Little Melton to Hethersett pipeline: Strip, Map and Sample excavation and watching brief across Prehistoric, Roman and Medieval Norfolk: PXA and UPD

Oxford Archaeology East undertook two Strip Map and Sample excavations and a watching brief on the Little Melton to Hethersett Pipeline (TG1472 0521 – TG 1624 0779). The southernmost strip map and sample at Hethersett was located close to Hethersett Roman Villa site. Pits and ditches associated with Romano-British occupation (broadly dating to the 2nd century) were identified within the area. A small Bronze Age pit was also identified, hinting at unidentified prehistoric occupation.
The northernmost strip map and sample area was located to the south of All Saints Church, Little Melton. The main focus of the site was an area of Late Saxon and early medieval occupation. This included a multi-phase building, pits, ditches and a potential trackway. A series of agricultural features including ridge and furrow were also identified. At the southern end of the site a large ditch was associated with a moated manor site to the west of the Strip Map and Sample area. Finally, a mixed assemblage of struck flints dated from the Late Palaeolithic/Early Mesolithic onwards and a line of postholes of Romano-British date were also excavated.
The watching brief was largely devoid of archaeological features. The only area of note was a ploughed out multiphase flint scatter at the northern end of the pipeline in association with a burnt mound and Iron Age pottery.