land at walpole farm stanstead mountfitchet essex · appendices a and b, respectively. figure 2...

Land at Walpole Farm Stanstead Mountfitchet

Essex

Archaeological Evaluation

October 2014

for

and Martin Grant Homes

Bloor Homes Eastern

CA Project: 660346 CA Report: 14508

Land at Walpole Farm Stanstead Mountfitchet

Essex

Archaeological Evaluation

CA Project: 660346 CA Report: 14508

prepared by Oliver Good, Project Leader

date 29 October 2014

checked by Derek Evans, Project Manager


approved by John Dillon, Head of Office

signed


issue 01

This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely

at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.

© Cotswold Archaeology

Cirencester Milton Keynes Andover Building 11 41 Burners Lane South Stanley House Kemble Enterprise Park Kiln Farm Walworth Road Kemble, Cirencester Milton Keynes Andover, Hampshire Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ MK11 3HA SP10 5LH t. 01285 771 022 t. 01908 564 660 t. 01264 347 630 f. 01285 771 033

e. [email protected]


1

Walpole Farm, Essex: Archaeological Evaluation

CONTENTS

SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 2

1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 3

The site .............................................................................................................. 3

Archaeological background ................................................................................ 4

Archaeological objectives ................................................................................... 5

Methodology....................................................................................................... 5

2. RESULTS .......................................................................................................... 6

The finds evidence ............................................................................................. 10

3. DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................... 10

4. CA PROJECT TEAM .......................................................................................... 11

5. REFERENCES ................................................................................................... 11

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ................................................................... 12

APPENDIX B: THE FINDS ............................................................................................. 16

APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM .......................................................................... 17

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1: Site location plan (1:25,000)

Fig. 2: Trench location plan, showing archaeological features and geophysical survey results

(1:2,000)

Fig. 3: Trench 17: plan, section and photograph (1:20 & 1:200)




Fig. 7: Trench 49: plan, sections and photographs (1:20 & 1:200)


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SUMMARY

Project Name: Land at Walpole Farm

Location: Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex

NGR: TL 5130 2610

Type: Evaluation

Date: 29 September–10 October 2014

Planning Reference: UTT/13/1618/OP

Location of Archive: To be deposited with Saffron Walden Museum

Site Code: STU 14

In October 2014, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation at Walpole

Farm, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex. Fifty-seven trenches were excavated at the site.

A previous geophysical survey detected two areas of possible sand and gravel quarrying

within the site, as well as a small number of pit-type anomalies thought also to relate to

mineral extraction. The survey also identified traces of former field boundaries, some of

which are depicted on 19th and 20th-century cartographic sources and aerial photographs.

The evaluation uncovered no evidence to suggest the presence of significant archaeological

remains at the site. Parts of three late post-medieval/modern boundary ditches were

uncovered, corresponding to field boundaries visible on 19th and 20th-century cartographic

sources. The evaluation also recorded a small number of shallow, late post-

medieval/modern ditches in the south-western corner of the site.

There was a broad correspondence between the evaluation results and the geophysical

survey. While the field boundary ditches recorded by the evaluation had been detected by

the survey, geophysical anomalies suggestive of areas of quarrying and further possible field

boundaries were not found to correspond to below-ground archaeological features.

Conversely, the ditches exposed in the south-western corner of the site had not been

detected by the geophysical survey, perhaps because of their very shallow profiles.


3


1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In October 2014, Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological

evaluation at Walpole Farm, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex (centred at NGR: TL

5130 2610). This work was commissioned jointly by Martin Grant Homes and Bloor

Homes Eastern.

1.2 Outline planning permission (planning ref: UTT/13/1618/OP) has been granted by

Uttlesford District Council (UDC; the local planning authority) for:

“redevelopment of land to provide approximately 160 dwelling houses, up to 600

square metres of commercial (B1) floorspace, approximately 0.45ha reserved for

educational uses, seven full size allotments, paddock and community woodland area

with associated open space, landscaping, access, parking and drainage”.

