Land at Old Buckenham Norfolk Geophysical Survey Report no. 2646 September 2014 Client: NPS Archaeology Archaeological Services WYAS Report No. 2646 Land at Old Buckenham, Norfolk Land at Old Buckenham Norfolk Geophysical Survey Summary A geophysical (magnetometer) survey covering approximately 4.4 hectares was carried out on land at Old Buckenham, to provide further information on the archaeological resource of the site prior to its proposed development. Faint linear anomalies indicative of soil filled ditches forming a series of rectilinear enclosures of unknown date have been identified covering most of the site. Discrete anomalies within some of the enclosures are also considered to be of archaeological significance. On the basis of the survey the site is considered to be of moderate to high archaeological potential. Archaeological Services WYAS Report No. 2646 Land at Old Buckenham, Norfolk Report Information Client: NPS Archaeology Address: Scandic House, 85 Mountergate, Norwich, NR1 1PY Report Type: Geophysical Survey Location: Old Buckenham County: Norfolk Grid Reference: TM 067 919 Period(s) of activity: prehistoric?/Roman?/medieval? Report Number: 2646 Project Number: 4226 Site Code: OBN14 OASIS ID: archaeol11- Planning Application No.: HER Event No: Museum Accession No.: n/a Date of fieldwork: August 2014 Date of report: September 2014 Project Management: Sam Harrison BSc MSc MIfA Fieldwork: Ross Bishop Mark Evans BA Dan Waterfall BA Report: Alistair Webb BA MIfA Illustrations: David Harrison BA MSc MIfA Photography: Site staff Research: n/a Authorisation for distribution: ------------------------------------------------------ © Archaeological Services WYAS 2014 PO Box 30, Nepshaw Lane South, Morley, Leeds LS27 0UG Telephone: 0113 383 7500. Email: [email protected] ii Archaeological Services WYAS Report No. 2646 Land at Old Buckenham, Norfolk Contents Report information ................................................................................................................ ii Contents ................................................................................................................................ iii List of Figures ......................................................................................................................iv List of Plates .........................................................................................................................iv 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 Site location, topography and land-use ........................................................................ 1 Soils and geology .......................................................................................................... 1 2 Archaeological Background ....................................................................................... 1 3 Aims, Methodology and Presentation ...................................................................... 1 4 Results and Discussion................................................................................................ 3 5 Conclusions .................................................................................................................. 4 Figures Plates Appendices Appendix 1: Magnetic survey: technical information Appendix 2: Survey location information Appendix 3: Raw XY trace plot data Appendix 4: Data repeatability Appendix 5: Geophysical archive Appendix 6: OASIS Form Bibliography iii Archaeological Services WYAS Report No. 2646 Land at Old Buckenham, Norfolk List of Figures 1 Site location (1:50000) 2 Survey location showing greyscale magnetometer data (1:2000) 3 Overall interpretation of magnetometer data (1:2000) 4 Survey information (1:2000) 5 Processed greyscale magnetometer data, Sector 1 (1:1000) 6 XY trace plot of minimally processed magnetometer data, Sector 1 (1:1000) 7 Interpretation of magnetometer data, Sector 1 (1:1000) 8 Processed greyscale magnetometer data, Sector 2 (1:1000) 9 XY trace plot of minimally processed magnetometer data, Sector 2 (1:1000) 10 Interpretation of magnetometer data, Sector 2 (1:1000) List of Plates Plate 1 General view of survey area, looking north-east Plate 2 General view of survey area, looking north-east iv Archaeological Services WYAS Report No. 2646 Land at Old Buckenham, Norfolk 1 Introduction Archaeological Services WYAS (ASWYAS) were commissioned by Jayne Bown of NPS Archaeology, to undertake a geophysical (magnetometer) survey of land at Old Buckenham, Norfolk (see Fig. 1) in order to more fully understand the archaeological potential of the site prior to its proposed development. The work was undertaken in accordance with the Heritage Statement Brief (Norfolk County Council 2014), with a Project