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Site 41643 LDD
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Figure 1. Site location. Scale 1:10,000
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Site 41643 LDD
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Figure 1. Site location. Scale 1:10,000
Local Authority No. 100019340
Fig. 1 is based upon the Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 map with the permisssion of the Controller of H.M. Stationery Office � Crown Copyright 'Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings' Norfolk County Council, County Hall, Norwich (05/01/05). Reference copy: no further copies to be made
'We would draw your attention to the fact that the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 will continue to apply to the Ordnance Survy map which will be subject to Crown copyright protection. The Ordnance Survey map is supplied for the sole purpose of assissting you to understand the information overlaid on it. Should you wish to use the information in any other way, for example by making multiple copies or issuing copies to the public, then please contact Ordnance Survey and they will advise you as to whether or not you will require a licence' Ordnance Survey (01/01/05)
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Allotments
Workshop
TP2
Trench 2
BH1
Trench 1 Trench 4
TP1 Allotments
TP3
Showroom Showroom
Trench 5
BH3
TP4 Trench 3
TP5
BH2
Bridge Street
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Figure 2. Plan of site showing location of trenches and boreholes. Scale 1:400
E W
Concrete Hardcore
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44 1.83m OD
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North-facing elevation of Trench 1
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2.25m OD
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West-facing elevation of Trench 2
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Figure 3. Elevations of Trenches 1 and 2. Scale 1:25
Plate 1. Garage workshop, perhaps dating to WWII
Plate 2. Machine excavation of Trench 3, looking south
NORFOLK ARCHAEOLOGICAL UNIT
Report No. 1073
An Archaeological Evaluation at 47 Bridge Street, Loddon, Norfolk
41643 LDD
Andy Shelley June 2005
� Norfolk Archaeological Unit
Contents
Summary
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Geology and Topography
3.0 Archaeological and Historical Background
4.0 Methodology
5.0 Results
6.0 The Finds
7.0 The Environmental Evidence
8.0 Conclusions
Acknowledgements
Bibliography
Appendix 1: Context Summary
Appendix 2: Finds by Context
Figures Fig.1 Site location
Fig.2 Plan of site showing location of trenches and boreholes Fig.3 Elevations of Trenches 1 and 2 Fig.4 Elevations of Trenches 3, 4 and 5
Plates
Pl. 1 Garage workshop, perhaps dating to WWII Pl. 2 Machine excavation of Trench 3, looking south
Location: 47 Bridge Street, Loddon
District: South Norfolk
Grid Ref: TM 3612 9915
HER No.: 41643 LDD
Date of fieldwork: 6 May to 16 May 2005
Summary
An archaeological evaluation on the site of a former motor garage in Loddon was conducted by Norfolk Archaeological Unit during May 2005. Five trenches were excavated, each to a depth of 1.2m. The majority revealed a great depth of peat which forms the northern side of the floodplain to the River Chet. Previous geotechnical boreholes have shown that this peat coverage extends from the northern end of the site, where it is no more than 0.50m deep, to at least the southern curtilage, where it is 7m deep. The lack of archaeological features and deposits within the trenches suggest that there had been no human settlement of the floodplain prior to the construction of the garage, although a small number of finds found during the evaluation and, more particularly, a decorated Viking spearhead found in 1958, suggest casual loss of objects over the course of a great many years.
1.0 Introduction
(Fig. 1)
The archaeological evaluation was undertaken in accordance with a Project Design and Method Statement prepared by Norfolk Archaeological Unit (NAU Ref:AS/1952) and a Brief issued by Norfolk Landscape Archaeology (NLA Ref:AH/17/12/04). The work was designed to assist in defining the character and extent of any archaeological remains within the proposed redevelopment area, following the guidelines set out in Planning and Policy Guidance 16 � Archaeology and Planning (Department of the Environment 1990). The results will enable decisions to be made by the Local Planning Authority with regard to the treatment of any archaeological remains found.
The site archive is currently held by the Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service, following the relevant policy on archiving standards.
