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Record Details

NHER Number:18943
Type of record:Monument
Name:Saxon and medieval features, multi-period finds

Summary

Fenland fieldwalking here in 1983 recovered sherds of Saxon, medieval and post medieval pottery along with pieces of bone and shell. Some of these finds were recovered from the top of an earthen mound which was identified as a roddon. A subsequent excavation in 1992 recorded substantial Middle Saxon, Late Saxon and medieval ditches full of domestic rubbish. Metal detecting has retrieved several other finds and these include a medieval pilgrim badge, a Late Saxon stirrup strap mount and an 11th century Ringerike-style mount. Additionally, charred macrofossils of Roman and Early Saxon date were retrieved; demonstrating arable farming was carried out at this site.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 47 14
Map Sheet:TF41SE
Parish:WEST WALTON, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

3 March 1983.
Context 1.
Odd sherds medieval pottery across field.

Context 2 at [1].
Medieval pottery abundant. Also one Early Saxon, one Middle Saxon and several Late Saxon and some post medieval.
Abundant bone, some shell, not much fired clay.
Irregular area not on roddon, but surrounds, but with exception of pieces of bone, does not cover a slightly raised area of light silt. 90m northwest to southeast x 50m northeast to southwest at 2.4 (8ft) OD.
On other side of silt and linking with the pottery scatter, abundant bone spread but little pottery.
Both set in dark grey discoloured silt.
Identifications by R. Silvester (NAU) March 1983.
R. Silvester (NAU) March 1983.

Some of pottery later reidentified as Ipswich Ware, non-Ipswich Ware Middle Saxon, and Thetford type ware. The mound on which Context 2 site is probably a Middle Saxon saltern.

For full details of wares, flint types, etc. see Fenland Folders (S1).

1989-1990. Further work at Context 2 during Fenland Evaluation.
A few more pieces of Middle Saxon pottery were collected and an auger hole drilled in the centre of the mound, providing a sample of the burnt deposit beneath the ploughsoil.
A dossier has been prepared for Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission - copy in file.
M. Leah (NAU) August 1990.

September 1990. Metal detector find.
14th century strap end made of two plates, both cut to form elaborate 'half- rosette terminal. Rocker arm decoration.
Information from member of the public [2].
Identified by S. Margeson (NCM).
A. Rogerson (NAU) 9 October 1990.

1992. Fieldwalking and Excavation.
Fenland Management Project.
Fieldwalking revealed scatter of Ipswich Ware and local handmade pottery, centred on a low rise, c. 100 m in diameter.
Excavation revealed that the mound is not a saltern after all but highest point of roddon, which had been largely buried by post-Roman silt. Substantial Middle Saxon, Late Saxon and medieval ditches full of domestic rubbish. Samples taken from the ditches revealed the presence of salt-tolerant crops such as barley, suggesting arable activity on the site.
See published report (S2) and (S3) for further details. See also report on plant macrofossils (S4). The results of this work are also summarised in (S5) and (S6).
E. Rose (NAU) 1 March 1993 amended by M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 03 July 2013.

On the crest of the roddon were a number of linear features ranging from slight gullies to substantial ditches up to 2m across and more than 1.2m deep. Finds and stratigraphic relationships indicated that some these features were Late Saxon/early medieval in date while others were Middle Saxon.
There was also a Middle Saxon probable hearth, and a large pit containing Late Saxon pottery.
Middle Saxon (including Ipswich Ware), Late Saxon and early post medieval pottery and metal detecting finds included an 11th century Ringerike-style mount and bronze box mount of similar date.
J. Allen (NLA) 15 September 2000.

August 1992. Metal detecting finds.
Three medieval coins. See list in file. Identified by J. Davies (NCM).
A. Rogerson (NLA) 5 October 1992.

September-October 1999. Metal detecting.
Early medieval coin.
Medieval and undated metal finds.
Middle Saxon, medieval and post medieval metal finds.
See lists in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA) 1 November 1999.

October-November 1999. Metal detecting.
One medieval coin.
Late Saxon and post medieval metal finds.
See lists in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA) 30 November 1999.

2000. Metal detecting.
Two medieval coins.
Medieval, post medieval and undatable metal finds from four areas.
See lists in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA) 24 July 2000.

Before September 2000. Metal detecting.
Medieval and post medieval metal finds.
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA) 28 September 2000.

October 2000. Metal detecting.
Two Roman coins at [3].
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA) 5 November 2000.

2000.
AML report on charred macrofossils.
See copy in file.
D. Gurney (NLA) 25 may 2001.

Monument Types

  • DITCH (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • GULLY (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • HEARTH (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • DITCH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • GULLY (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • PIT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • GULLY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds

  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Undated)
  • BRIQUETAGE (Undated)
  • COIN (Undated)
  • DISC (Undated)
  • FISH REMAINS (Undated)
  • MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Undated)
  • PLANT MACRO REMAINS (Undated)
  • SAMPLE (Undated)
  • SPINDLE WHORL (Undated)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
  • WEIGHT (Undated)
  • WEIGHT (Undated)
  • WEIGHT (Undated)
  • COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • STEELYARD WEIGHT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • BRIQUETAGE (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • POT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • POT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • QUERN (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BOX (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BOX (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BRIDLE BIT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BRIQUETAGE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • HARNESS (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • QUERN (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • STIRRUP (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BOOK FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • KNIFE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PILGRIM BADGE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • SPUR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • THIMBLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • VESSEL (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)
  • HOOKED TAG (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HOOKED TAG (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • JETTON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • PURSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • VESSEL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TF 4715G+H.
---*Fieldwork: Fenland Survey. WNW 42. FENS.
---*Fieldwork: Fenland Survey. WNW BY. FENS.
---Photograph: XM, XL, XP.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Thesis: Davies, G.. 2010. Settlement, economy and lifestyle: The changing social identities of the coastal settlements of West Norfolk, 450-1100 AD..
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Archive: Fenland Folders.
<S2>Monograph: Crowson, A., Lane, T. and Reeve, J. (eds). 2000. Fenland Management Project Excavations 1991-1995. Lincolnshire Archaeology and Heritage Reports Series. No 3. pp 167, 216-217.
<S3>Article in Serial: Leah, M. 1992. The Fenland Management Project, Norfolk. Fenland Research. Vol 7 pp 49-59. pp 54-56.
<S4>Unpublished Contractor Report: Murphy, P. 2000. Plant Macrofossils from Seven Anglo-Saxon and Early Medieval Sites Investigated as Part of the Fenland Management Project on Norfolk and Lincolnshire. Ancient Monuments Laboratory.
<S5>Article in Serial: Nenk, B. S., Margeson, S. and Hurley, M. 1993. Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1992. Medieval Archaeology. Vol XXXVII pp 240-313. p 277.
<S6>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. (ed.). 1993. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1992. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLI Pt IV pp 522-532. p 532.

Related records - none

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