Archaeological Excavation and Monitoring at the Hillington S101a Pipeline Scheme

From the 21st of August to 18th of September 2017 a series of test pits were excavated, several drill pits were monitored and small area of topsoil stripping was undertaken along the route of the Hillington S101a pipeline scheme. The pipeline route was split into four areas (A-D) and ran through the parishes of Hillington, Flitcham with Appleton, Sandringham and Dersingham in Norfolk (TF 7015 3015 to 7157 2528).
In Area A, at the northern end of the pipeline closest to Dersingham, three test pits were excavated, whilst further to the south, in Area B ten test pits were excavated. No archaeological features, deposits or finds were identified in any of these test pits.
Two drill pits were monitored within Area C, which were located either side of the Babingley River. No archaeological remains were identified. In Area D, located at the southern end of the pipeline route closest to the village of Hillington, a total of seven drill pits were monitored across this area and an area of topsoil measuring 50m by 6m was removed and monitored. Again, no archaeological remains were revealed.
The work carried out along on the pipeline route only allowed for very limited sampling of the investigated areas, and although this part of Norfolk is known for archaeological remains of all dates, most notably Roman and medieval remains, no archaeology of any period was identified along the pipeline route.