2.0 Geology and Topography
The site was situated beside Bridge Street, in a small enclave of land to the north of the river Chet which belongs in Loddon parish. The site lay equidistantly between the parish churches of Loddon and Chedgrave, the latter of which is situated to the north of the Chet.
The underlying geology of the area is composed of cretaceous chalk beds, the Upper Chalk, which is concealed by Crag formed from sand, some silt and some clay. These are laminated and are partly shelly. The Crag is sealed by sand and gravel with some silt and clay (the Kesgrave Formation). Superficial deposits of peat seal the sands and gravels (British Geological Survey map 1990; Davison 1990, 1). The topography of the immediate area is of a floodplain, with the river Chet lying to the south of the site, and valley rises to the north and south. That to the north is quite
moderate, although to the south and north-west is it more dramatic. The land immediately surrounding the site to the south, west and north is used for allotments and other gardens whilst the eastern side of Bridge Street, which borders the site, contains 19th-century and later houses. A minor drainage ditch, much overgrown, encircles the site. The character of neighbouring buildings and those on the site is described in Section 3.0.
Prior to the evaluation taking place a desk study report and a site investigation were undertaken by Knight Environmental Ltd (Knight Environmental Ltd 2005; 2005a). The site investigation involved the sinking of three boreholes and five test pits, the locations of which are shown on Fig.2. The results showed that the site overlies sand and gravels, but that in places the ground surface is separated from the sands by upwards of 7.00m of peat (generally described as plastic dark brown pseudo-fibrous organic clay).
3.0 Archaeological and Historical Background
The settlement pattern for Loddon parish has been extensively discussed in The Evolution of Settlement in Three Parishes In North-East Norfolk (Davison 1990). In a section of that book Fenner (1990, 51) suggests that since the river Chet forms the northern boundary of the parish of Loddon enclaves to the north of this river must indicate former courses of that river. This is an important point when considering this site, which lies in one such enclave. Fenner speculates that the river re-aligned before 1626, when reference is made �to the ould river, with an acre of land between it and the millpool to the south� (ibid., 51).
Davison suggests (1990, 70) that there may have been a Middle Saxon settlement at Loddon, although evidence for this amounts to no more than a reference in the 13th- century Liber Albus document (Fenner 1990, 60) and a number of pottery scatters. The earliest reference to Loddon, however, comes in the will of Aelfric Modercope, written c. 1043 (Fenner 1990, 45). The Domesday book (AD 1086) records that Frodo held Loddon from the Abbott, which St Edmund held before 1066, as 3 caracute of land and 10 acres. One church is mentioned, and a mill (Brown 1984). During the 14th and 15th centuries much of Loddon was part of the dower lands of successive duchesses of Norfolk (Fenner 1990, 46). Loddon is arranged on either side of Bridge Street, which remained the major route between Norwich and Bungay until the opening of a bypass in 1975. The current bridge crossing, which was last washed away during the great 1912 flood, is unlikely, however, to have been the medieval crossing point. The older crossing was probably downstream, at Pyesmill ford, where Loddon Beck meets the river (Davison 1990, 51). Loddon had a market from at least 1245, with the charter being confirmed in 1292 (Letters 2003). Its church, Holy Trinity, dates from towards the end of the 1400s (Pevsner and Wilson 1999, 523).
The Norfolk Historic Environment Record (NHER) records specific finds. In1960 a complete bell beaker (with horizontal comb decoration) was found at Hillside, in Chedgrave (HER 10525), on the south-facing slope of the Chet valley. An enigmatic bank (HER 13866) of 0.65m height is reputed to exist close by the site of this discovery. Downstream of the present site a part of a human skull was discovered beside the river in 2003 (HER 39587) and, nearly opposite, lies the site of a reputed Roman boat (HER 16288), which was recovered in 1920. There is some doubt as to the antiquity of this find since, as Edwin Rose notes in the NHER entry, there are also
many accounts of rotting 19th-century wherries along the river at Loddon. But the most important find in relation to this site was the discovery in 1958 of a spearhead with a silver inlay. This has been identified as a Viking period import with zoomorphic inlay (NHER 10518). Evidence of Middle Saxon activity is restricted to a decorated bronze pin found in 1948 some 75m north-west of the church in Loddon (NHER 10517).
