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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	4188
Type of record:	Monument
Name:	Roman settlement and multi-period finds

Summary

Fieldwalking and metal detecting since 1948 have recovered Roman pottery, coins, building material, tiles, and metalwork. The amount of material recorded suggests this was the site of a Roman settlement. The finds include bronze and silver metal working waste and an unusual Roman copper alloy vessel mount in the shape of a mask. Finds dating to the Early Saxon period including a pendant and bridle cheek piece have also been recovered.

Images

Location

Grid Reference:	TF 88 14
Map Sheet:	TF81SE
Parish:	GREAT DUNHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

1948.
Roman pottery, flue tile and oyster shells.
R. R. Clarke (NCM).

1950.
Lava quern found.

1969.
Roman sherds, flints and tile. Medieval sherd.
P. Wade-Martins (NAU).

1975.
Coarse sherds, 3rd to 4th century, tile (flue and tegula). [1] stated that in 1950 'several trailer loads' of pottery were carted away.

May 1975. Visit.
Scatter most dense in centre of field. Some flint nodules. Single building site?
T. Gregory (NAU), May 1975.

1978.
Box left by C. J. S. Green (NCM) discovered. Inside were seventeen sherds from this site including samian and a tiny colour coated sherd. Also five sherds of a late mortarium, one coarse sherd and a large medieval cooking base, all marked south of main structure.

Autumn 1980. On surface and with metal detector.
Scatter of Roman material found on known site of Roman building.
Fifty eight Roman coins. See list in file.
Bronze pendant with phallic terminal, (S1).
Large amount of lead scrap.
3rd to 4th century pottery. See list in file.
Tegula and combed flue tile fragments.
T. Gregory (NAU), 16 December 1980.

Autumn 1981. Metal detecting.
Roman bronze handle patterned with raised wavy lines, (S7).
Bronze 'foot' from vessel? (S7) And belt fitting still containing some leather (S7). Both possibly Roman.
13th century bronze gilt brooch, design of punched circles, (S7)
Copper or bronze horse pendant 13th /14th centuries, (S7).
Post medieval gilt oval belt mount, (S7).
See (S2).
Identified by B. Cherry (Department of Medieval and late Antiquity, British Museum).

23 March 1988. Metal detecting.
Fifty eight Roman coins. See list in file.
Middle Saxon facetted headed pin. See (S3). Identified by E. B. Green (NCM).
Post medieval bronze buckle.
Medieval short cross penny.
Medieval bronze vessel foot.
Roman pottery including 3rd to 4th century greywares, colour coated sherd, Samian.
Roman brick and tile.
Foot of 1st century brooch.
Head of Roman pin.
Roman? Window glass.
Roman rear hook brooch.
Shield shaped plaque from leather work.
Bronze finger ring.
Animal headed silver strip part of a bracelet?
Lead steelyard weight.
Bronze furniture box mount knob.
Bronze sheet strip.
Bronze sheet.
Medieval bronze vessel foot.
Post medieval bronze buckle.
Identified by T. Gregory (NAU) and S. Margeson (NCM).

Spring 1988. Metal detecting and fieldwalking.
Lava millstone fragment.
Four Roman coins. See list in file.
Roman bronze hook.
Hod Hill brooch.
Brooch to be identified by D. Mackreth. See (S3).
Identified by T. Gregory (NAU).
W. Milligan (NCM), 3 June 1988.

February, April, September and October 1988.
Twenty six coins. See coin lists in file.
Fifty five coins. See coin lists in file.
Roman pottery. See list in file.
Roman brick and tile.
Roman brooches.
Roman pin.
Roman window glass.
Roman metalwork. See list in file.
Late Saxon disc.
Late Bronze Age socketed axe.
Identified by T. Gregory (NAU).
W. Milligan (NCM), 16 February 1988.

Note some of the above material seems to duplicate that given above as 23 March 1988 and there is probably some confusion.
E. Rose (NAU).

1989. Metal detecting.
Roman bronze key handle. See (S3).
W. Milligan (NCM), 2 October 1989.

September 1989. Metal detecting.
Three pieces of bronze slag or waste. Roman?
Eighteen Roman coins. See coin lists in file.
Hod Hill brooch.
Bronze ring fragment.
Statue of Mercury. See (S3).
Twenty four Roman coins. See coin lists in file.
Silver and lead blobs.
Lead casting jet.
Lead vessel mend. Bronze waste or offcut.
East Anglian mortarium flange.
Late Saxon? Three pronged pendant.
Medieval finds. See list in file. See (S3).
Medieval glazed roof tile.
16th or 17th century button. See (S3).
Roman key handle.
Identified by D. Gurney (NAU) and S. Margeson (NCM).
W. Milligan (NCM), 6 September 1989.

Pre 1991. Metal detecting.
Medieval wire work ornament.
Identified by S. Margeson (NCM).
D. Gurney (NLA), 14 November 1991.

