Record Details

NHER Number:37622
Type of record:Monument
Name:Neolithic to Iron Age occupation, Early Saxon inhumation cemetery, Bacton to King's Lynn gas pipeline

Summary

Fieldwork undertaken between 2002 and 2003 revealed features from the Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age and Early Saxon periods, including a Bronze Age double ring ditch with a cremation and pits between the ditches. Of particular interest is a small Early Saxon cemetery focussed on the round barrow, which included twenty-five inhumations, two cremations, a lone skull and an ‘empty’ grave. Geophysical survey recorded linear, curvilinear and several pit-like magnetic anomalies, which may be indicative of outlying elements of Sutton Deserted Medieval Village (NHER 3708), or they may also correspond to prehistoric remains which are known in the area.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:Not displayed
Map Sheet:TF82SE
Parish:TITTLESHALL, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

November 2002 - January 2003. Geophysical survey. Bacton to King's Lynn Transco pipeline. Construction section 13, plot number 202.
Geophysical survey recorded linear, curvilinear and several pit-like magnetic anomalies. The findings may be indicative of outlying elements of Sutton Deserted Medieval Village (NHER 3708), which is immediately to the north. However, the finds may also correspond to prehistoric remains which are also known in the area.
See (S1).
S. Howard (NLA), 5 February 2010.

November 2002 - January 2003. Geophysical survey. Bacton to King's Lynn pipeline plot 202.
The linear features recorded by the geophysical survey were interpreted as probable field boundaries, some of which may correlate wth former field boundaries shown on the 1837 tithe map, ordnance survey map of 1889 and aerial photographs taken in 1946. Fieldwalking recovered a low density flint scatter comprising one scraper, one preform axe head, two blades, burnt flint and four flakes. Other finds included one medieval pottery sherd and 15 fragments of post-medieval ceramic building material. The metal detecting survey located nine metal objects including a fragment of medieval or later copper alloy vessel, a post-medieval rumbler bell and a post-medieval teaspoon.
See (S2).
S. Howard (NLA), 9 February 2010.

March - August 2003. Excavation.
Excavation revealed a Neolithic pit and two linear features which represent either prehistoric gullies or natural features.
A segmented, curvilinear Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age ditch, interpreted as a ring ditch. Two pit-like features and a post hole were located within the area enclosed by the ring ditch. A second, Bronze Age, ring ditch is believed to have been constructed around the original. A cremation was located between the two ditches. Three pits and a post hole cut the fill of the inner ditch.
An Iron Age sub-rectangular enclosure, ditches, and a considerable number of pits and post holes.
A small Saxon cemetery containing twenty-five inhumations, two cremations, a skull placed upside down within a small pit, and an 'empty' grave containing only a pottery vessel, were found. Other features included a grave-shaped pit that contained no evidence for an inhumation or grave goods, and a small pit which contained a single amber bead.
A post medieval rectilinear field system.
A small number of features are undated but may be post medieval or later, including the grave of a dog.
Prehistoric pottery ranging from Early Neolithic to Iron Age, also much Early Saxon and a single Middle Saxon sherd, and a few pieces of medieval pottery.
Grave goods from this cemetery include iron knives, a shield and spear and an iron bound tub. Sixteen brooches, nine pairs of sleeve clasps, three buckles, two pins and two pendants were also found, as well as seventy preserved textile fragments and 'over 388' beads. The beads were largely amber or glass, a small number were rock crystal, and two pierced Roman coins were also recovered. Iron smelting may have occurred on or near the site, probably in the Iron Age or possible Saxon periods.
See (S3). The results of this work are also summarised in (S4).
J. Allen (NLA), 25 August 2006.

Monument Types

  • FINDSPOT (Undated)
  • FINDSPOT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • GULLY (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • PIT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • DITCH (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC)
  • PIT (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC)
  • POST HOLE (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC)
  • RING DITCH (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC)
  • CREMATION (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • DITCH (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • PIT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • POST HOLE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • RING DITCH (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • DITCH (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • IRON WORKING SITE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • PIT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • POST HOLE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • CEMETERY (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • CREMATION (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
  • INHUMATION (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • PIT (Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • DESERTED SETTLEMENT? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • CHARCOAL (Unknown date)
  • DISC (Unknown date)
  • SLAG (Unknown date)
  • XFIRED CLAY (Unknown date)
  • AXEHEAD (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FLAKE (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FLAKE (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • SCRAPER (TOOL) (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • XFIRED CLAY (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • BLADE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • POT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • POT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • FLAKE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • BROOCH (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • FLAKE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • SLAG (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINGER RING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BEAD (Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BEAD (Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BEAD (Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BEAD (Early Saxon to Middle Saxon - 411 AD to 850 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • HUMAN REMAINS (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • KNIFE (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • PENDANT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • PIN (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • POT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • RING (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • SHIELD (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • SLEEVE CLASP (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • SPEAR (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • TEXTILE (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • TUB (Early Saxon to Middle Saxon - 411 AD to 850 AD)
  • XFIRED CLAY (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • POT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • VESSEL (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • COIN (13th Century to 14th Century - 1300 AD to 1399 AD)
  • BUILDING MATERIAL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • CROTAL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • ROOF TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • SPOON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

<S1>Unpublished Contractor Report: Pre-Construct Geophysics. 2003. Fluxgate Gradiometer and Magnetic Susceptibility Surveys: Bacton to King's Lynn Gas Pipeline. Pre-Construct Geophysics.
<S2>Unpublished Contractor Report: [Unknown]. 2003. Bacton to Kings Lynn Proposed Gas Pipeline. Archaeological Field Reconnaissance, Fieldwalking, Metal Detecting and Geophysical Survey. Network Archaeology. 184.
<S3>Unpublished Contractor Report: Network Archaeology. 2004. Bacton to King's Lynn Natural Gas Pipeline. Post-Excavation Assessment of Potential for Analysis and Updated Project Design. Network Archaeology. pp 23-29.
<S4>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. 2004. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 2003. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIV Pt III pp 573-588. p 580.

Related records - none

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