The built environment of the surrounding area is formed by a mixture of buildings of different periods and usage. Loddon Mill, which straddles the river Chet and was built by the Gilbert family of Chedgrave and is an 18th-century weather-boarded water mill with an early 19th-century house attached to the south (Pevsner and Wilson 1999, 525). The mill ceased working in 1969. To the north of the site is a late 16th-century house (No.3 Norwich Road, NHER18403) and the White Horse public house, which dates to 1610.
The origins of the garage, known as Enterprise Garage (from the 1960s at least) are unclear. The current workshop is probably that shown on the 1946 RAF aerial photograph. Its appearance (Plate 1) concords with this general period and is similar to that of a workshop behind a garage in Aylsham (Shelley 2002). The latter was constructed in 1947 from materials salvaged from Haveringland Airfield. It might be supposed that the workshop at Loddon had a similar history. The main garage buildings appear to date from the late 1950s, a date supported by the timing of the Viking spearhead discovery, which was probably recovered during excavations for underground fuel tanks. At that time the garage was described as Holmes Garage, although it later became Browne and Sons Limited. This firm is first listed in Loddon in 1916 (Kelly 1916) and continues to this day in a new location. For many years it sold Ford and Austin cars. Previously Enterprise Garage had, in the 1960s, sold Rootes vehicles as well as radios and TVs. There have been surprisingly few archaeological interventions in the immediate vicinity. Perhaps the most relevant of those that have occurred took place at 1 High Street, Loddon (HER 35110; Hutcheson 2000). A single trench excavated perpendicularly to High Street uncovered a sequence of occupation beginning with the remains of a structure and a ditch dating from the Late Saxon period. This occupation carried on into the medieval period, from which period the remains of a floor and a post-hole was uncovered.
There are no known tithe or enclosure maps for the area. The earliest map found, the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan of the 1880s, shows the site to be situated within a triangle of undeveloped ground surrounded by the river Chet to the south, the existing drainage channel to the north, and a wider ditch beside Bridge Street. The 1946 RAF aerial photograph shows this triangle of land to be developed into allotments, with the rear garage workshop on the site and a large, perhaps un-made, forecourt beside Bridge Street.
4.0 Methodology
(Fig. 2)
The objective of this evaluation was to determine as far as reasonably possible the presence or absence, location, nature, extent, date, quality, condition and significance of any surviving archaeological deposits within the development area.
Norfolk Landscape Archaeology requested an archaeological evaluation of 5% of the proposed development area. This area amounted to 1775 sq. m, and NAU put forward a proposal, which was accepted, that five trenches equating to a 4.5% sample area (c. 80 sq. m) of the site be excavated. The trenches were situated within the footprints of the proposed housing blocks. Initial excavation of each trench was carried out with a hydraulic 360� excavator using a toothless ditching bucket under constant archaeological supervision. Spoil, exposed surfaces and features were scanned with a metal detector operated by Andy Barnett. All metal-detected and hand-collected finds, other than those which were obviously modern, were retained for inspection. All archaeological features and deposits were recorded using NAU pro forma sheets. Trench locations, plans and sections were recorded at appropriate scales and colour and monochrome photographs were taken of all relevant features and deposits. A level was transferred from an Ordnance Survey benchmark of 4.27m OD on the south-western corner of No.10 Ansley Road, Chedgrave to a temporary benchmark within the site with a value of 2.80m OD.
5.0 Results
The results of the evaluation trenching are set out below, and are ordered by trench.
