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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	30864
Type of record:	Monument
Name:	Roman brooch making debris, a coin hoard and multi-period finds

Summary

Metal-detecting between 1994 and 2012 recovered a collection of 1st to 2nd century AD copper alloy Roman brooches, brooch blanks, brooch moulds and other metalworking debris. One of the brooch moulds still contained an unfinished brooch. Only two other Roman metal moulds for brooches have been found in this country (in 2006), and these are also in Norfolk (NHER 34732 and NHER 1003). The association of the Old Buckenham moulds with other part finished artefacts, however, further enhances their importance. Excavation, geophysical survey and metal-detecting have revealed little evidence for other Roman activity in the area except for a small hoard of twenty-one Roman coins. These isolated Roman finds may have been dropped by a Roman craftsman or been moved here in topsoil when the nearby airfield (NHER 9235) was constructed.
Other finds recovered during metal-detecting include animal bones; prehistoric worked flints; a medieval coin and post-medieval pottery sherds, brick fragments and a nail.

Images

Location

Grid Reference:	Not displayed
Map Sheet:	TM09SE
Parish:	OLD BUCKENHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

1994. Metal-detecting.
Roman brooch mould with brooch still in it.
At least four more (one brooch and three catch plates) with residue still attached.
At least three casting sprues.
Ten more pieces - some or all may be part of the process of making brooches.
One more bronze blob and one lead? From area in July.
Hoard of seven Republican coins - see list in file (not sent).
Identified by J. Davies (NCM).
See (S1). For details of subsequent specialist analysis and archaeological work on the site see below.
W. Milligan (NCM), 6 May 1994. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 8 April 2015.

October 1994. Excavation
Excavation of possible Roman brooch factory site where brooches and moulds previously found.
No archaeological features recorded.
Prehistoric flints and post-medieval finds.
See published article (S2) for further details. See also specialist reports (S15)-(S16) and drawings (S4)-(S14). The results of this work are also summarised in (S17).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.124).
M. Dennis (NLA), 15 May 2006. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 8 April 2015.

October 1994. Geophysical Survey.
Gradiometer and magnetic susceptibility survey, including area north of road.
The survey indicates a low level of response to isolated ferrous anomalies. There are no clear concentrations of archaeological anomalies although one possible pit has been detected near the centre of the survey area. The magnetic susceptibility survey also indicated very little variation.
See published article (S2) and report (S3) for further details.
M. Dennis (NLA), 15 May 2006.

The seven coins mentioned above, plus another seven (details to come) were declared Treasure Trove 11 January 1995.
Information from W. Milligan (NCM).
E. Rose (NLA), 12 January 1995.

November 1995. Metal-detecting.
Brooch mould fragment.
Two brooch fragments.
Bronze fragment - ?Bronze Age.
From a larger area around:
Casting jet, waste metal.
Republican denarius fragment (two-thirds).
Middle Bronze Age spear tip.
See (S1) and (S4) in file.
W. Milligan (NCM), 30 November 1994.

December 1995. Metal-detecting.
Seven more coins from hoard (four republican, one Mark Antony, two Augustus, enlarging total to twenty one) returned to finder.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 15 January 2003.

1996. Metal-detecting.
One medieval coin find within 45m (50 yards) of mould site.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 7 February 2001.

Excavation, geophysical survey and metal-detecting have revealed little evidence for other Roman activity in the area. The brooch making debris may have been moved here during large scale movement of topsoil during creation of the nearby airfield or the moulds were a casual loss probably from an itinerant craftsman. The brooch typology dates this loss to before 150 AD. Only one other Roman metal mould has been found in the country and other parts of the Western Roman Empire. Amazingly this also comes from Norfolk (NHER 34732). The association of the Old Buckenham moulds with other part finished artefacts, however, further enhances its importance.
See (S2).
M. Dennis (NLA), 15 May 2006.

August 2010. Metal-detecting.
1 Roman coin, additional to hoard found in 1994.
See report in file.
This coin was submitted as potential Treasure (Treasure case 2010 T727). See report in file.
A. Rogerson (HES), 23 November 2011 and E. Darch (HES), 10 February 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 31 May 2020.

3 February 2012. Metal-detecting. [2].
Roman copper alloy incomplete blank for a Colchester Derivative type brooch, (S18).
Information from PAS import.
A. Beckham (HES), 5 February 2013.

