ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION AT THE FORMER WATTON GARDEN CENTRE, NORWICH ROAD, WATTON, NORFOLK OCTOBER 2003 (Accession number WAT)

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1 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGY NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL NOVEMBER 2003 (Planning Application No: 3PL/1997/048/0 ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION AT THE FORMER WATTON GARDEN CENTRE, NORWICH ROAD, WATTON, NORFOLK OCTOBER 2003 (Accession number WAT)

2 CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 2 ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 3 TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY 4 METHODOLOGY 5 TRIAL EXCAVATION RESULTS 6 FINDS 7 CONCLUSION APPENDIX 1 BIBLIOGRAPHY FIGURES Fig 1: Site location plan. Scale 1:10,000 Fig 2: Trench location plan. Scale 1:500 Fig 3: Sections Scale 1:20

3 SITE NAME AND ADDRESS: Former Watton Garden Centre, Norwich Road, Watton, Norfolk NGR: TF PLANNING APPLICATION NO: 3PL/1997/048/0 CLIENT: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants, The Manor, South Street, Normanton-On- Trent, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG23 6RQ ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTRACTOR: Northamptonshire Archaeology, 2 Bolton House, Wootton Hall Park, Northampton, NN4 8BE DATE: OCTOBER 2003 STAFF Project Manager: Fieldwork: Text: Pottery: Illustrations: Adam Yates BA, AIFA Tim Upson-Smith BA, PG Dip, Nathan Flavell BA, PGDip, Carol Simmonds BA Tim Upson-Smith Paul Blinkhorn B Tech (Saxon & medieval pottery) Hari Anne Jacklin MA QUALITY CONTROL Print name Signed Date Checked by Verified by Approved by Adam Yates Pat Chapman Andy Chapman

4 ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION AT THE FORMER WATTON GARDEN CENTRE, NORWICH ROAD, WATTON, NORFOLK OCTOBER 2003 (Accession number WAT) ABSTRACT Northamptonshire Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation at the former Watton Garden Centre, Norwich Road, Watton, Norfolk in October Eleven trenches were excavated, totalling 200m in length. Trenches 8, 10 and 11 were excavated as a single trench due to site constraints. A pit in Trench 8 produced a single pottery sherd of probable Iron Age date. Trenches 3, 4, 8 and 9 contained linear features which produced no diagnostic artefacts. 1 INTRODUCTION Northamptonshire Archaeology was commissioned by John Samuels Archaeological Consultants (JSAC) on behalf of Bennett Homes plc, to carry out an archaeological evaluation ahead of the proposed development on the former Watton Garden Centre, Norwich Road, Watton, Norfolk (Fig 1: NGR TF ). The site lies 1.1 km to the east of the town centre on level ground at AOD height of c53m covering an area of 0.78 ha. The work was undertaken to provide information for a Planning Application, which is being sought for residential development (Planning Application No: 3PL/1997/048/0). The evaluation was carried out in October 2003, and met the requirements of a brief issued by the Principal Landscape Archaeologist at Norfolk Landscape Archaeology, dated 27 th August 2003 and the specification issued by JSAC dated September The general research aims of the project were those laid out in Glazebrook The specific objectives of the evaluation were to examine the archaeological resource within the proposed development area by: NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGY PAGE 1 OF 7

5 Determining the presence or otherwise of remains of archaeological interest, particularly the extension of Romano-British settlement from the west and to record the presence, date, character, integrity, state of preservation and depth of burial of any archaeological deposits To seek to understand the archaeology of the development area in terms of the likely impact of the proposed development in order to inform the Local Planning Authority. 2 ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND Two areas of archaeological interest are recorded in the Norfolk Historic Environmental Record (NHER) in the immediate vicinity of the site. Firstly the line of a Roman Road (NHER 8786) which is probably one of the principal east-west routes across Norfolk, linking the Roman town at Venta Icenorum (Caistor St Edmunds), with the Fen Causeway and other major routes beyond. Evidence for late Iron Age and Roman was recovered prior to the development immediately to the west of the currant application area (NHER 25014). 3 TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY The site is located on a triangle of land to the east of the Centre of Watton, which was formally a garden centre. The site is bounded to the north and west by Watton Green to the east by housing and open ground and to the south by Norwich Road. The site is situated on what is now waste ground at a height of c53m AOD. The geology of the area consists of boulder clay and morainic drifts. 4 METHODOLOGY NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGY PAGE 2 OF 7

