Record Details
| NHER Number: | 37113 |
|---|
| Type of record: | Monument |
|---|
| Name: | Multi-period finds and the probable site of an Early Saxon inhumation cemetery |
|---|
Summary
Metal detectorists have found Roman, Saxon, medieval, post medieval and undatable metal finds. The presence of seven Early Saxon objects (including brooches and a wrist clasp) suggests that there was an inhumation cemetery on the site. The other artefacts include Roman pottery, metalwork and coins, a Middle Saxon coin, two Middle Saxon pins and Late Saxon pottery. An unparalleled late twelfth-century shield shaped weight with a wyvern on its upper face is a find of particular note. Fieldwalking in 2003 identified two scatters of potentially prehistoric burnt flints. A small number of what the finder identified as Iron Age pottery sherds were also recovered.
Images
Location
| Grid Reference: | Not displayed |
|---|
| Map Sheet: | TL99NW |
|---|
| Parish: | MERTON, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
|---|
Full description
February/March 2002. Metal detecting. [1]
Medieval, post medieval and undatable metal finds.
See list and drawings (S1) in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 16 April 2002.
April 2003. Fieldwalking.
Identified at Context 1 (finder's Site 2):
?Prehistoric burnt flint scatter.
Identified at Context 2 (finder's Site 16)
?Prehistoric burnt flint scatter.
Identified by finder, see sketch map in file [2]. It appears from this sketch map that a small number of dispersed potentially Iron Age pottery sherds were also recovered in this field.
P. Watkins (HES), 11 October 2016.
January/February 2004. Metal detecting.
Four Roman and one Middle Saxon coins.
Seven Early Saxon objects suggesting an inhumation cemetery.
Two Middle Saxon pins.
Medieval metal objects.
Roman and Late Saxon sherds.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 16 March 2004.
April/May 2004. Metal detecting.
Roman, Middle Saxon and medieval metal objects.
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 18 May 2004.
A twelfth- century weight featuring a Wyvern on its upper face is considered to be the earliest armorial example discovered thus far. It was recovered from the site in 1992.
See (S1) and (S2) for further details
H. White (NLA), 6 February 2009
Monument Types
- FINDSPOT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC? to 42 AD?)
- FINDSPOT (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD?)
- FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- FINDSPOT (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
- INHUMATION CEMETERY (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
- FINDSPOT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
- FINDSPOT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
- FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Finds
- WEIGHT (Unknown date)
- BURNT FLINT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC? to 42 AD?)
- POT (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD?)
- BRACELET (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- NAIL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
- SLEEVE CLASP (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
- STRAP END (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
- COIN (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
- PIN (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
- POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
- BROOCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FURNITURE FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- HARNESS PENDANT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- SEAL MATRIX (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- WEIGHT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- SEAL MATRIX (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Photograph: NLA. Finds Photograph. |
| --- | Photograph: I & RS. Digital finds image. |
| --- | Map: Finder's Map.. |
| --- | Photograph: 2004. KVF 15, Middle Saxon pin.. |
| --- | Photograph: 2004. KVF 16, Early Saxon wrist clasp.. |
| --- | Photograph: 2004. KVF 17, Early Saxon small long brooch fragment.. |
| --- | Photograph: 2004. KVF 18, Early Saxon side knob from a cruciform brooch.. |
| --- | Photograph: 2004. KVF 19, Early Saxon strap end.. |
| --- | Photograph: 2004. KVF 22-23, Early Saxon small long brooch.. |
| --- | Photograph: 2004. KVF 24-25, Early Saxon brooch fragment.. |
| --- | Photograph: 2004. KVF 26, Middle Saxon pin.. |
| --- | Photograph: 2004. KVF 27-28, Medieval annular brooch.. |
| --- | Photograph: 2004. KVF 29-30, Medieval seal matrix.. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| --- | Article in Monograph: Ashley, S. 2016. Anglo-Norman elite objects from castle and countryside. Castles and the Anglo-Norman World. Proceedings of a Conference held at Norwich Castle in 2012. Davies, J. et al (eds). pp 281-298. Fig 18.4 No 23. |
| <S1> | Illustration: Finds Illustrations. |
| <S2> | Article in Serial: Ashley, S. 2008. A wyvern on a twelfth-century armorial weight from Norfolk. The Coat of Arms. 3rd Series Vol 4 No 216 pp 93-99. |
Related records
| 25375 | Parent of: Medieval coin (Find Spot) |
| 25374 | Parent of: Undated gold strip (Find Spot) |
Find out more...