Record Details

NHER Number:37644
Type of record:Monument
Name:Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age settlement and medieval field system, Little Plumstead Hospital

Summary

An evaluation in 2003 revealed evidence for Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age settlement activity to the north of the river, including a buried soil deposit, gullies and post holes. A possible rectangular structure dating to this period was also identified. Later features include field systems dating to the medieval period. The watching brief in 2004 revealed only unstratified post medieval pottery.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 31064 10749
Map Sheet:TG31SW
Parish:GREAT AND LITTLE PLUMSTEAD, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

January-March 2003. Trial Trenching.
104 trenches. Contexts 1 to 636 used.
Excavations revealed features dating from the prehistoric to the post-medieval period.
Prehistoric activity appears to have been concentrated within a narrow corridor along the lower slopes of the valley, flanking the north side of the water course, with the densest concentrations of features of this date located in the southern part of the site, immediately to the north of the lake. Post-holes and stake-holes representing structures were recorded, as was a settlement palaeosol. No clear pattern is evident among the post holes and stake holes, although a tentative rectangular structure was discernable. The density of these features probably suggests many phases of building followed by repair and rebuilding within a confined area. Stake holes and gullies which probably mark the line of fences were also recorded. These may have served as livestock enclosures. Together this evidence indicates prehistoric settlement activity at this site, tentatively dated to the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age.
There was surprisingly little evidence of medieval settlement on this site, given its proximity to the parish church. However, the numerous ditches recorded across the northern part of the site indicate at least two phases of medieval field systems. Pottery sherds indicate that these features date from the 11th to 14th centuries. Large pits in this area also suggest that aggregate extraction was taking place here during the medieval period.
A post-medieval ditch was recorded immediately east of the Victorian churchyard wall. This runs parallel to the wall and may represent an earlier churchyard boundary.
See report (S1) and (S2) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S3).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 2 July 2007.

June-September 2004. Watching Brief.
Maintained during redevelopment of former hospital site. Topsoil stripping and trenching for sewer and water pipes monitored. From context 700.
No features of archaeological interest were observed.
Unstratified finds recovered included post-medieval pottery.
See report (S4) for further details.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 7 March 2007.

A combined archive comprising material from both phases of archaeological work at this site has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.102).
P. Watkins (HES), 18 May 2019.

March 2008. Desk-based Assessment.
Assessment of additional proposed development areas.
See report (S5) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 26 May 2015.

Monument Types

  • DITCH (Unknown date)
  • GULLY (Unknown date)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Unknown date)
  • PIT (Unknown date)
  • POST HOLE (Unknown date)
  • STAKE HOLE (Unknown date)
  • FINDSPOT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • GULLY (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • POST HOLE (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • ENCLOSURE (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • GULLY (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • POST BUILT STRUCTURE? (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • POST HOLE (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • SETTLEMENT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • STAKE HOLE (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • EXTRACTIVE PIT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FIELD SYSTEM (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PIT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POST HOLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • PIT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POST HOLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Unknown date)
  • QUERN (Unknown date)
  • BLADE (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • BURNT FLINT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • AXEHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • FLAKE (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • KNIFE (Neolithic - 4000 BC? to 2351 BC?)
  • POT (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
  • POT (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • RETOUCHED FLAKE (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • ROOF TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Slide: Various. 2003. Sliodes 1-64 An Archaeological Evaluation at Little Plumstead Hospital, by NAU Archaeology.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Unpublished Contractor Report: Trimble, G. 2003. An Archaeological Evaluation at Little Plumstead Hospital, Norfolk. Interim Report. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 842.
<S2>Unpublished Contractor Report: Trimble, G. 2003. An Archaeological Evaluation at Little Plumstead Hospital, Norfolk. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 887.
<S3>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 577.
<S4>Unpublished Contractor Report: Hobbs, B. 2004. An Archaeological Watching Brief at Little Plumstead Hospital, Norfolk. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 1028.
<S5>Unpublished Contractor Report: Hutcheson, N. 2008. An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment of Little Plumstead Hospital, Norfolk. NAU Archaeology. 1791.

Related records - none

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