Record Details

NHER Number:10613
Type of record:Monument
Name:Roman settlement and multi-period finds

Summary

Metal detecting since 1983 has recovered a very large range of objects, ranging from Mesolithic and Neolithic flint artefacts to a Bronze Age axehead, Iron Age coins and brooches, Roman coins, brooches and pottery fragments, Saxon brooches, medieval coins, and post medieval objects. The number and type of Roman artefacts from this site in combination with its position adjacent to both Stone Street Roman Road and the River Waveney indicate this is a significant Roman settlement.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:Not displayed
Map Sheet:TM39SW
Parish:DITCHINGHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

1960. Stray Find.
Roman coin found.

Around 1983. Metal-detecting and fieldwalking.
Various objects recovered by [1]. Metal finds seen by NCM at this time divided into three areas. Find from central area (centred [2]; NCM Site 77) included:
4 Roman coins.

Finds from north-west corner (centred [3]; NCM Site 78) included:
2 Iron Age silver coins.

Finds from southern area (centred [4]; NCM Site 76) included:
11 Iron Age coins.
3 Late Iron Age/Early Roman brooches.
5 Roman coins and 4 brooches.

Finds from general area of the site included:
1 undatable prehistoric quartzite pebble/rubber.
1 Mesolithic petit tranchet flint arrowhead, 1 retouched blade, 1 end scraper, small blades and flakes.
1 Neolithic flint core, 1 double ended scraper and 1 borer.
1 Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age flint thumbnail scraper.
1 Bronze Age copper alloy probable socketed axe fragment.
1 ?Bronze Age copper alloy casting jet.

The worked flints were identified by J. J. Wymer (NAU) and subsequently donated to the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1986.75). See lists in file and drawing of petit tranchet arrowhead (S2).

Additional finds in [1]'s collection - the majority probably from this site - were also examined by T. Gregory (NAU) around this time. These finds included Roman, Late Saxon and Medieval pottery sherds; Iron Age coins (including both Iceni and non-Iceni issues); Roman coins and brooches; other Roman metalwork (including military objects) and medieval and post-medieval metal objects. See lists and detailed descriptions in file. The pottery was donated to the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1983.382).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 February 2014.

June 1983. Fieldwalking.
Found on surface by T. Gregory (NAU) and [1]:
Good scatter of Romano-British coarse wares, not very distinctive. Some micaceous, but not as many as would be expected further west. Two sherds of samian ware, one burnt and one additional sherd retained by [1].

Soil a light sand-loam with large amounts of gravel. This field, and the site of the new maltings to the north-east are obviously part of a gravel island in the mainly peat-filled river valley.

At least some of the pottery sherds may be amongst the material donated to the NCM in 1983 (NWHCM : 1983.382), see above.
T. Gregory (NAU), 23 June 1983. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 26 February 2014.

1985. Fieldwalking.
Additional finds found by [1]. General scatter:
17 Mesolithic or Neolithic flint blades (the majority Neolithic).
36 Neolithic flint flakes/spall and 4 scrapers.
Identified by J. J. Wymer (NAU). Possibly part of the collection donated to the NCM in 1986 (NWHCM : 1986.75), see above.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 26 February 2013.

1992 Metal detecting. Roman brooches, coins, medieval metalwork.
See full details and (S1) in file
Some objects in Bungay Museum.

7 May 1992.
Metal detecting.
Edward III penny. See list in file. Identified by J.A. Davies (NCM).
Two sestertii (Roman coins). See list in file. Identified by J.A. Davies (NCM).
W. Milligan (NCM), 6 December 1994.

1989 onwards. Metal detecting.
Roman, Early Saxon, Late Saxon/medieval, post medieval and undatable metal finds.
Thirty three Roman coins (one pierced, possibly Early Saxon)
See also list of Iron Age coins (2 sheets) probably most if not all already recorded.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 20 May 2001.

August/September 2003. Metal detecting.
Four Roman coins.
Roman sherds and metal objects.
See lists in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 15 October 2003.

September- October 2009. Metal detecting.
Roman pottery, 8 Roman coins, a post medieval button, ring and unusual pair of dividers.
See description in file,
A. Rogerson, (NLA), 13 November 2009

September 2013
The number and type of Roman artefacts from this site in combination with its position adjacent to both Stone Street Roman Road (NHER 10636) and the River Waveney indicate this is a significant Roman settlement.
K. Powell (HES), 12 September 2013

Monument Types

  • FINDSPOT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 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)
  • POT (Unknown date)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
  • WEIGHT (Unknown date)
  • BLADE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • BLADE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • END SCRAPER (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • FLAKE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC? to 4001 BC?)
  • RETOUCHED BLADE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • TRANSVERSE ARROWHEAD (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • BLADE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • BORER (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • CORE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • END SCRAPER (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • FLAKE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • SCRAPER (TOOL) (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • THUMB NAIL SCRAPER (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • SOCKETED AXEHEAD (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • BROOCH (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • COIN (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • COIN (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • HARNESS (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 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)
  • DISC (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • DRESS COMPONENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • MORTARIUM (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SPINDLE WHORL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • VESSEL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • GIRDLE HANGER (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • PENDANT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • TWEEZERS (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • TWEEZERS (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BELL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BROOCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BULL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • CAULDRON (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINGER RING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • HARNESS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • JETTON (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • JETTON (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PADLOCK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • SEAL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TWEEZERS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • VESSEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WEIGHT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BOOK FITTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BUTTON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • DIVIDERS (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FURNITURE FITTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HARNESS (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HARNESS FITTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • KNIFE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • RING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • SEAL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • THIMBLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Photograph: I & RS. Digital finds image.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Serial: 1960. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries for 1960. No 7. p 3.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Roman. Ditchingham.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2014. Drawing of a Mesolithic petit tranchet flint arrowhead from Ditchingham. Film. 2:1.
---Photograph: CZE34-6, CVA10-36, CZK1-3, CXT31-6, CKH4-36, CZX1-20, CKX5-14, CKJ.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>Photograph: NLA. Finds Photograph.

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