A Programme of Mitigatory Trenching at Land South of Spirketts Lane, Harleston, Norfolk

A Programme of Archaeological Trial Trenching was undertaken at Land South of Spirketts Lane, Harleston, Norfolk by Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd between the 25th March and the 12th of April 2024. The archaeological project was conducted in accordance with a Written Scheme of Investigation, prepared by PCA. The primary objective of the trial trenching was to ascertain the presence or absence of below-ground archaeological remains in anticipation of the development of the site. A total of 32no. 50m x 1.80m long trial trenches, totalling 1600m metres of linear trenching were excavated and recorded to give a 4% sample of the development site. Certain features that were identified during the geophysical survey (Magnitude 2024) were targeted. Several periods of occupation were identified during the Trial Trenching. General prehistoric activity was represented by several worked flints recovered from the topsoil and a small waste pit of Neolithic to Bronze Age date. A stray sherd of middle Bronze Age pottery was also recovered. The earliest period of more intense activity was of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age date, represented by a large waterhole which contained seventy-three sherds of pottery. A further waterhole and several pits were also present within Trench 18. It is likely that the waterhole and pits in Trench 18 were part of a rural landscape, however there were no clear signs of this in the rest of the trenches. The most substantial findings from the Trial Trenching were the elongated enclosures and at the north side of the site and adjacent to Spirketts Lane. This core of activity was identified in the northwestern corner of the development area in Trenches 22-32. The enclosures appeared to respect Spirketts Lane as there was no continuation of activity from the medieval period on the northern side of the road (Carlyle 2024) as observed in recent trial trenching. The activity could be associated with a small farmstead on the outskirts of medieval Harleston. There was also a limited amount of post-medieval activity on site as an old field boundary referenced by the tithe and Ordnance Survey maps was observed in three trenches running east-west across the site