Record Details

NHER Number:41028
Type of record:Monument
Name:Roman pits and ditches, Feltwell Road

Summary

Archaeological investigations undertaken between 2004 and 2006 revealed a number of Roman features, included two pits and a number of ditches. One of the pits was particularly notable, producing a large amount of pottery, a copper alloy toilet set and an articulated dog burial. Other finds recovered included two prehistoric flint blades of possible Mesolithic/Early Neolithic date.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TL 62404 94890
Map Sheet:TL69SW
Parish:SOUTHERY, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

December 2004. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site of proposed residential development. Contexts 1-50.
Excavations revealed several ditches; these were largely undated, although one produced a single sherd of Roman pottery (mid 2nd to 3rd century AD). These features were sealed by what was thought to be a colluvial deposit. Apart from a single modern brick no other finds were recovered.
See report (S1) for further details.
A. Cattermole (NLA) 3 January 2005.

November 2006. Excavation.
Excavation conducted within footprint of proposed main service road. From Context 100.
This work recorded Roman features including several ditches and two pits. One large pit contained numerous Roman pottery sherds along with a copper alloy toilet set of a similar date and a well-preserved articulated dog burial. Other Roman pottery recovered during the excavation included a mortarium fragment and jars which had been used as cooking pots. These remains demonstrate the presence of a Roman field system of mid 2nd-4th century date and a Roman settlement.
Other finds recovered included two flint blade of possible Mesolithic/Early Neolithic date and fragments of (presumably Roman) iron working slag.
Study of the dog burial suggests an element of a 'ritual' burial, due to it being recovered from the same pit as the toilet set. However, the dog seems to have been disposed of in a general rubbish pit, therefore it is not possibe to be certain that this was a deliberate burial.
See final report (S2) and assessment report (S3) for further details. This work was also briefly summarised in (S4).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 10 October 2007 and H White (NLA) 20 November 2008. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 18 September 2013.

December 2006.
Following the excavation of the access road, the houses either side of the road are to be built on piled foundations with slabs no deeper than 800mm, thereby achieving preservation in situ of any further remains within the area of archaeological interest.
D. Gurney (NLA) 2 January 2007.

A combined archive comprising material from both phases of archaeological work at this site has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2010.280).
P. Watkins (HES), 11 May 2019.

Monument Types

  • DITCH (Unknown date)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • DITCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FIELD SYSTEM? (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • GULLY (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PIT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PIT (Roman - 150 AD to 409 AD)
  • DITCH (Post Medieval - 1540 AD? to 1900 AD?)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • BLADE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC? to 3001 BC?)
  • RETOUCHED BLADE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC? to 3001 BC?)
  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • COSMETIC SET (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
  • NAIL CLEANER (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SLAG (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TWEEZERS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • Higher Level Stewardship

Sources and further reading

---Photograph: Emery, G.. 2007. MKR-MKS.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Unpublished Contractor Report: Ames, J. 2005. An Archaeological Evaluation at Feltwell Road, Southery, Norfolk. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 1039.
<S2>Unpublished Contractor Report: Emery, G. 2008. An Archaeological Excavation at Feltwell Road, Southery. NAU Archaeology. 1390.
<S3>Unpublished Contractor Report: Emery, G. 2007. An Archaeological Excavation at Feltwell Road, Southery. Assessment Report and Update Project Design. NAU Archaeology. 1241.
<S4>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. (ed.). 2007. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk in 2006. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLV Pt II pp 261-273. p 270.

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