Trench 1 (Figs 2 and 3)
Plan dimensions: 4.1m x 4.3m Depth of trench: 1.25m
OD level of top of trench: 2.53m OD Estimated OD level of natural: -4.50m OD
The lowest soil exposed in this trench was formed from light yellowish brown fibrous peat ([41]) of firm compaction and without inclusions. This was sealed by a layer of mid to dark brown peat ([42]) which was in turn overlain by a layer of dark brown peat ([43]). These peats were 0.60m deep, although it is certain that a great depth of further peats lay below the extent of the excavation. The peat was sealed by a 0.12m thick layer of yellowy grey sandy silt of firm compaction, with occasional gravel ([44] and [45]). It is possible that this represents an episode of flooding of the site. The ?flood deposit was sealed by a 0.30m depth of dark brownish grey silty clay with occasional brick inclusions ([46]) which may represent a deposit laid down as consolidation layer or, more probably, a garden soil. This material was sealed by varying depths of hardcore and a concrete surface. There were no archaeological features present within the trench. There was, however, evidence for a number of service runs which connected the adjacent workshop to the main garage area, and a high degree of soil contamination manifested by a strong smell of hydrocarbons and an oily sheen to the groundwater which soon penetrated the open trench.
Discussion
This area appears to have sustained little other than a natural development of peats, capped perhaps by a brief period where this part of the floodplain was used as gardens, and a final period during which the present workshop facilities were in operation.
Trench 2 (Figs 2 and 3)
Plan dimensions: 2.9m x 5.85m Depth of trench: 1.20m
OD level of top of trench: 2.65m OD
Estimated OD level of natural at northern end of trench : 1.15m OD Estimated OD level of natural at southern end of trench : 1.20m OD
Although manual excavation of this trench ceased at a depth of 1.20m, the trench was later machined out to a final depth of approximately 1.50m. At this depth an homogenous grey silty gravel was encountered, which was interpreted as being naturally-formed. It is unclear whether this was the level at which the geological natural occurred or whether this material simply sealed greater depths of peat. The grey silty gravel was sealed by a layer of dark brown peat ([11]) with very occasional small gravel inclusions. This material contained a large pottery body sherd in a medieval coarseware/local medieval unglazed ware (labelled [15]) of 12th- to 14th-century date. A further sherd of late medieval unglazed ware (labelled [016]) was found in the risings from excavation of the trench. The dark brown peat was sealed by a layer of brown/tan-coloured peat ([14]) which was very compact and merged seamlessly into a layer of peat admixed with grey silt and pebbles ([13] not figured). This was presumably a flood-derived deposit. These deposits were in turn sealed by a 0.20m deep layer of homogenous dark brown to black peat ([9]) which had sealed at least one stakehole cut through the underlying peats.
The peat layers were sealed by a 0.30m thick layer of clay and peat ([8]) containing occasional small cobbles and building material fragments. This may be interpreted as a layer of garden soil. This was in turn sealed by a 0.20m thick layer of dark brown soil ([7]) within which modern refuse occurred frequently. This layer appeared to be quite heavily contaminated by hydrocarbons and had been cut by at least one pit containing discarded oily motor parts. This material was sealed by a layer of geotextile material over which gravel had been deposited. It was noticed that several of the layers described above sloped towards the north. This is probably because they dipped into an early drainage ditch, the latest incarnation of which formed until very recently the northern border of the property. Discussion
There were no archaeological features present within this trench. However, there was an element of staining to the topsoil which, when coupled with a smell of hydrocarbons, suggests that industrial waste had been dumped in this area of the site in previous years. Otherwise the trench exposed peats, over which garden soils
had been developed. The sherds of medieval pottery suggest nothing more than isolated dumping of refuse.
Trench 3
(Figs 2 and 4, Plate 2)
Plan dimensions: 3.9m x 4.3m Depth of trench: 1.10m
OD level of top of trench: 3.12m OD OD level of natural: 2.13m OD
The lowest soils exposed in this trench were formed from wet, natural orange sands, with areas of gravel. This was overlain by a light brown/grey silty sand and loam ([38]) which represented a naturally-formed layer of subsoil. This contained a worked piece of horse bone, the function of which is unclear. The subsoil was sealed by a 0.30m depth of peat ([36]/[37]) from which no finds were recovered. The peat was sealed by two layers of garden soils with a combined depth of approximately 0.20m ([34]/[35]). These contained amounts of pea gravel and a sherd of 19th- or 20th- century pottery. The soils were in turn sealed by a layer of very modern garden soils which contained common coal and clinker fragments and four sherds of pottery dating to between the late 18th century and the 1930s/1940s. This soil was sealed by a layer of geo-textile and gravel ([31]).
