds, but all contets were found to contain charcoal fragments identified as predominantly oak, with some hawthorn-type, ash, and unidentified conifer. Two samples contained burnt bone and a piece of clay lump contained the lower limb of an amphibian. 3 samples contained fragmentary cereal grains, one of which could be identified as a species of wheat, likely spelt or emmer.
Finds consisted of:
Prehistoric pottery including 131 sherds, 5 rims, and 1 possible base. The majority of the assemblage was undiagnostic, but a few sherds from the original two pits had Beaker characteristics, implying a Late Neolithic to Early Bronze age date, and the other sherds could also date to this period.
Prehistoric flint including: 1 core, 1 blade, 55 flakes, 3 retouched flakes, 4 shatter pieces, and 41 pot boilers.
Burnt bone, burnt clay, coal.
1 Roman pottery sherd (recovered from surface collection)
1 modern blue glazed pottery sherd.
Information from unpublished report (S2).
See also published discussion (S4).
A. Lawson (NAU), 1978. Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 24 June 2022.

June 1978. Casual observation.
On stripped surface before quarrying, about this area.
1 Roman mortarium sherd with hooked flange.
Information from record card (S1).
Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 23 June 2022.

1979. Casual observation.
Large quantity Iron Age sherds.
Information from record card (S1).
Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 23 June 2022.

1984. Casual observation.
Found in gravel pit.
1 leaf arrowhead
2 scrapers
1 petit tranchet derivative arrowhead
2 small single platform cores
49 flakes, some with slight retouch
1 pot boiler.
Identified by J. J. Wymer (NAU).
Information from record card (S1).
J. J. Wymer (NAU), 5 August 1985.
Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 23 June 2022.

June 2022. Enhancement.
The mapped extent of this site was extended from a point to a polygon in order to more accurately reflect the extent of the examined area. See [1] for details of original mapped points.
In the absence of any location maps in the unpublished report (S2) or indication of location in subsequnt find reports, the extent has been estimated based on the grid co-ordinates provided and the known area of quarrying as visible in 1988 aerial photographs (S3). The excavated features were likely confined to the eastern portion of this mapped area. The mapped extent is quite generous as there is no indication of which parts of the quarry were investigated during subsequent visits. The quarry extends further north and finds from 1979 and 1984 could potentially have been recovered from outside the mapped extent.
H. Hamilton (HES), 24 June 2022.

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• FINDSPOT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
• HOLLOW (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
• IN SITU BURNT DEPOSIT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
• PIT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
• STRUCTURE? (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
• FINDSPOT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

• AMPHIBIAN REMAINS (Unknown date)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Unknown date)
• CEREAL GRAIN (Unknown date)
• CHARCOAL (Unknown date)
• CORE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• FLAKE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• LEAF ARROWHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• POT BOILER (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• SCRAPER (TOOL) (Neolithic - 4000 BC? to 2351 BC?)
• TRANSVERSE ARROWHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• BLADE (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC? to 1501 BC?)
• CORE (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC? to 1501 BC?)
• DEBITAGE (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC? to 1501 BC?)
• FLAKE (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC? to 1501 BC?)
• FLAKE (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC? to 1501 BC?)
• POT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
• POT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
• POT BOILER (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC? to 1501 BC?)
• RETOUCHED FLAKE (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC? to 1501 BC?)
• POT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• POT (19th Century to Mid 20th Century - 1801 AD to 1950 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Caistor St Edmund (Parish Summary)