CATTON PARK SURVEYS 2006

 NHER 24898

Catton Park is an important heritage landscape not only because of its association with Humphrey Repton`s early landscape design, but also due to it having encapsulated and preserved a landscape containing a wealth of archaeological artefact evidence reflecting human occupation of the area stretching back nearly 6,000 years. This importance is given further emphasis due to the Park landscape now being enclosed within the suburban development of northern Norwich, providing a unique window into an otherwise lost landscape with its past human activity. 

In 2006 heritage surveys were carried out in April and September to recover artefact materials remaining in the Park landscape. Both surveys were organised by Mr A.J.Beckerleg, resident of Old Catton and member of both surveying organisations. The survey reports below are a summary of findings; more detailed archaeological data on all artefacts recovered has been produced by the Identification & Recording Service (IRS) based at Gressenhall. This data is now deposited on the Norfolk Heritage & Environment Record (NHER), and can be accessed on-line at: www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk  Enter NHER 24898 for Catton Park and search the relevant data on metal detecting and fieldwalking.

Both surveys have produced an astonishing array of data from a landscape which was for 180 years or so sealed under grassland. Most of the recovered artefacts have not been subject to the normal intensifying damage of modern chemical fertilizers and mechanised agricultural machinery. As a consequence the condition of many artefacts is of noticeably better quality than normally found elsewhere. When properly labelled many of the artefacts will be suitable for display

Metal Detecting Survey

This was carried out by 35 members of the Norwich Detector Club over 2 days in April 2006. Their artefact finds have been identified and recorded by the IRS at Gressenhall. A summary of the NHER findings follows below. The NHER data covers all metal items that are pre -1700 AD. Artefacts which are dated 18th-20thC  are not normally recorded. However on this occasion they have been identified and included in this report summary.

Metal Detecting Summary

Full details are available on HER 24898 database held at Gressenhall.

RB -  Romano-British c.2nd-3rd C AD

         3 Coins - coin loss is normally associated with localised occupation.

MS -  Middle Saxon 650-850 AD

         Strap-end from belt - lost during field-work.

LS -   Late-Saxon 850-1100 AD

         Decorative stirrup-strap mount, and a finger-ring - losses during field-work

MED  Medieval c.1100-1500 AD

A large assortment of standard metal artefacts indicating a growing settlement: personal belt-buckles and furniture mounts, parts of metal cooking pots, lead cloth-making seals, coinage and merchants tokens.Oyster shell food debris.

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