Discussion
This was the only trench where natural soils were encountered within a safe working depth. Their level suggests that this part of the site lies close to the natural edge of the river Chet floodplain. Otherwise there is little of interest to discuss, with the exception of the worked bone fragment from the subsoil, which may be of some antiquity. The latest soils encountered represent the working of the floodplain into allotments.
Trench 4 (Figs 2 and 4)
Plan dimensions: 3.6m x 4.0m Depth of trench: 1.30m
OD level of top of trench: 2.60m OD Estimated OD level of natural: -4.50m OD
Trench 4 was originally to be placed to the east of the garage showroom, but was relocated to the rear of the building in order to avoid buried fuel tanks and services. Natural soils were not seen in the trench but an adjacent borehole sunk by Knight Environmental Ltd has shown that a great depth of peat was located in this area. The uppermost reaches of this material, extending to a height of 0.75m above the base of the trench, were recorded during the evaluation. These deposits ([4], [5] and [6]) varied in colour (the darker deposits being uppermost) but were otherwise identical. The uppermost peat ([4]) contained a clay tobacco pipe bowl of late 17th- to early 18th-century date. From a level of 1.95m OD the peats were sealed by a 0.30m thick layer of grey silty organic material ([3]) which contained occasional small flints and
sparse building material fragments. This may represent a flood deposit. This material was sealed by a 0.22m thick layer of gravel and grey silt ([2]) which represented a sub-base for a 0.15m thick layer of concrete. Discussion
This trench was firmly located over a very great depth of peat, only the upper reaches of which were excavated. A clay tobacco pipe bowl from the top of the peat suggests that it ceased to form in the later 17th or early 18th centuries, after which the area appears to have been flooded at least once. It is to be presumed that this flood deposit horizon was later to be used as gardens.
Trench 5 (Figs 2 and 5)
Plan dimensions: 3.7m x 3.9m Depth of trench: 1.20m
OD level of top of trench: 2.65m OD Estimated OD level of natural: -4.35m OD
Trench 5 was situated in order to locate, if possible, an earlier version of the route across the floodplain. As with most trenches natural soils were not encountered during normal excavation, although a borehole was later sunk through earlier deposits (see 7.0 The Environmental Evidence). The earliest deposit excavated was a dark brown peat ([26]) of firm compaction. This was sealed by several thin layers of greyish brown peat ([25] and [24] not figured) with some shell inclusions. These were in turn sealed by a 0.20m thick layer of mottled greyish brown silty clay ([21] and [20]) with frequent gravel inclusions. This material is interpreted as a deposit resulting from a flood incursion. This was sealed by a thin layer of greyish brown silty clay ([19]) with some peat and frequent gravel. This is interpreted as a water meadow/flood deposit and was in turn sealed by a 0.20m thick layer silty clay ([18]) with stones and several modern iron objects and a more peaty version of the same [17]. These deposits had been cut by a shallow-battered ditch ([22]) of 0.85m depth which contained a mottled brown silty clay ([23]) with a very high peat content and frequent coal inclusions. The ditch fill had been sealed by a 0.25m thick layer of brick and flint hardcore ([30]) which had been sealed by a layer of tarmac. Discussion
The deposits recorded in this trench were very similar to those seen in other trenches. However, one major difference lay in the fact that they had been cut by a roadside ditch. This ditch is shown on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan and was still open in 1913, when it was photographed (Ashbee 1990). It was approximately 4m wide, and possibly 1m deep, and had grasses and reeds growing along its western bank. Ashbee calls it a �long, lowmill pool�. The ditch had been sealed by a layer of demolition rubble prior to the area being used as a car-parking area.