1.3 Conditions 10–12 of the outline planning permission require a programme of

archaeological investigation. The scope of this evaluation was defined by Richard

Havis (Senior Historic Environment Advisor) and Adrian Gascoyne (Senior

Consultant) of the Historic Environment Project Team, Place Services (the

archaeological advisors to UDC).

1.4 The evaluation was carried out in accordance with a written scheme of investigation

(WSI) produced by CA (2014) and approved by Richard Havis. The fieldwork also

followed the Standards for Field Archaeology in the East of England (Gurney 2003),

the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluation (IfA 2009), the

Management of Archaeological Projects (English Heritage 1991) and the

Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MORPHE): Project

Manager’s Guide (English Heritage 2006). It was monitored by Richard Havis,

including a site visit on 6 October.

The site

1.5 The proposed development site lies to the immediate north of Stansted Mountfitchet,

on the western side of the B1383 Cambridge Road. The Walpole Farm buildings are

situated to the immediate south-east of the site.


4


1.6 In total, the proposed development site encloses an area of approximately 10.2ha.

Within this footprint, however, are three areas which are not currently proposed for

development. These are marked on Figure 2, and comprise:

• two areas earmarked as potential option sites for educational use (0.45ha total);

and

• an area which is to be retained as a grazing paddock (1.24ha).

1.7 As agreed with Richard Havis, these three areas were excluded from the evaluation,

giving a total evaluation site area of 8.5ha.

1.8 At the time of the evaluation, the site comprised parts of three arable fields. In

places, differences in level between the fields created steep banks (between 1.5m

and 2m high) along the field boundaries. A former stream channel was visible as a

depression running approximately east/west through the centre of the site.

1.9 The underlying bedrock geology in the main body of the site is mapped as clays,

silts and sands of the Thanet Sand Formation and the Lambeth Group. A band of

Lewes Nodular Formation and Seaford Formation chalk runs along the line of the

former stream channel (BGS 2014).

1.10 The superficial deposits in the main body of the site comprise glaciofluvial sands and

gravels. The south-western corner of the site and a small area at the western

boundary feature Lowestoft Formation diamicton, while the former stream channel is

overlain by Head clays, silts, sands and gravels (BGS 2014).

Archaeological background

1.11 The site was the previous subject of a desk-based heritage assessment (DBA; CA

2013) and a geophysical survey (PCG 2013). The following section is summarised

from these sources.

1.12 The DBA found no evidence to indicate significant buried archaeological deposits

within the proposed development site.

1.13 Only two prehistoric heritage assets are known from within a 1km radius of the site:

a circular cropmark near Flatiron Spring copse (some 400m north-west of the site);


5


and an Iron Age cremation urn findspot near Hill End House (approximately 1km

north-east of the site).

1.14 The B1383 Cambridge Road, which runs to the immediate east of the site, has been

identified as the possible line of a former Roman road from Harlow to Cambridge.

However, no archaeological evidence for this Roman thoroughfare or any activity

associated with it has been uncovered in the vicinity of the site.

1.15 The site was probably part of the agricultural hinterland of Stansted Mountfitchet in

the medieval period.

1.16 The geophysical survey detected two areas of possible sand and gravel quarrying

within the site, as well as a small number of pit-type anomalies thought also to relate

to mineral extraction. The survey also identified traces of former field boundaries,

some of which are depicted on 19th and 20th-century cartographic sources and

aerial photographs.

Archaeological objectives

1.17 The objectives of the evaluation were to provide information about the

archaeological resource within the site, including its presence/absence, character,

extent, date, integrity, state of preservation and quality. The information gathered will

enable UDC to identify and assess the particular significance of the site’s heritage

resource, consider the impact of the proposed development upon that significance,

and develop plans to avoid or minimise conflict between heritage resource

conservation and any aspect of the development proposal, in line with the National

Planning Policy Framework (DCLG 2012).

