Record Details

NHER Number:16641
Type of record:Monument
Name:Two Early Saxon buildings, Iron Age to post medieval pottery sherds

Summary

Fieldwalking in this site in the 1960s and 1970s recovered a number of prehistoric flints and prehistoric to post medieval pottery sherds. In addition, excavation on the site uncovered the remains of two Early Saxon sunken featured buildings which contained a large number of loom wieghts and appear to have been in use at the same time. Iron Age, Roman and medieval to post medieval pottery sherds have also been recovered from this site, as well as a number of prehistoric flints.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 331 323
Map Sheet:TG33SW
Parish:WITTON, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

OS field 3.
1960s-1970s.
Fieldwalking by informant.
Finds of above periods.
1963 and 1964 and 1974 surface finds.
Excavations of hut sites.
For full details see lists in file and (S1).
See drawings of Iron Age pottery from contect 3 (S2)-(S4).
E. Rose (NAU), 5 May 1982.

Context 1: scatter over field. Prehistoric flints. Bones. Medieval and post medieval pottery sherds. Iron Age, Early Saxon and Late Saxon pottery sherds. Two fragments of slag.
Context 2: 1964. Floor of possible hut noted. Sandstone hearth and daub revealed by ploughing. Three sherds of Early Saxon ware. 'Piece of cup and bronze bodkin'. Excavated. During this period a number of residual handmade Iron Age pottery sherds were recovered. Sixteen Roman pottery sherds were also recovered. Two Early Saxon structures were excavated. Building 'M' was 4m x 2m x 0.4m deepm subrectangular plan, east to west axis and a possible central post hole at either end. There was a possible central hearth and a very dark infill of rubbish and ash and two loom wieghts. Building 'N' was 4m by 2.6m by 0.4m deep, subrectangular in plan and buitl on an east to west axis. It had a possible central hearth with a central post hole at eight end. Less ash in infill. Distributed in the infill were thirty-six loom wieghts on average of fist sixe, at one spot was a pile of sixteen. The two buildings appear to have been linked together and in use at the same time.
Context 3: 1963. In 1963 distinctive Iron Age pottery sherds were recovered. Excavation removed ploughsoil and no apparent archaeological features noted. Fide spot was around 10m north of context 2.
Context 4: Many prehistoric pottery sherds. Flints. Roman sherds. Medieval and post medieval pottery sherds. Slag, cinder, brick and coal fragments. Vitrified brick fragments.
Context 5: Brick fragments from kiln? Confusion with those in context 4?
Context 6: 1974. Small number medieval pottery sherds.
Context 7: Medieval and post medieval pottery sherds. Two Roman pottery sherds.
Context 8: Possible Neolithic sherds, one Roman, two medieval pottery sherds. Two slag, one vitrified brick fragments. Three prehistoric flints.
Context 9: One prehistoric, one Roman, five medieval pottery sherds. Five slag and one brick fragment. Two flint flakes.
Context 10: Two converging linear cropmarks.
Information from (S1) and secondary file.
Ruth Fillery-Travis (NLA), 11 September 2007.

Monument Types

  • LINEAR FEATURE (Unknown date)
  • BUILDING (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • FLOOR (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • GRUBENHAUS (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • HEARTH (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)

Associated Finds

  • BRICK (Undated)
  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Undated)
  • PLANT REMAINS (Undated)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
  • BLADE (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FLAKE (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • RETOUCHED FLAKE (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FLAKE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • POT (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • SCRAPER (TOOL) (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • POT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Correspondence: Robins, P.. 1989. J.E Owles flint collection brought in to Castle Museum for identification.. 5 April.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Iron Age. Witton.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Early Saxon. Witton.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Witton [2].
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Miscellaneous. Witon [2]; Witton - NHER 7067.
<S1>Article in Serial: Lawson, A. J. 1983. The Archaeology of Witton, near North Walsham. East Anglian Archaeology. No 18.
<S2>Illustration: Milligan, W. F. 1964. Drawing of Iron Age pottery fragment. Card. Unknown.
<S3>Illustration: Arber, N. 1964. Drawing of Iron Age pottery fragment.. Card. Unknown.
<S4>Illustration: Milligan, W. F. 1964. Drawing of Iron Age pottery fragment. Card. Unknown.

Related records

39212Related to: Cropmarks of possible Iron Age to Roman field system and farmstead (Monument)
39214Related to: Cropmarks of undated but possibly Early Saxon ditches or enclosure boundaries (Monument)

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