EAA 92, 2000: Excavations on the Norwich Southern Bypass, 1989–91 Part II: The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Harford farm, Markshall, Norfolk

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The Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Harford Farm consisted of two groups of late 7th-century inhumation burials — surviving only as stains — within a prehistoric barrow cemetery. Of the thirty-one graves grouped on a bluff overlooking the river, most contained either unaccompanied burials or burials with just knife and buckle; but three, all probably female, were lavishly equipped. The fifteen graves further south, loosely arranged around a prehistoric barrow, were mostly ‘knife and buckle’ burials, but one was more richly furnished.

The character of the grave-goods and the manner of burial are typical of ‘late’ or ‘Final Phase’ cemeteries. Although similarity of grave-goods suggests that the two groups of graves were contemporary, there may have been some significant differences in burial rite, coffins predominating in one group and burials in the other group resting on mats of organic material.

Full reference:

Penn, K., 2000, Excavations on the Norwich Southern Bypass, 1989–91 Part II: The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Harford Farm, Markshall, Norfolk, East Anglian Archaeology 92

A4, 133pp, 97fig, 25pls

ISBN 0 905594 30 4