Methodology

1.18 The evaluation comprised of the excavation of 57 trenches (Fig. 2). All trenches

were 30m long and 2m wide, with the exception of T32, which had to be moved and

shortened slightly due to on-site constraints. The trenches provided a 4% sample of

the proposed development site. They were located to test anomalies detected by the

geophysical survey, as well as to sample apparently “blank” areas. Additionally, at

the site meeting on 6 October, Richard Havis requested extensions to T40 and T49

in order to further investigate the archaeological features exposed therein.


6


1.19 Trenches were set out on OS National Grid (NGR) co-ordinates using Leica GPS

and surveyed in accordance with CA Technical Manual 4: Survey Manual (2012).

1.20 All trenches were excavated by a mechanical excavator equipped with a toothless

grading bucket. All machine excavation was undertaken under constant

archaeological supervision to the top of the natural substrate, which was the level at

which the archaeological features were exposed. Where archaeological features

were encountered, they were excavated by hand in accordance with CA Technical

Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (2013).

1.21 Deposits were assessed for their palaeoenvironmental potential in accordance with

CA Technical Manual 2: The Taking and Processing of Environmental and Other

Samples from Archaeological Sites (2003). No deposits were identified that required

sampling. All artefacts recovered were processed in accordance with CA Technical

Manual 3: Treatment of Finds Immediately after Excavation (1995).

1.22 The archive and artefacts from the evaluation are currently held by CA at their

offices in Kemble. Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner, the archive will

be deposited with Saffron Walden Museum. A summary of information from this

project, as set out within Appendix C, will be entered onto the OASIS online

database of archaeological projects in Britain.

2. RESULTS

2.1 This section provides an overview of the evaluation results. Detailed summaries of

the recorded contexts and the artefacts recovered from the site can be found in

Appendices A and B, respectively. Figure 2 presents a general overview of the

evaluation results overlain on the geophysical survey results. Individual trench plans

and section drawings are referenced below.

2.2 Ten trenches (T10, T17, T33, T34, T38, T40, T41, T42, T48 and T49) contained late

post-medieval/modern boundary ditches. The remainder of the trenches were blank.


7


General stratigraphy

2.3 The natural substrate generally comprised orange-brown sandy clay with occasional

gravels and was exposed at depths of between 0.2m (T8, T28 and T38) and 1.01m

(T20) below the present ground level (BGL). The average depth at which the natural

was exposed was 0.42m BGL. In general, the trenches were shallowest (0.2m–

0.37m BGL) in the northern part of the western field and along the western and

southern edges of this field. The deepest trenches (0.76m–1.01m BGL) lay in the

centre of the western field (T16, T19–21, T26), which was within the former stream

channel running through the centre of the site.

2.4 In the majority of the trenches, the natural was overlain directly by 0.2m–52m of

topsoil. However, 27 trenches (see Appendix A for details) contained a silty clay

subsoil layer of 0.05m–0.6m thickness between the natural substrate and the

topsoil. The trenches containing subsoil generally lay on the broad east/west line of

the former stream channel running through the centre of the site.

Blank trenches

2.5 Of the 47 blank trenches, the following were targeted on geophysical anomalies:

• T12, T16 and T45: sampled areas of potential quarrying;

• T14 and T15: sampled linear anomalies interpreted as potential services;

• T19, T20 and T27: sampled possible boundary ditch anomalies;

• T22, T24, T26: sampled potential quarrying pits; and

• T52: sampled a potential quarrying pit and a larger area of potential quarrying.

2.6 The absence of below-ground archaeological features associated with these

geophysical anomalies indicates that they were caused by natural variations in

ground composition.

Trench 10

2.7 East/west-aligned ditch 1003 was located centrally within T10. This ditch was on the

line of a geophysical anomaly associated with a late post-medieval/modern field


8


boundary. Although unexcavated, a modern iron bucket was visible in the upper fill

of this feature.

Trench 17 (Fig. 3)

2.8 East/west-aligned ditch 1703 was the continuation of the late post-medieval/modern

boundary exposed in T10. This ditch was 1.55m wide and 0.41m deep and

contained modern artefacts. It had been detected by the geophysical survey.

