Land East of Coast Road, Bacton, Norfolk

Between 22nd and 26th January 2024, Oxford Archaeology carried out a programme of informative trial trenching on an area of proposed development to the east of Coast Road, Bacton. Eleven trial trenches were excavated, totalling 545 linear metres. The trenches targeted geophysical anomalies which had been interpreted as representing the remains of medieval roadside settlement, as well as ensuring coverage of "blank" areas of the site. The trenching confirmed the results of the geophysics in terms of revealing enclosures and structural remains against Coast Road. Sherds from a single late medieval pottery vessel were recovered from one of these features. The features possibly relate to green-edge settlement contemporary with - or potentially predating - the adjacent 16th century Bacton Manor. The remainder of the features identified in the trenches consisted of post-medieval boundary ditches.