Monument record FKM 001 - Hercules Went (Rom)

This is a multi period settlement site reported by Kenneth Landymore to Basil Brown in August 1946, when pottery was found by workmen digging for gravel in Allen Newport Ltd's pit on the field known as Hercules Went. During excavation over 200 hut sites, many with hearths or fire holes, were discovered and what were first thought to be ditches were later described as "sunken paths". The site extends along a gravel terrace overlooking a length of the River Black Bourne called Broad Water. The later excavations revealed a "wharf" which stood on ground bordered by channels from the river. Many artefacts from Pal to Sax. The site was worked until 1951 when the gravel ran out and the pit was abandoned. Basil Brown was unable to excavate fully as the gravel was being dug out daily and he conducted a salvage operation very often only able to collect artefacts from the revealed surface beneath the topsoil before the area was demolished so stratification was often impossible. No post holes were found but the area was covered in soft clay patches. The two huts that were fully excavated were rectangular in shapebut the others were not able to be defined (S1). Aerial photographs taken 30.5.80 showed cropmarks of pits, ditches, sunken featured buildings?, gravel test pits extending across Hercules Went and into surrounding fields NW of the site excavated by Basil Brown - see Fakenham Magna FKM 015 (S4). Basil Brown at first thought this site was a "village of Roman huts" as most of the artefacts were Romano-British. He also ascribed the "ditches or sunken paths full of black earth" to the same period as many of the finds came from these features.
Finds included part of mortarius, long piece of iron variously described as "linch pin" or "half pair of shears", a small hone stone of micaceous sandstone, painted pottery, impressed ornament grey ware, Nene Valley (Castor) ware, the base of a pot drilled with small holes thought by Basil Brown to be used for "warming honey", and much plain and decorated Samian ware. One Samian base was marked with the potter's stampe PRIMITIVO S.F and the pottery ranges in period from C1-C4. Coins found on the site were few:- one "late coin very worn" and another C4 coin, worn but with the letters DN, HO, visible and more letters and a female figure on the reverse (ie, probably Honorius AD 395-423). Two strips of bronze are recorded, one of which is perforated and decorated with impressed ornament. Lava quernstone (rotary) bedded in clay in hut, topstone was also found. There was also Belgic pottery including terra nigra (see CRN 02493). Basil Brown also states "On the other side of Fakenham - Euston Road, five Roman coins were found at various times - one Tetricus II, two Constantine I, one Crispus and one late C4 (S2).
See also Euston EUN 011, for Mrs Caton excavation.