Trench 33 (Fig. 4)

2.9 North-east/south-west-aligned ditch 3302 was 1.5m wide and 0.3m deep and

produced large amounts of modern material. This ditch corresponded with a late

post-medieval/modern field boundary detected by the geophysical survey. The

continuation of this ditch was exposed in T34, T40, T41, and T42.

Trench 34

2.10 Ditch 3402 was the continuation of the late post-medieval/modern field boundary

ditch also exposed in T33, T40, T41, and T42. Although unexcavated, the upper fill

was observed to contain fragments of modern pottery, bottle tops and glass.

Trench 38 (Fig. 5)

2.11 East/west-aligned ditch 3802 measured 2.33m in width and 0.35m in depth and

contained modern brick fragments. This ditch corresponded to a late post-

medieval/modern field boundary recorded by the geophysical survey.

Trench 40

2.12 North/south-aligned ditch 4002 represented a return of the late post-

medieval/modern boundary detected by the geophysical survey and also exposed in

T33, T34, T41 and T42. This ditch was 1.94m wide and 0.73m deep and yielded

modern artefacts including china, shards of glass and iron objects.

Trench 41

2.13 Ditch 4103 was a continuation of the late post-medieval/modern boundary detected

by the geophysical survey and also exposed in T33, T34, T40 and T42. This ditch


9


was 2.27m wide and 0.45m deep and contained modern pottery, metal objects and

glass.

Trench 42

2.14 Ditch 4202 was a continuation of the late post-medieval/modern boundary detected

by the geophysical survey and also exposed in T33, T34, T40 and T41. This ditch

was 0.94m wide and 0.33m deep and yielded modern nails, glass and pottery.

Trench 48 (Fig. 6)

2.15 North-east/south-west-aligned ditch 4804 truncated possible pit 4807. Neither of

these features had been detected by the geophysical survey.

2.16 The exact nature of feature 4807 is uncertain; while it may have been a shallow pit,

it is also possible that it represented root action on the edge of ditch. This feature

measured 0.25m in width and 0.14m in depth and was undated artefactually.

2.17 Ditch 4804 was 0.85m wide and 0.18m deep. It yielded post-medieval CBM, as well

as two residual prehistoric worked flint flakes.

Trench 49 (Fig. 7)

2.18 T49 contained four shallow, north-east/south-west-aligned ditches: 4902, 4904,

4906 and 4908. Ditches 4902 and 4904 lay immediately adjacent to each other

towards the southern end of the trench; ditches 4906 and 4908 lay next to each

other towards the centre of the trench, where they were both seen to terminate.

None of these ditches had been detected by the geophysical survey.

2.19 Ditch 4902 was 0.58m wide and 0.09m deep and contained a few pieces of post-

medieval CBM and some iron objects. Ditch 4904 was 0.6m wide and 0.09 deep and

produced a small quantity of post-medieval CBM. Ditch 4906 was 1.04m wide and

0.16m deep and yielded some post-medieval CBM and metal objects. Ditch 4908

was 0.49m wide and 0.09m deep and contained modern glass.


10


The finds evidence

2.20 This section presents a summary of the finds evidence. For a detailed report on the

artefactual material recovered from the site, see Appendix B.

2.21 The vast majority of the excavated features at the site contained modern artefactual

material. Only a representative sample of this material was recovered from the site.

Finds recovered from the evaluation included pottery, CBM, glass, metal objects and

worked flint. All of these artefacts were post-medieval or modern in date, with the

following exceptions:

• two residual prehistoric worked flint flakes recovered from late post-

medieval/modern ditch 4804;

• two further worked flints recovered as unstratified finds; and

• a single sherd of medieval pottery recovered as an unstratified find.

3. DISCUSSION

3.1 The evaluation uncovered no evidence to suggest the presence of significant

archaeological remains at the site.

3.2 Parts of three late post-medieval/modern boundary ditches were uncovered. These

ditches align with field boundaries visible on 19th and 20th-century cartographic

sources. In on-site discussions, the farmer maintained that these ditches were

backfilled around 40 years ago. The evaluation also recorded a small number of

shallow, late post-medieval/modern ditches in the south-western corner of the site

(T48 and T49).