6.0 The Finds
Introduction
The finds and environmental material from the site is presented in tabular form with basic quantitative information in Appendix 2: Finds by Context. In addition to this summary, more detailed information on specific finds and environmental categories is included in separate reports below.
6.1 The pottery by Sue Anderson
A total of ten sherds of pottery, weighing 0.136kg, was collected from five contexts. Quantification was carried out using sherd count and weight. A full quantification by fabric, context and feature is available in the archive. All fabric codes were assigned from the Suffolk post-Roman fabric series, which includes Norfolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Midlands fabrics, as well as imported wares. Form terminology follows MPRG (1998). Recording uses a system of letters for fabric. Standard pottery quantification forms were used.
The assemblage
Table 1 shows the quantification by context.
Context Fabric Sherd count Weight (kg) Description Spotdate
12 Post-medieval white ware 2 0.006 Like iron-glazed blackware, but white fabric, possibly Border Ware, two body sherds from a tankard or similar. 17th to 18th century
15 Medieval coarse ware or Local 1 0.057 Fine, slightly micaceous, large body sherd, slightly abraded, possibly a Suffolk ware. 12th to 14th century
medieval unglazed
16 Local medieval unglazed 1 0.028 Jar rim, cf Jennings 1981 No.311, abraded, sooted. 13th to 14th century
Late medieval transitional 1 0.003 Body sherd, light green glaze inside and out, may be later. ?16th century
31 Yellow ware 1 0.018 Bowl rim, flaring sides, plain, worn internally. Late 18th century+
Refined whiteware
1
0.004 Body sherd of plate or shallow dish, blue floral transfer print.
19th to 20th century
Porcelain
1
0.005 Over-glazed gold and blue enamelled body sherd.
19th to 20th century
Porcelain
1
0.007 Base fragment, MYOTT maker�s mark (shield), �pinched� feet, ?overglaze transfer printof brown leaves and hand-painted dec in green and yellow.
1930s to 1940s
35 Refined whiteware 1 0.008 Scalloped rim of plate or shallow dish, blue transfer print internally. 19th to 20th century
Table 1. Pottery catalogue
All pottery was collected from topsoil or was unstratified. Contexts [15] and [16], both from Trench 2, produced the only medieval wares from the site and may indicate
activity of 13th- or 14th-century date. The sherds were both large, although they showed signs of post-depositional abrasion. All other pottery recovered was of post- medieval or modern date.
Discussion
This is a small assemblage which includes sherds from a very wide date range. Most of the sherds are unstratified or from the upper layers of the site and as such can contribute little to its interpretation. There does, however, appear to be limited evidence for medieval activity centred on Trench 2.
6.2 Clay tobacco pipe by John Ames
The clay tobacco pipe assemblage consisted of one bowl and one stem fragment and was recovered from two contexts. The dating of the assemblage has been principally based on the London-type series of bowl forms (Oswald 1975) and the previously published and analysed material from Norwich (Atkin 1985). No attempt was made to employ stem bore dating techniques.
One long parallel bowl with sub-oval heel. Date range: late 17th- to early 18th- century. [4]
[31] One stem fragment. Date range: undated.
6.3 Small Finds by Julia Huddle
Two small finds were recovered. A perforated and facetted bone artefact (SF1) was found, the function of which is unclear. It is similar to examples recovered from sites of all periods, often appearing under the category �Artefact of ndeterminate function�. The metal disc (SF2) is badly corroded and covered in a black concretion and it is not, therefore, possible to positively identify it. Its slightly curved profile, however, points to it having been part of a mechanical fitting, for example, rather than a coin. SF1 [38] Equid (horse) metacarpal, broken at mid-shaft towards distal end, and with hole through longitudinal axis. Anterior surface towards distal end has been carefully cut to produce a uniformly wedge-shaped end, although the bone is broken across this originally ?flattened end. Its entire surface is covered with tiny scratch or wear marks. The oval shaped hole which runs right through the bone shaft is neatly fashioned and has smooth surfaces. This is suggestive of use, perhaps for insertion of a tang for a handle; the wedge-shaped end is also neatly fashioned and was perhaps used as a tool of some kind, such as a leather scraper or some kind of levering/lifting device.