Design (Harrison 2014) supplied to and approved by the Client, with guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF 2012) and in line with current best practice (David et al. 2008). The survey was carried out on August 26th and August 27th 2014. Site location, topography and land-use The proposed development area (PDA) is located on the northern periphery of Old Buckenham, centred at TM 066 919, approximately 4km south of Attleborough and 16km south-west of Norwich. The site comprises a broadly rectangular block of agricultural land forming the development area plus a linear strip to the west which will afford access to the main site from the B1077, Attleborough Road. In total an area of approximately 4.4 hectares was surveyed. The site is bound to the south by Abbey Road and Old Buckenham High School and to the west by Old Buckenham Primary School. Open fields extend to the north. The site is relatively flat at about 40m above Ordnance Datum (aOD). Soils and geology The underlying bedrock comprises Lewes Nodular Chalk, Seaford Chalk, Newhaven Chalk and Culver Chalk formations, overlain by superficial deposits of Lowestoft Formation diamicton (British Geological Survey 2014). The soils in this area are classified in the Beccles 1 association, characterised as slowly permeable, seasonally waterlogged loams over clays (Soil Survey of England and Wales 1983). 2 Archaeological Background At the time of writing no archaeological background was known although it is understood that there are no known features within the PDA. 3 Aims, Methodology and Presentation The main aim of the geophysical survey was to provide sufficient information to enable an assessment to be made of the impact of potential sub-surface archaeological remains and for 1 Archaeological Services WYAS Report No. 2646 Land at Old Buckenham, Norfolk further evaluation or mitigation proposals, if appropriate, to be recommended. To achieve this aim a magnetometer survey covering all of the PDA was undertaken. The general objectives of the geophysical survey were: • to provide information about the nature and possible interpretation of any magnetic anomalies identified; • to therefore determine the presence/absence and extent of any buried archaeological features; and • to prepare a report summarising the results of the survey. Magnetometer survey The site grid was laid out using a Trimble VRS differential Global Positioning System (Trimble 5800 model). Bartington Grad601 magnetic gradiometers were used during the survey, taking readings at 0.25m intervals on zig-zag traverses 1m apart within 30m by 30m grids, so that 3600 readings were recorded in each grid. These readings were stored in the memory of the instrument and later downloaded to computer for processing and interpretation. Geoplot 3 (Geoscan Research) software was used to process and present the data. Further details are given in Appendix 1. Reporting A general site location plan, incorporating the 1:50000 Ordnance Survey (OS) mapping, is shown in Figure 1. Figure 2 is a large scale (1:2000) location plan displaying the processed magnetic data. Figure 3 is an interpretation of all the anomalies identified by the survey. Figure 4 shows the site grid and the location of the repeat grids and plates. Large scale (1:1000) plots of the data in greyscale and XY trace plot formats together with interpretation graphics at the same scale are presented in figures 5 to 10 inclusive. Further technical information on the equipment used, data processing and survey methodologies are given in Appendix 1and Appendix 2. Trace plots of the ‘raw’ data and data repeatability plots are included in Appendix 3 and Appendix 4 respectively. Appendix 5 describes the composition and location of the site archive. Appendix 6 is a copy of the completed OASIS form. The survey methodology, report and any recommendations comply with the Project Design (Harrison 2014) and guidelines outlined by English Heritage (David et al. 2008), the Institute for Archaeologists (IfA 2013) and Norfolk County Council. All figures reproduced from Ordnance Survey (OS) mapping are with the permission of the controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office ( Crown copyright). The figures in this report have been produced following analysis of the data in ‘raw’ and processed formats and over a range of different display levels. All figures are presented to 2 Archaeological Services WYAS Report No. 2646 Land at Old Buckenham, Norfolk most suitably display and interpret the data from this site based on the experience and knowledge of Archaeological Services staff. 4 Results and Discussion Summary The most noticeable characteristic of the data is the very ‘flat’ magnetic background as evidenced