3.3 Four residual/unstratified prehistoric worked flints were recovered. These artefacts

indicate a low level of prehistoric activity in the region of the site, but no prehistoric

features were uncovered by the evaluation.

3.4 There was a broad correspondence between the evaluation results and the

geophysical survey. The field boundary ditches recorded by the evaluation had been

detected by the survey. However, geophysical anomalies suggestive of areas of

quarrying and further possible field boundaries were not found to correspond to


11


below-ground archaeological features. It is probable that these anomalies were

caused by natural variation in ground composition. Conversely, the ditches exposed

in the south-western corner of the site had not been detected by the geophysical

survey, perhaps because of their very shallow profiles.

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Oliver Good, assisted by Steve Bush, Jack Martin

Jones, and Tony Brown. The report was written by Oliver Good. The illustrations

were prepared by Aleksandra Osinska. The archive has been compiled by Oliver

Good, and prepared for deposition by James Johnson. The project was managed for

CA by Derek Evans.

5. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) 2014 Geology of Britain Viewer

http://maps.bgs.ac.uk/geology viewer_google/googleviewer.html Accessed 25

February 2013

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2013 Land at Walpole Farm, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex:

Heritage Desk-Based Assessment CA Report 13087

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2014 Land at Walpole Farm, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex:

Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Evaluation

DCLG (Department of Communities and Local Government) 2012 National Planning Policy

Framework

Gurney, D 2003 Standards for Field Archaeology in the East of England East Anglian

Archaeology Occasional Paper No. 14

PGC (Pre-Construct Geophysics) 2013 Archaeological Geophysical Survey: Land at

Walpole Farm, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex

http://maps.bgs.ac.uk/geology%20viewer_google/googleviewer.html


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APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench No.

Context No.

Type Fill of Context interpretation

Description Length (m)

Width (m)

Depth/ thickness

(m) 1 100 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.35 1 101 Layer Natural Light orangey brown sandy

clay with 10-15% gravels

2 200 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.3 2 201 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown silty clay

with 5-10% gravels

3 300 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.29 3 301 Layer Natural Light orangey brown silty clay

with 10-15% gravels

4 400 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.30 4 401 Layer Subsoil Mid brown silty clay 0.05 4 402 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay

with 10-15% gravels

5 500 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.25 5 501 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay 6 600 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.2 6 601 Layer Subsoil Mid brown silty clay 0.58 6 602 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay 7 700 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.25 7 701 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay

with 30-40% gravels

8 800 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.2 8 801 Layer Natural Mid orange brown sandy clay 9 900 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.23 9 901 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay

with 5% gravels

10 1000 Layer Topsoil Dark greyish brown silty clay loam

0.35

10 1001 Layer Subsoil Mid reddish brown silty clay 0.6 10 1002 Layer Natural Mid-light reddish brown silty

clay

10 1003 Cut Ditch Modern ditch (U) 10 1004 Fill 1003 Fill Fill of ditch (U) 11 1100 Layer Topsoil Mid brown sandy loam 0.21 11 1101 Layer Subsoil Mid orangey brown sandy clay 0.25 11 1102 Layer Natural Light orangey brown sandy

clay

12 1200 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.25 12 1201 Layer Subsoil Mid brown sandy clay 0.2 12 1202 Layer Natural Light orangey brown sandy

clay with 10-15% gravels

13 1300 Layer Topsoil Mid brown sandy loam 0.32 13 1301 Layer Subsoil Mid orangey brown sandy clay 0.35 13 1302 Layer Natural Light orangey brown sandy

clay

14 1400 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.46 14 1401 Layer Subsoil Mid brown silty clay 0.2 14 1402 Layer Natural Mid brown silty clay with 5-

10% gravels

15 1500 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.28 15 1501 Layer Subsoil Mid brown silty clay 0.3 15 1502 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown silty clay 16 1600 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.25


13


Trench No.

Context No.



