Record Details

NHER Number:23492
Type of record:Monument
Name:Possible Roman villa or high status site

Summary

The site of a possible Roman villa or other high status site such as a temple complex is visible as crop marks on aerial photographs in an area which has produced Roman and other artefacts through metal detecting and field walking. Roman artefacts include tiles, pottery, over one hundred coins, a gold pendant, an early 3rd century coin that is fused to a silver finger ring and brooches. Other finds included an Early Saxon wrist clasp gusset plate, a Middle Saxon Ansate brooch, a Late Saxon disc brooch, medieval and post-medieval coins and metalwork. Metal-detecting in 2011 recovered a gold Roman pendant in the shape of a phallus.

Images

  • Romano-British pendant from NHER 23492  © Norfolk County Council

Location

Grid Reference:Not displayed
Map Sheet:TF72NW
Parish:HILLINGTON, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Cropmarks drawn on NCM map (S2) by A. Gregory (NAU) from Ordnance Survey air photograph show linear marks resembling trackways etc. down to Belmont Ring.
E. Rose (NAU) 16 July 1981. (ORIGINALLY RECORDED UNDER NHER 17365)

February 1987. Metal-detecting. Grid reference provided by finder - no map provided.
Silver denarius of Severus Alexander AD 222 to 235, melted and fused to silver finger-ring and molten silver.
Information from [1].
Identified by A. Gregory (NAU).
A. Rogerson (NAU), March 1987.

November 1990. Metal-detecting.
Medieval and post-medieval coins and artefacts. Roman coins, brooches and artefacts.
See lists in file.
D. Gurney (NLA), 15 November 1990.

See (S1).

1994. Fieldwalking and metal-detecting.
Sixteen Roman coins, two brooches, bracelet, hairpin, weight, pottery and tile scatter. Also post medieval/modern material.
See list and form in file.
D. Gurney (NLA), 16 March 1994.

February 1995. Metal-detecting.
Eight Roman coins, 3rd to 4th century AD. Henry III penny.
See coin forms in file.
D. Gurney (NLA), 28 March 1995.

April 1995. Metal-detecting.
Bronze hoop fragment, 16mm wide, 5mm thick with convex surfaces, ribbed externally, and part perforation at one break. Function uncertain.
D. Gurney (NLA), 28 April 1995.

April 1995. Metal-detecting and fieldwalking.
Twenty four Roman coins.
One medieval coin.
See forms in file.
Three sherds Roman pottery.
See list in file.
D. Gurney (NLA), 9 November 1995.

Summer 1995. Metal-detecting and fieldwalking.
Thirty two Roman coins and bronze hairpin, pottery, one oyster shell, four tiles.
One sherd Glazed Grimston and belt pendant.
See coin forms and list in file.
D. Gurney (NLA), 4 June 1996.

October 1997. Metal detecting. (ORIGINALLY RECORDED UNDER NHER 17365)
Thirty-one Roman coins.
One medieval coin.
See forms in file.
D. Gurney (NLA), 13 November 1997.

Before 4 May 2007. Metal-detecting, area extended to whole field, previous area saved [5].
Roman coins and artefacts, a Late Saxon disc brooch (S2), medieval artefacts and coins and post-medieval artefacts and a token.
See list and description in file.
E. Darch (NLA), 21 September 2007.

Before 9 January 2008. Metal-detecting.
Hines Class C1 Early Saxon sleeve clasp gusset plate, Middle Saxon Ansate brooch, medieval knife shoulder.
E. Bales (NLA), 11 March 2008.

Before 12 March 2008. Metal-detecting.
25 Roman coins, 1 probable box/casket mount and 1 harness mount.
1 medieval silver seal matrix, 2 buckles and 1 bar mount.
1 post-medieval coin.
Coins identified by A. Marsden (NLA), seal matrix by A. Rogerson (NLA) and S. Ashley (NLA) and other objects by R. Crawford (NAU). See lists in file.
The medieval silver seal matrix was submitted as potential Treasure (Treasure case 2008 T208) and subsequently acquired by Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2009.226).
R. Crawford (NLA), 21 July 2009. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 May 2020.

30 January 2011. Metal-detecting.
Roman gold pendant in the form of a phallus (S3).
See description in file.
Reported as potential Treasure (Treasure case 2011 T78) and subsequently acquired by King's Lynn Museum (KILLM : 2012.1).
E. Darch (HES), 12 May 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 8 June 2020.

July 2012.
Cropmarks visible on Google Earth from 2006 (TF74442553) show a series of linears which appear to be a villa or similar high status Roman site such as a temple complex. This is reinforced by the finds evidence detailed above. The site has been extended to take in the field to the east. Cropmarks continue into this area which has also produced 31 Roman coins. These were initially recorded under NHER 17365 but have been moved into this number following the site enhancement. Cropmarks are very faint and slightly obscured by periglacial striping and only appear to be visible on Google Earth 2006. This site is potentially comparable to NHER 32198 c. 4.5 km to the west.
K. Powell (HES), 27 July 2012.

Monument Types

  • FINDSPOT (Unknown date)
  • BUILDING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SETTLEMENT (Roman to 19th Century - 43 AD to 1900 AD)
  • VILLA? (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Undated)
  • MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Undated)
  • NAIL (Undated)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
  • BEAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BRACELET (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • COIN (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)
  • HARNESS MOUNT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • NECKLACE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PENDANT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PIN (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)
  • SEAL BOX (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • STEELYARD WEIGHT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • STUD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TOILET ARTICLE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • WEIGHT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SLEEVE CLASP (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BROOCH (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • BROOCH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BALANCE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • KNIFE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • MOUNT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PENDANT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PURSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • SEAL MATRIX (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP END (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TOKEN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 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)
  • MUSKET BALL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • SPUR (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • THIMBLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TOKEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WRITING AND DRAWING EQUIPMENT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Publication: British Museum. 2010. Treasure Act Annual Report 2008. p xxvi.
---Publication: British Museum. 2013. Treasure Act Annual Report 2011. p xxii.
---Photograph: I & RS. Digital finds image.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Aerial Photograph: Google Earth. 2006. TF74442553.
---Photograph: 1991. LBP 1-8, Romano British gold pendant..
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 2013. This Roman bling has a touch of sauce to it. 24 May.
<S1>Unpublished Document: Johns, C.M.. 1991. Roman Gold Bead from Hillington.
<S2>Illustration: Gibbons, J.. 2007. Drawing of a Late Saxon disc brooch.. Film. 2:1.
<S3>Illustration: Gibbons, J.. 2011. Drawing of a Roman pendant.. Film. 2:1.
<S4>Newspaper Article: The Searcher no. 327. 2012. Size Matters!. December.

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