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Record Details

NHER Number:31348
Type of record:Find Spot
Name:Site of Early Saxon cemetery and multi-period metal objects and coins

Summary

Metal-detecting in this area between 1994 and 2012 has recovered a variety of objects ranging in date from the Middle Bronze Age to the post medeival period. Finds of note include part of a Middle to Late Bronze Age spearhead, an Iron Age coin, five Roman brooches, a Middle Saxon pin or stylus, part of a Late Saxon stirrup, a medieval strap fitting and a silver vervel belonging to Henry Prince of Wales. The presence of Early Saxon brooches, a shield mount and a hanging bowl escutcheon suggest that there may have been an Early Saxon cemetery at this site.

Images

  • Post-medieval vervel from NHER 31348 © Norfolk County Council
  • Post-medieval vervel from NHER 31348 © Norfolk County Council

Location

Grid Reference:Not displayed
Map Sheet:TG04SE
Parish:CLEY NEXT THE SEA, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

December 1994/January 1995. Metal detecting.
Gilded bronze mount in form of Samson and the Lion, 12th century. On reverse six pierced loops, and an open integral bar for a strap. Loops must have been used for attachment.
Identified by S. Margeson (NCM).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 9 June 1995.

2002 to 2003. Site extended over two former fields. See old hard copy NHER map for original extent.
One Iron Age and three Roman coins.
Bronze Age (S3), Roman, Early Saxon, Middle Saxon, Late Saxon (S4) and post medieval metal finds (including Middle Saxon silver pin or stylus).
See lists in file with grid references.
The Middle Saxon silver pin was declared Treasure (Ref: 2003T100) and acquired by Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2005.329).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 3 May 2003. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 26 May 2020.

Before 14 November 2003. Metal detecting. Site extended to whole field.
Roman, Early Saxon (S5), medieval and post medieval metal objects.
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 9 February 2004.

Before 7 November 2004. Metal detecting.
One Roman and one medieval coins.
Two Roman plate brooches.
Early Saxon florid cruciform brooch.
See lists in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 7 February 2005.

Before 11 December 2007. Metal detecting.
1 medieval coin.
Early Saxon metal objects (S6), including hanging bowl escutcheon, (S7), medieval, medieval/post medieval and post medieval metal objects (including 16th-century silver dress hook and 17th-century silver bodkin or headdress pin).
See lists in file.
The medieval/post-medieval silver dress hook was submitted as potential Treasure (Treasure case 2008 T74), declared Treasure on 1 April 2008 and acquired by Norwich Castle Museum (Decorative Arts - NWHCM : 2012.1).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 1 April 2008. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 May 2020.

July 2008.
The collection of six Early Saxon objects (and the concentration of five them in part of the site) suggests the presence of an Early Saxon cemetery. This probably extends to the south; see NHER 39278 for excavated burial.
D. Robertson (NLA), 15 July 2008.

8 January 2012. Metal-detecting.
Silver vervel belonging to Henry Prince of Wales, dating to 1610-12 (S8), (S9).
See description in file.
The versel was submitted as potential Treasure (Treasure case 2012 T88) and subsequently acquired by Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2013.114).
S. Ashley (HES), 23 January 2012 and E. Darch (HES), 21 May 2013. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 14 June 2020.

Monument Types

  • FINDSPOT (Middle Bronze Age to Late Bronze Age - 1600 BC to 701 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • CEMETERY (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • SPEAR (Middle Bronze Age to Late Bronze Age - 1600 BC to 701 BC)
  • COIN (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • HANGING BOWL (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • SHIELD (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • PIN (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • STYLUS (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • STIRRUP (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PERSONAL ORNAMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • VESSEL (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • DRESS HOOK (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
  • CLOTH SEAL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HAIR PIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • JEWS HARP (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • SUNDIAL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • SWORD BELT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • VERVEL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Unpublished Document: Department for Culture, Media and Sport. 2004. Treasure Annual Report 2003. pp 76-77; No 102; Fig 102.
---Publication: British Museum. 2010. Treasure Act Annual Report 2008. p xxxii.
---Publication: British Museum. 2014. Treasure Act Annual Report 2012. p 53.
---Photograph: 2003. KTZ 6, Early Saxon equal arm brooch fragment..
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Article in Serial: Ashley, S. 2012. Artefacts of Interest. Reported under the Portable Antiquities Scheme and the Treasure Act. The Coat of Arms. 3rd Series Vol 8 Part 1 No 223 pp 47-52. pp 47-48; Fig 2a; Plate 9b.
<S1>Photograph: NLA. Finds Photograph.
<S2>Photograph: NCC Find Identification and Recording Service. c. 1975-2000. HES Find Polaroid Collection. HES Find Polaroid Collection. polaroid. black and white.
<S3>Illustration: Ashley, S.. 2003. Drawing of a Middle/Late Bronze Age spearhaed fragment.. Film. 1:1.
<S4>Illustration: Williams, D.. 2003. Drawing of a Late Saxon stirrup terminal.. Paper. 1:1.
<S5>Illustration: White, S.. 2004. Drawing of an Early Saxon equal-armed brooch.. Film. 2:1.
<S6>Illustration: Gibbons, J.. 2008. Drawing of an Early Saxon shield mount. Find Illustration. Film. 2:1.
<S7>Illustration: Gibbons, J.. 2008. Drawing of an Early Saxon hanging bowl escutcheon. Find Illustration. Film. 2:1.
<S8>Photograph: I & RS. Digital finds image.
<S9>Illustration: Gibbons, J.. 2012. Drawing of a Post medieval silver hawking vervel: D-sectioned ring.. Film. 2:1.

Related records

39278Related to: Early Saxon burial with skillet (Monument)

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