Width (m)

Depth/ thickness

(m) 16 1601 Layer Subsoil Mid brown silty clay 0.55 16 1602 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown silty clay 17 1700 Layer Topsoil Dark brown silty clay 0.29 17 1701 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay 17 1702 Fill 1703 Ditch fill Fill of modern ditch 1.55 0.41 17 1703 Cut Ditch Modern boundary ditch >1.8 1.55 0.41 18 1800 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.29 18 1801 Layer Natural Light orangey brown silty clay 19 1900 Layer Topsoil Dark brownish silty clay loam 0.52 19 1901 Layer Subsoil Mid brownish silty clay 0.4 19 1902 Layer Natural Dark brown silty clay 20 2000 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.43 20 2001 Layer Subsoil Mid orangey brown silty clay 0.58 20 2002 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown silty clay 21 2100 Layer Topsoil Dark brown silty clay 0.4 21 2101 Layer Subsoil Mid brown silty clay 0.36 21 2102 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay

with patches of gravel

22 2200 Layer Topsoil Mid brown sandy loam 0.28 22 2201 Layer Subsoil Mid orangey brown sandy clay 0.12 22 2202 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay 23 2300 Layer Topsoil Mid brown sandy loam 0.34 23 2301 Layer Subsoil Mid brown sandy clay 0.27 23 2302 Layer Natural Orangey brown sandy clay 24 2400 Layer Topsoil Mid brown sandy loam 0.48 24 2401 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown 25 2500 Layer Topsoil Dark brown silty clay 0.27 25 2501 Layer Subsoil Mid brown silty clay 0.16 25 2502 Layer Natural Mid orange sandy clay 26 2600 Layer Topsoil Dark brown silty clay loam 0.34 26 2601 Layer Subsoil Mid brown silty clay 0.42 26 2600 Layer Natural Mid brown orange silty clay 27 2700 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.26 27 2701 Layer Subsoil Mid brown silty clay 0.29 27 2702 Layer Natural Light orangey brown with 10-

15% gravels

28 2800 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.2 28 2801 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown silty clay 29 2900 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.21 29 2901 Layer Subsoil Mid brown silty clay 0.27 29 2902 Layer Natural Light brown silty clay with 10-

15% gravels

30 3000 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.27 30 3001 Layer Natural Light orangey brown silty clay 31 3100 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.2 31 3101 Layer Subsoil Mid brown silty clay 0.35 31 3102 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown silty clay 32 3200 Layer Topsoil Dark greyish brown silty clay 0.31 32 3201 Layer Natural Orangey brown gravel 33 3300 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.27 33 3301 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown silty clay 33 3302 Cut Ditch Dark brown sandy clay >1.9 1.5 0.3 33 3303 Fill 3302 Ditch fill Dark brown sandy clay 0.9 0.2 33 3304 Fill 3302 Ditch fill Mid brown silty clay 1.5 0.1


14


Trench No.

Context No.



Width (m)

Depth/ thickness

(m) 34 3400 Layer Topsoil Dark brown silty clay 0.25 34 3401 Layer Natural Light orangey brown silty clay 34 3402 Cut Ditch Modern ditch (U) 34 3403 Fill 3402 Ditch fill Fill of ditch (U) 35 3500 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.25 35 3501 Layer Subsoil Mid brown silty clay 0.3 35 3502 Layer Natural Light orangey brown silty clay 36 3600 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.27 36 3601 Layer Natural Light orangey brown silty clay 37 3700 Layer Topsoil Dark brown silty clay 0.26 37 3701 Layer Subsoil Mid yellowish brown silty clay 0.2 37 3702 Layer Natural Light brown silty clay with 1%

gravels

38 3800 Layer Topsoil Dark brown silty loam 0.2 38 3801 Layer Natural Light yellowish brown silty clay 38 3802 Cut Ditch Modern ditch boundary >1.8 2.33 0.35 38 3803 Fill 3802 Ditch fill Very dark brown silty clay 1.3 0.14 38 3804 Fill 3802 Ditch fill Mid greyish brown sandy clay 1.97 0.21 39 3900 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.26 39 3901 Layer Natural Light orangey brown silty clay

with 1-5% gravels

40 4000 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.4 40 4001 Layer Natural Light yellowish brown silty clay 40 4002 Cut Ditch Modern field boundary ditch >4 1.94 0.73 40 4003 Fill 4003 Ditch fill Dark brown silty clay 1.94 0.73 41 4100 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy clay loam 0.17 41 4101 Layer Subsoil Dark brown silty clay 0.2 41 4102 Layer Natural Light orangey brown with 10-