SF2 Context 16 Circular (unidentified) metal disc, slightly ?dished on one side. Surfaces are badly corroded and covered in black concretions. No detail shown on �x�-ray.
6.4 Faunal remains by Julie Curl
Only one fragment (0.032kg) of a pig fibula ([15]; Trench 2) was found. The bone has been chopped and displayed extensive rodent gnawing. This is undoubtedly food waste.
7.0 Environmental Evidence
Val Fryer, an independent environmental specialist, was invited to visit the site in order to determine whether there was any value in sampling the peat deposits exposed in all trenches. The results of this discussion was a determination that the soils would yield little macrofossil information, and a decision was therefore taken to not remove any macrofossil samples from the site. The borehole data discussed in Section 2 suggested that peats lay at up to 7m below the present ground surface along the southern edge of the site. Such a great depth of peat inferred both that this part of the site overlaid a former river course or palaeochannel and that the earliest peats in this formation could be of great antiquity. Dr Frances Green, an independent environmental specialist, was therefore invited to visit the site in order to assess whether the peat formation could be of value in determining past local environments. The results of this discussion suggested that a programme of palynological analysis allied to a selection of radiocarbon dating tests could provide an important new dataset for use in the understanding of previous climates and environments in the locality.
It was therefore decided, after consultation with Andy Hutcheson of NLA, that a core should be sunk through the peats at the deepest part of the site (Trench 5) and a series of samples removed for palynological and radiocarbon analyses. The core was sunk using a manually-powered Hilla open auger from a depth of 1.44m OD to - 4.36m OD, and small samples removed at intervals of between 0.55m and 0.65m. The results of the analysis of these samples, and those from the two radiocarbon samples submitted to the University of Waikato, New Zealand, will not be ready for several months. In order that this report is not delayed in its delivery it is proposed that the results, and a discussion of their significance, are readied for submission to Norfolk Archaeology, the annual journal of the Norfolk and Norwich Archaeological Society. Should the results prove to be of minimal significance a short note will be prepared for submission to the Norfolk Historic Environmental Record.
8.0 Conclusions
The trial trenching of this site, allied to a programme of historical research, has demonstrated that the site saw little use prior to its development into a garage. This was a natural result of its location on the floodplain of the river Chet. The edge of the river margin is quite clearly shown by the position of neighbouring post-medieval buildings, and lies close to the northern extremity of the site. A study of the geotechnical borehole data shows that the site overlies a great depth of peat formation, the uppermost reaches of which were exposed during the trial trenching. This peat has almost certainly developed within a former river channel of some depth, since in places natural sands now lie some 4.5m below sea level. The date at which this peat formed has not been proven, although a programme of radiocarbon dating and palynological assessment should throw some light on this interesting
question. It has been suggested (Dr Frances Green pers comm.) that the river channel was moved when Loddon Mill was established. This is quite possible, although the date at which the mill site was established is itself unfortunately unknown (the Domesday reference probably refers to Pyesmill, which lies further downstream).
It is quite probable, however, that peat has been forming here for at least a millennia. In this case the Viking spearhead should best be viewed as an object of casual loss within a floodplain. The medieval pottery from this site, however, may be interpreted as casual refuse disposal from the northern edge of the floodplain (ie the Chedgrave side).
Recommendations for future work based upon this report will be made by Norfolk Landscape Archaeology.
Acknowledgements
The evaluation and the production of this report were funded by Roy Williamson Properties Ltd. Ron Beattie, director, provided assistance throughout the project. The site was excavated by Simon Birnie, Dafydd Davies and Andy Shelley. Fran Green supervised the auger sampling of Trench 5. The trenches were mechanically excavated by Pete and Mick of Bryn Williams Builders and Civil Engineers. The finds were processed by Lucy Talbot. The pottery was reported on by Sue Anderson, the clay tobacco pipe was identified by John Ames, Julie Curl analysed the animal bone and the small finds were looked at by Julia Huddle. Val Fryer and Dr Frances Green gave their expertise on the environmental evidence. This report was illustrated by David Dobson and the author, edited by Alice Lyons and produced by David Dobson.