6 The work was carried out in accordance with the IFA guidelines 1999a and 1999b and the Standards for Field Archaeology in the East of England, Gurney The trench layout was altered due to the presence of several concrete footings and mature vegetation on the site. The evaluation comprised the excavation of eleven trial trenches between 10m and 20m long, to a total length of 200m (Fig 2). A 180 JCB 3CX-type mechanical excavator fitted with a 1.8m wide toothless bucket excavated the trenches, under the supervision of a qualified archaeologist. Eight trenches 20m long by 1.8m wide and three trenches (8, 9,& 11, referred to as Trench 8) which were combined into one L shaped trench totalling 40m in length. The trenches were cleaned sufficiently, to expose any archaeological features that may have been present. Where features were present they were excavated to determine their date and nature. The excavated soils on the spoil heaps were scanned with a metal detector for the retrieval of unstratified finds; none were recovered. The trenches were recorded using the scale of 1:50 for plans and 1:20 for sections and where appropriate 1:10, all contexts were recorded using pro-forma record sheets. Spot heights were taken across the site and on individual features, which were related to the Ordnance datum. A photographic record was maintained throughout the evaluation in colour slide and monochrome print. 5 TRIAL EXCAVATION RESULTS (Fig 2) Trench 1. This trench was located to the north east of the site, aligned north-west to south-east in the car park area. It was excavated to natural (103) at a depth of 0.42m. The natural orange brown sandy clay was sealed by a 0.37m deep layer of a buried dark blue grey silty loam, possibly a buried modern topsoil (102) above which was 0.19m deep layer of modern hardcore (101). No archaeological features were present in this trench. Trench 2. This trench was located to the south of trench 1 and was aligned north-south. It was NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGY PAGE 3 OF 7

7 excavated to natural (204) at a depth of 0.8m. The natural orange brown sandy clay was sealed by a 0.20m deep layer of a green grey sand subsoil (203), above which was 0.40m layer of dark grey blue silty loam possibly a buried modern topsoil (202) above which was 0.20m deep layer of hardcore forming the surface of the car park (201). No archaeological features were present in this trench. Trench 3 (Figs 2 & 3). This trench was located on the Norwich Road frontage aligned eastwest. It was excavated to natural (304) at a depth of 0.4m. The natural orange yellow sandy clay was cut by a single linear feature [305]. The linear feature was aligned north-east to southwest, 0.9m wide with a depth of 0.45m, with steep irregular sloping sides and an irregular base. The fill (306) was a clean soft mid brown silty sand, perhaps suggesting a natural origin for this feature. No finds were recovered from the feature. The feature was sealed by a 0.12m deep layer of friable orange brown sand subsoil (303) above which was a 0.3m deep layer brown grey sandy clay topsoil (302), which was sealed by 0.1m layer of gravel and modern debris from the garden centre (301). Trench 4 (Figs 2 & 3). This trench was also located on the Norwich Road frontage to the west of trench 3 and aligned east-west. It was excavated to natural (404) at a depth of 0.4m. The natural orange yellow sandy clay was overlain by a 0.2m deep layer of friable orange brown sand subsoil (403). Two linear features [405] and [407] cut the subsoil. Both linear features were aligned north-south. A narrow gully [405] was 0.65m wide and 0.1m deep, with steep sides and a flat base. It was filled by a mid brown silty sand (406). A wider linear feature [407] to the west of [405] was 1.15m wide and 0.4m deep, with shallow sloping sides. It was filled by (408) a soft mid brown loamy sand. No finds were recovered from these features. Sealing these features was a 0.32m deep layer brown grey sandy clay topsoil (402), which in turn was sealed by a 0.1m deep layer of gravel and modern debris (401). Trench 5. This trench was located on the corner of Norwich Road and Watton Green Lane, aligned north-west to south-east and was excavated to natural (504) at a depth of 0.42m. The natural orange yellow sandy clay was overlain by a 0.12m deep layer friable orange brown sand subsoil (503) which was sealed by a 0.3m deep layer of brown grey sandy clay topsoil (502). Above this was a thin layer of modern debris (501). No archaeological features were seen in this trench. Trench 6. This trench was located to the east of trench 5 on the same alignment. It was NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGY PAGE 4 OF 7