15% gravels

41 4103 Cut Ditch Modern boundary ditch >1.9 2.27 0.45 41 4104 Fill 4103 Ditch fill Mid brown with dark grey

lenses sandy clay 2.27 0.45

42 4200 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.3 42 4201 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown silty clay

with 5% gravels

42 4202 Cut Ditch Boundary ditch >1.9 0.94 0.33 42 4203 Fill 4202 Ditch fill Mid greyish brown 0.94 0.33 43 4300 Layer Topsoil Mid brown sandy loam 0.31 43 4301 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay 44 4400 Layer Topsoil Mid brown sandy loam 0.34 44 4401 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown silty clay 45 4500 Layer Topsoil Mid brown sandy loam 0.25 45 4501 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay 46 4600 Layer Topsoil Mid brown sandy clay loam 0.3 46 4601 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay 47 4700 Layer Topsoil Mid brown sandy loam 0.35 47 4701 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay 48 4800 Layer Topsoil Mid brown sandy loam 0.28 48 4801 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay 48 4802 Fill 4804 Ditch fill Mid brownish orange silty clay 0.85 0.06 48 4803 Fill 4804 Ditch fill Mid brown silty clay 0.85 0.13 48 4804 Cut Ditch Ditch >1.6 0.85 0.18 48 4805 Fill 4807 Pit fill Mid orangey brown silty clay 0.15 0.05 48 4806 Fill 4807 Pit fill Mid brown silty clay 0.25 0.08 48 4807 Cut Pit Possible pit 0.48 0.25 0.08


15


Trench No.

Context No.



Width (m)

Depth/ thickness

(m) 49 4900 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.27 49 4901 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay 49 4902 Cut Ditch Modern ditch >2 0.58 0.09 49 4903 Fill 4902 Ditch fill Dark brown sandy clay 0.58 0.09 49 4904 Cut Ditch Modern ditch >2 0.6 0.09 49 4905 Fill 4904 Ditch fill Dark brown sandy clay 0.6 0.09 49 4906 Cut Ditch Modern ditch >3 1.04 0.23 49 4907 Fill 4906 Ditch fill Dark brown silty clay 1.04 0.23 49 4908 Cut Ditch Modern ditch >2.6 0.49 0.13 49 4909 Fill 4908 Ditch fill Dark brown silty clay 0.5 0.13 50 5000 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.39 50 5001 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown sandy clay 51 5100 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.25 51 5101 Layer Natural Light sandy clay with 5-10%

gravel

52 5200 Layer Topsoil Dark brown sandy loam 0.3 52 5201 Layer Subsoil Mid brown sandy clay 0.28 52 5202 Layer Natural Light orangey brown sandy

clay

53 5300 Layer Topsoil Mid brown sandy loam 0.39 53 5301 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown silty clay 54 5400 Layer Topsoil Mid brown sandy loam 0.28 54 5401 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown silty clay 55 5500 Layer Topsoil Mid brown silty loam 0.43 55 5501 Layer Subsoil Mid yellowish brown silty loam 0.15 55 5502 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown silty clay 56 5600 Layer Topsoil Mid brown silty clay 0.35 56 5601 Layer Subsoil Mid yellowish brown silty clay 0.13 56 5602 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown silty clay 57 5700 Layer Topsoil Mid brown sandy loam 0.33 57 5701 Layer Subsoil Mid yellowish brown silty clay 0.16 57 5702 Layer Natural Mid orangey brown silty clay