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Oswald, A., 1975 Clay Pipes for the Archaeologist, Brit. Archaeol. Rep. Brit. Ser. 14
Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B., 1997 The Buildings of England. Norfolk 2. North-West and South, (Penguin)
Shelley, A., 2002 Report on an Archaeological Evaluation at Red Lion Street, Aylsham, Norfolk NR11 6ER, Norfolk Archaeological Unit report 750
Appendix 1: Context Summary
Context
Trench
Category
Description
Period
1
4
Deposit
Concrete surface
Modern
2
4
Deposit
Gravel sub-base
Modern
3
4
Deposit
Flood deposit?
Post-medieval
4
4
Deposit
Upper peat
Undated
5
4
Deposit
Middle peat
Undated
6
4
Deposit
Lower peat
Undated
7
2
Deposit
Modern disturbed surface
Modern
8
2
Deposit
?Garden soil layer
Modern
9
2
Deposit
Peat build-up
Undated
10
2
Deposit
Peat build-up
Undated
11
2
Deposit
Peat and/or colluvial/flood deposit
Medieval?
12
2
Unstratified
unstratified finds from Trench 2 spoil
Not applicable
13
2
Deposit
Colluvial or flooding episode
Undated
14
2
Deposit
Peat build-up
Undated
15
2
Unstratified
Find spot from spoil
Not applicable
16
2
Unstratified
unstratified finds from Trench 2 spoil
Not applicable
17
5
Deposit
Consolidation layer?
Modern
18
5
Deposit
Flooding deposit?
Undated
19
5
Deposit
Water meadow soil?
Undated
20
5
Deposit
Flooding deposit?
Undated
21
5
Deposit
Water meadow soil and flooding
Undated
22
5
Cut
Roadside ditch
Modern
23
5
Deposit
Fill of roadside ditch
Modern
24
5
Deposit
Peat/water meadow soil
Undated
25
5
Deposit
Peat/water meadow soil
Undated
26
5
Deposit
Peat
Undated
27
5
Deposit
Fill of roadside ditch
Modern
28
5
Deposit
Fill of roadside ditch
Modern
29
5
Deposit
Tarmac surface
Modern
30
5
Deposit
Hardcore for Tarmac
Modern
31
3
Deposit
Garden soil
Modern
32
3
Deposit
Fill of modern garden pit
Modern
33
3
Cut
Garden pit
Modern
34
3
Deposit
Lower garden soil
19th or 20th century
35
3
Deposit
Garden soil
19th or 20th century
36
3
Deposit
Upper peat
Undated
37
3
Deposit
Lower peat
Undated
39
3
Deposit
Subsoil
Undated
40
3
Cut
Fill of refuse pit
20th century
41
1
Deposit
Refuse pit
20th century
42
1
Deposit
Peat
Undated
43
1
Deposit
Peat
Undated
44
1
Deposit
Silts and sands from flooding
Undated
45
1
Deposit
Sandy silt - flooding
Undated
46
1
Deposit
Consolidation deposit?
Modern
47
1
Deposit
Consolidation deposit
Modern
Appendix 2: Finds by Context
Context
Material
Quantity
Weight (kg)
Period
04
Clay tobacco pipe
1
0.019
Post-medieval
12
Pottery
2
0.006
Post-medieval
13
Clay tobacco pipe
1
0.005
Post-medieval
15
Pottery
1
0.057
Medieval
15
Stone
1
0.072
-
15
Animal bone
-
0.032
-
16
Metal (SF2)
1
-
-
16
Pottery
2
0.031
Medieval to post-medieval
31
Pottery
4
0.034
Post-medieval
31
Clay tobacco pipe
1
0.004
Post-medieval
35
Pottery
1
0.008
Post-medieval
38
Worked bone (SF1)
1
-
-