8 excavated to natural/subsoil (602) at a depth of 0.4m. The natural/subsoil orange brown sand was sealed by a 0.39m deep layer of dark grey brown sandy loam topsoil (601). No archaeological features were seen in this trench. Trench 7. This trench was located on the Watton Green Lane frontage and was aligned northeast to south-west. It was excavated to natural (702) at a depth of 0.4m. The natural light brown yellow sand was overlain by a 0.4m deep layer of dark grey brown sandy loam topsoil (701). No archaeological features were seen in this trench. Trench 8, 10 & 11 (Figs 2 & 3). These trenches were joined to form one trench, which was called Trench 8. The trench was located to the north of Trench 7 on the same alignment. The trench was excavated to natural (803) at a depth of 0.5m. Two features, a pit [804] and a linear feature [806] cut the orange yellow sandy clay natural. The pit [804] was sub circular, 1.5m in diameter (Figs 2 & 3). The excavated half was 0.20m deep. The fill (805) comprised a firm brown loamy sand, with 5% small to medium angular flints. A single body sherd, which possibly dates to the Iron Age, was recovered from the fill. The linear [806] was located at the southern end of the trench on a north-west to south-east alignment. The feature was 1.28m wide and 0.29m deep with shallow sloping sides. It was filled by a soft red brown sandy loam fill (807). No finds were recovered from this feature. The features were sealed by a 0.3m deep layer of dark grey sand subsoil (802) which was sealed by a dark grey brown sandy loam topsoil (801). Trench 9 (Figs 2 & 3). This trench was located in the centre of the site on an east-west alignment. The trench was excavated to natural (904) at a depth of 0.38m. The orange brown sandy clay natural was cut by a single linear feature [907]. The linear was a narrow gully with a V-shaped profile 0.4m wide and 0.16m deep. It was filled by soft yellow brown sandy loam (908). No finds were recovered from this feature. Overlying the feature was a 0.2m deep layer dark grey blue loamy sand subsoil (903, 905 & 906). NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGY PAGE 5 OF 7

9 6 THE FINDS NORWICH ROAD, WATTON The single sherd of pottery, from context 805, weighed 14g. It is a plain bodysherd with a heavily abraded outer surface. The fabric was soft and very fine and micaceous, with very sparse, sub-rounded quartz up to 0.5mm, with rare red and black iron ore up to 1mm, and sparse voids, probably representing burnt-out organic material, up to 5mm. It is likely to be of Iron Age date. 7 CONCLUSION The results of the trial trenching demonstrate that the late Iron Age and Romano-British settlement to the west does not extend into the proposed development area. A number of linear features of unknown origin were encountered, which remain undated. One shallow pit produced a single sherd of pottery suggesting a possible Iron Age date. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGY PAGE 6 OF 7

10 BIBLIOGRAPHY Gurney, D, 2003 Standards for Field Archaeology in the East of England, East Anglian Archaeology Occasional Papers 14 IFA 1999a Standards and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluations, Institute of Field Archaeologists IFA 1999b Code of Conduct, Standards, Guidelines and Practices of the Institute of Field Archaeologists Glazebrook, J, 2000 Research &Archaeology: A Framework for the Eastern Counties 2. Research Agenda & Strategy, East Anglian Archaeology Occasional Papers 8 Web pages NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGY A SERVICE OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL 28 NOVEMBER 2003 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGY PAGE 7 OF 7

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