Record Details
| NHER Number: | 6392 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Late Saxon/medieval iron working site/features |
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Summary
A group of pits are visible on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 1977. The full extent of the site is not visible as the pits extend into woodland. The pits are thought to be associated with iron working and ore processing. Similar features close by (NHER 6351 and 6392) have been excavated and date to the Late Saxon/medieval period. By 1993 the site had been destroyed by quarrying.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 1688 4144 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG14SE |
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| Parish: | BEESTON REGIS, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
A group of 'Weybourne Pits' or Shrieking Pits, probably ancient iron workings, are mentioned as being on Aylmerton Heath. According to (S1), this group is at the above grid reference.
See (S2), (S3), (S4) and (S5).
See NHER 6280 and NHER 6292 for main groups.
Harrod excavated at Weybourne in 1852 and Spurrell dug thirty-seven pits at Beeston and Runton (S6). Excavation by Cox at site not given in 1919 (S7) and (S8). All called them pit dwellings or hut circles; Cox said Iron Age. See NHER 6396 for Sainty and Watson's excavation.
In 1932 member of the public [1] called pits Roman iron workings: Spurrell had thought of this but concluded that at least some pits were 'older than the local iron manufacture'.
R. R. Clarke (NCM) thought pits were for mining of ferruginous conglomerate in gravel.
February 1986.
This group on Aylmerton Heath have all been destroyed by ploughing.
P. Wade-Martins (NAU) 28 February 1986.
But on (S9) the remains of this group to northwest of marked site, across parish boundary in Beeston Regis.
E. Rose (NAU) 13 April 1992.
However this latter remnant were destroyed by a mineral quarry between 1972 and 1993.
E. Rose (NLA) 23 March 1993.
Norfolk NMP. July 2003.
A series of pit remains relating to the iron working taking place on the site can be seen on RAF aerial photographs from 1946 (S10 and S11) and Cambridge University Committee for Aerial Photography images from 1955 (S12). The area is also visible on NLA aerial photographs from 1977 (S13) and Ordnance Survey images from 1968 (S14). The full extent to this site cannot be seen due the adjacent woodland. The site is indicated by an extent of area with only the clearest of the pits being plotted individually. The date of the site is uncertain, however, similar nearby sites seem to range between Roman and Late Saxon to medieval in date. This area has now been destroyed by quarrying.
H. Clare (NMP) 24 July 2003.
Monument Types
- IRON WORKING SITE (Unknown date)
- PIT (Unknown date)
- IRON WORKING SITE (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
- PIT (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
- IRON WORKING SITE (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD? to 1539 AD?)
- PIT (Late Saxon to Medieval - 851 AD? to 1539 AD?)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | 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 - Miscellaneous. Aylmerton. |
| <S1> | Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 14 SE 7 [11]. |
| <S2> | Article in Serial: 1934. [unknown]. Journal of the British Archaeological Association. Second Series Vol XL. p 3. |
| <S3> | Article in Serial: Harrod, H. 1852. On the Weybourne Pits. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol III pp 232-240. pp 236-237, 239. |
| <S4> | Monograph: 1901. The Victoria History of Norfolk. The Victoria History of the Counties of England. Vol 1. p 265. |
| <S5> | Newspaper Article: Abbott, A.R. (Norwich Mercury). [unknown]. 16 September. |
| <S6> | Serial: 1883. Archaeological Journal. Vol CL. pp 281-95. |
| <S7> | Article in Serial: 1920. Summary of Proceedings. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society of East Anglia. Vol III Pt II (for 1919-20) pp 315-322. pp 320-321. |
| <S8> | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. [unknown]. 16 February. |
| <S9> | Map: Ordnance Survey. 1972. Ordnance Survey 1:10,000. |
| <S10> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1571 4211-2 07-JUN-1946 (Norfolk SMR TG14/TG1641/C & A). |
| <S11> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1571 4179 07-JUN-1946 (SMR TG14/TG 1641B). |
| <S12> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1955. NMR TG1741/3-5 (CUCAP PU15-17) 18-JUN-1955. |
| <S13> | Aerial Photograph: 1977. SMR TG 1741A (NLA 53/AKP6) 31-JUL-1977. |
| <S14> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1968. OS/68082 013 25-APR-1968 (Norfolk HER TG 1741B). |
Related records - none
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