Monument Types

FINDSPOT (Unknown date)
FINDSPOT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
FINDSPOT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
METAL WORKING SITE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

ANIMAL REMAINS (Undated)
METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Undated)
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
FLAKED AXEHEAD (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
SPEAR (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
COIN HOARD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
MOULD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
VESSEL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
BROOCH (Roman - 60 AD to 120 AD)
COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
NAIL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---	Publication: British Museum. 2012. Treasure Act Annual Report 2010. p xviii.
---	Unpublished Document: DCMS. 1996-7. Treasure Trove Reviewing Committee Annual Report 1996-7 no.27.. No 27.
---	Article in Serial: Guillaumet, J-P.. 1978. Note sur un ensemble de fibules inachevees de Bibracte (Mont-Beuvray).. Antiquites Nationales. No 10.
---	Monograph: Blockley, K.. 1989. Prestatyn 1984-5.. BAR British Series. Vol 210.
---	Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1995. A Roman soldier's pay. 12 January.
---	Unpublished Document: Marsden, A.. 2010. Treasure report. November 2010. 2010 T727.
---	Article in Serial: Davies, J. A. and Wallis, H. 1999. A Roman Vessel Foot from Old Buckenham. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIII Pt II pp 345-346.
---	Secondary File: Secondary File.
---	Fiche: Exists.
---	Correspondence: Mackreth, D. F.. 2000. Letter and drawings of Roman brooch moulds.. 20/07/2000.
---	Correspondence: Ovenden, S.M.. 1994. Letter concerning geophysical survey at Old Buckenham.. 11/10/1994.
<S1>	Photograph: NCC Find Identification and Recording Service. c. 1975-2000. HES Find Polaroid Collection. HES Find Polaroid Collection. polaroid. black and white.
<S2>	Article in Serial: Bayley, J., Mackreth, D.F. & Wallis, H.. 2001. Evidence for Romano-British Brooch Production at Old Buckenham, Norfolk.. Britannia. Vol XXXII. pp 93-118.
<S3>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Ovenden, S. M. 1994. Report on Geophysical Survey. Old Buckenham, Norfolk. Geophysical Surveys of Bradford. 94/105.
<S4>	Illustration: Hadjul, R.. Unknown. Drawing of a Roman complete copper alloy brooch.. Unknown. Unknown.
<S5>	Illustration: Hadjul, R.. Unknown. Drawing of a Roman copper alloy brooch catch plate.. Unknown. Unknown.
<S6>	Illustration: Hadjul, R.. Unknown. Drawing of a Roman incomplete copper alloy brooch catch plate.. Unknown. Unknown.
<S7>	Illustration: Hadjul, R.. Unknown. Drawing of a Roman copper alloy brooch catch plate.. Unknown. Unknown.
<S8>	Illustration: Hadjul, R.. Unknown. Drawing of a Roman copper alloy brooch catch plate.. Unknown. Unknown.
<S9>	Illustration: Hadjul, R.. Unknown. Drawing of a Roman incomplete copper alloy brooch bour.. Unknown. Unknown.
<S10>	Illustration: Hadjul, R.. Unknown. Drawing of a Roman incomplete copper alloy mould and brooch.. Unknown. Unknown.
<S11>	Illustration: Hadjul, R.. Unknown. Drawing of a Roman copper alloy brooch mould.. Unknown. Unknown.
<S12>	Illustration: Hadjul, R.. Unknown. Drawing of a Roman copper alloy brooch mould.. Unknown. Unknown.
<S13>	Illustration: Hadjul, R.. Unknown. Drawing of a Roman copper alloy brooch mould.. Unknown. Unknown.
<S14>	Illustration: Hadjul, R.. Unknown. Drawing of a Roman copper alloy brooch mould.. Unknown. Unknown.
<S15>	Unpublished Report: Bayley, J. Brooch moulds and metalworking debris from Old Buckenham, Norfolk.
<S16>	Unpublished Report: Mackreth, D. F. Old Buckenham, Norfolk. Debris from a brooch manufacturer's baggage.
<S17>	Article in Serial: Gurney, D. (ed.). 1995. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1994. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLII Pt II pp 230-239. p 232.
<S18>	Illustration: Gibbons, J.. 2012. Drawing of a fragment of a Roman unfinished brooch casting.. Film. 2:1.