January 1991. Metal detecting. Northern field.
Bronze la Tene brooch type III. See (S4).
Roman knife handle. Figurine of deity (Mars?, Minerva). See (S100) and (S5).
Roman coin. See coin lists in file.
Identified by D. Gurney (NLA).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 28 January 1991.

Southern field.
Thirty three Roman coins. See coin lists in file.
Roman bracelet fragments.
Small 3rd to 4th century finger ring.
Roman finger ring.
Roman nail head.
13th century buckle frame.
Medieval gilt harness pendant.
Roman greyware base.
A. Rogerson (NAU), 31 January 1991.

September 1992. Metal detecting. Northern field.
Twenty two Roman coins. See coin lists in file.
Medieval bronze casket mount.
Medieval bronze pin.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 3 November 1992.

November to December 1993. Metal detecting. [2].
Thirteen Roman coins and one post medieval coin. See coin lists in file. Identified by J. Davies (NCM).
Three molten bronze and one molten silver droplet.
Roman multiple unit bracelet fragment. Identified by D. Gurney (NLA).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 5 January 1994.

September to October 1994. Metal detecting.
Eleven Roman coins. See coin lists in file.
Unusual Roman mask figurine with loop. See (S5) and (S8).
Top part of Late Saxon or medieval straight sided bell.
Medieval buckle frame.
Identified by J. Davies (NCM), A. Rogerson (NLA) and S. Margeson (NCM).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 4 November 1994.

October 1995. Metal detecting.
Six Roman coins. See coin lists in file.
Molten silver fragment.
Fragment of medieval iron barrel padlock case.
Medieval belt mount fragment.
Medieval casket mount.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 28 November 1995.

September to October 1996. Metal detecting. [2].
Roman coin. See coin list in file.
One post medieval token.
Identified by J. Davies (NCM).
Late Saxon bridle cheekpiece.
Post medieval spoon.
Identified by H. Geake (NCM).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 20 January 1997.

Before 17 September 2002. Metal detecting.
Ten Roman coins. See coin lists in file.
Roman and medieval metal finds.
Roman sherds and tile fragments.
See lists in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 11 November 2002.

April-May 2012. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometry survey.
Further details to follow.
A. Beckham (HES), 25 June 2012.

(S10) - PAS details to follow.
E. McDonald (HES), 18 August 2020.

Monument Types

BUILDING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
SETTLEMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Undated)
METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Undated)
SOCKETED AXEHEAD (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
BROOCH (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
BOX (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
BRACELET (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
BRACELET (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
BRICK (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
CEREMONIAL OBJECT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
DRESS COMPONENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
FIGURINE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
FINGER RING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
FLUE TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
HAIR PIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
HARNESS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
KEY (LOCKING) (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
KNIFE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
MILLSTONE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
NAIL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
PENDANT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
QUERN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
ROOF TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
STEELYARD WEIGHT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
STRAP FITTING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
TEXTILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
VESSEL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
WINDOW GLASS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
PIN (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
BELL (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
DRESS COMPONENT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
HARNESS (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
PENDANT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
BELL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
BOX (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
BROOCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
DRESS COMPONENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FINGER RING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FURNITURE FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
HARNESS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
LOCKING MECHANISM (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
PERSONAL ORNAMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
PIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
PURSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
ROOF TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
VESSEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
BROOCH (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
BUCKLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
BUTTON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
COIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
MOULD (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
SPOON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
TOKEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

SHINE
Higher Level Stewardship

Sources and further reading

---	Serial: 1975. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries for 1975. No 22. p 7.
---	Map: Finder's Map..
---	Monograph: Ashley, S. 2002. Medieval Armorial Horse Furniture in Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 101.
---	Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 81 SE 1.
---	Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---	Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Roman. Dunham (Great) [3].
---	Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Dunham, Great.
---	Secondary File: Secondary File.
---	Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>	Illustration: Hadjul, R. 1980. Drawing of a Roman copper alloy pendant with phallic terminal. Film. 2:1.
<S2>	X-ray: X ray. NCM Nx 1009-1010.
<S3>	Photograph: NCC Find Identification and Recording Service. c. 1975-2000. HES Find Polaroid Collection. HES Find Polaroid Collection. polaroid. black and white.
<S4>	Photograph: FTY 13 and 14. La Tene type III brooch..
<S5>	Photograph: FTY 15 and 18. Roman knife handle..
<S7>	Illustration: Trett, R. 1981. Drawings of Roman copper alloy handle and possible vessel foot, ?Roman belt fitting, medieval brooch and horse harness pendant and post-medieval gilt copper alloy brooch mount. Paper. 1:1.
<S8>	Illustration: White, S. 1995. Drawing of a Roman copper alloy vessel mount. Paper. 2:1.
<S9>	Unpublished Document: Rogerson, A. (NLA). 1995. Roman Period Copper Alloy Vessel Mount. 9 March.
<S10>	Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2016. Drawing of a Middle Bronze Age palstave fragment. Find Illustration. Film. 1:1.