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Record Details

NHER Number:44367
Type of record:Monument
Name:Pensthorpe Early Saxon cemetery

Summary

Between 1826 and 1881 an Early Saxon cremation cemetery with numerous Early Saxon cremation urns, items of metalwork, bone counters and glass beads was discovered. Fragments of Roman, Early Saxon and medieval pottery and a Roman coin have also been collected. An Early Saxon inhumation recorded as NHER 2133 may have been found at this site. Bronze Age barrows at the site are recorded as NHER 1050.

Images

  • Early Saxon cremation urns found in the 19th century in Pensthorpe © Norfolk County Council

Location

Grid Reference:Not displayed
Map Sheet:TF92NE
Parish:KETTLESTONE, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

THE FINDS AND EARLY SAXON CEMETERY BELOW WERE FORMERLY RECORDED AS NHER 1050.
BRONZE AGE ROUND BARROWS ON THIS SITE ARE RECORDED AS NHER 1050.

See file for NHER 1050.

1826 to 1881. Finds made sporadically, but chiefly in 1837, 1876 and 1880.
Early Saxon cremation cemetery, with grave goods, including a comb (S1). See also NHER 2133.

Also medieval sherds and ?Roman pottery.
See file for drawings.

Pre March 1859. Stray Find.
In March 1859 an object described as a "...small Saxon Urn, found at Pensthorpe" was exhibited at a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries of London by Rev. W. Legge. It was reported in (S2) that it had been "…full of human bones, among which were fragments of an iron buckle".
It is highly likely that this vessel was recovered at the site of the Penthorpe cremation cemetery.
Also see Unpublished Document (S6).
P. Watkins (HES), 6 June 2016. Amended by A. Beckham (HES), 27 July 2020.

Before 1952.
Unprovenanced and largely complete Early Saxon cremation urn.
This urn was purchased from an antiques shop in Fakenham before 1952. The provenance of this urn is unknown but it was suggested by [1] to be a missing pot from Spong Hill Early Saxon cremation cemetery (NHER 1012). However, it is more likely to be from this site (A. Rogerson (HES), 23 September 2011).
See find document (S3), photographs (S4) and publication off-print (S5).
A. Beckham (HES), 4 May 2017.

Before 1853.
An Early Saxon biconical urn held in the British Museum (Accession No.: 1853,1029.2) and recorded as being from 'Pensthorpe' likely came from this site.
Also see Unpublished Document (S6).
A. Beckham (HES), 27 July 2020.

February 1974.
Further sherds.

April 2006.
The objects recovered between 1826 and 1881 include numerous Early Saxon cremation urns, fragments of pottery items of metalwork, bone counters, glass beads and a gold Roman coin.
See details in file.
D. Robertson (NLA), 24 April 2006.

Monument Types

  • CREMATION (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • CREMATION CEMETERY (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)

Associated Finds

  • COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ARROWHEAD (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BEAD (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BROOCH (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • COMB (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • GAMING PIECE (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • KNIFE (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)
  • TWEEZERS (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • URN (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Serial: 1974. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries for 1974. No 21. p 5.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 92 NW 10.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Roman. Kettlestone.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Early Saxon. Kettlestone [5].
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Kettlestone.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Correspondence: Lewis, E.. 1998. Letter from Elizabeth Lewis to Sue Margarson. 22 April.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>Illustration: Woodward, S.. 1838. Drawing of an Early Saxon comb.. Card. 1:1.
<S2>Article in Serial: [anonymous]. 1859. [proceedings of meeting held Thursday, March 3rd, 1859]. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London. First Series Vol IV, Issue 51, pp 291-301. p 292.
<S3>Unpublished Document: Rickett, R. 2011. Notes on an Early Saxon cremation urn.
<S4>Photograph: Unknown. 2011. Photographs of an Early Saxon cremation urn. print.
<S5>Publication: Crossley-Holland, K. 2009. The Hidden Roads. A Memoir of Childhood. pp 106-107.
<S6>Unpublished Document: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Notes on urns from 'Pensthorpe'. Notes.

Related records

1050Related to: Bronze Age round barrows (Monument)

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