16


APPENDIX B: THE FINDS

By Jacky Sommerville, CA The vast majority of the excavated features contained modern artefactual material. Only a representative sample of this material was recovered from the site. Finds recovered from evaluation included pottery, ceramic building material, glass, metal objects and worked flint. Pottery: medieval A single rimsherd from a pot with a thickened, everted rim in an oxidised, unglazed coarseware fabric was recovered as an unstratified find. This type of pottery is dateable to the 12th to 15th centuries. Pottery: post-medieval/modern A single base sherd from a flowerpot, of 19th to 20th century date, was recorded in ditch fill 4907. Ceramic building material A total of 11 fragments of ceramic building material of post-medieval date was recovered from five deposits. Included were fragments of flat roof tile from ditch fills 1702 and 4903, and peg tile from ditch fill 1702. Glass Ditch fill 4909 produced a fragment of modern window glass. Metal objects Single iron objects were recorded in three deposits. All are of post-medieval or modern date. Those which could be identified were a looped length of round-sectioned rod from ditch fill 1702 and a rolled sheet fragment from ditch fill 4903. Worked flint A total of four worked flint items was recovered as residual and unstratified items. These comprised two flakes from ditch fill 4802, and a core and end scraper recovered as unstratified finds. The scraper was made on a thickish flake and featured steep, regular retouch on the distal dorsal edge. The core was a multi-platform type which had been used to manufacture flakes. None of these items are diagnostic and they are only broadly dateable to the prehistoric period. Table B1: Finds concordance Context Description Count Weight(g) Spot-date

0 Medieval pottery: unglazed coarseware 1 8 – Worked flint: core, scraper 2 69

1702 Post-medieval ceramic building material: peg tile, flat roof tile

3 188 Post-medieval

Iron object: loop 1 151 4802 Post-medieval ceramic building material 1 <1 Post-medieval

Worked flint: flakes 2 61 4903 Post-medieval ceramic building material: tile 2 54 Post-medieval

Iron object: tube 2 39 4905 Post-medieval ceramic building material 3 32 Post-medieval 4907 Modern pottery: flowerpot 1 7 C19-C20

Post-medieval ceramic building material 2 20 Iron object 1 5

4909 Modern glass: window 1 <1 C19-C20


17


APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM

PROJECT DETAILS Project Name Land at Walpole Farm, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex:

Archaeological Evaluation Short description (250 words maximum)

In October 2014, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation at Walpole Farm, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex. Fifty-seven trenches were excavated at the site. A previous geophysical survey detected two areas of possible sand and gravel quarrying within the site, as well as a small number of pit-type anomalies thought also to relate to mineral extraction. The survey also identified traces of former field boundaries, some of which are depicted on 19th and 20th-century cartographic sources and aerial photographs. The evaluation uncovered no evidence to suggest the presence of significant archaeological remains at the site. Parts of three late post-medieval/modern boundary ditches were uncovered, corresponding to field boundaries visible on 19th and 20th-century cartographic sources. The evaluation also recorded a small number of shallow, late post-medieval/modern ditches in the south-western corner of the site.

Project dates 29 September–10 October 2014 Project type (e.g. desk-based, field evaluation etc.)

Evaluation

Previous work (reference to organisation or SMR numbers etc.)

Desk-based assessment (Cotswold Archaeology 2013); geophysical survey (Pre-Construct Geophysics 2013)

Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site Location Walpole Farm, Stanstead Mountfitchet, Essex Study area (M2/ha) 8.5ha Site co-ordinates (8 Fig Grid Reference) TL 5130 2610 PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator Essex County Council Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology

Project Manager Derek Evans Project Supervisor Oliver Good MONUMENT TYPE None SIGNIFICANT FINDS None PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of archive

(museum/Accession no.) Content (e.g. pottery, animal bone, etc.)

Physical Saffron Walden Museum Ceramics, glass, flint, etc.

Paper Saffron Walden Museum Context sheets, trench sheets, registers, section drawings, etc.

Digital Saffron Walden Museum Database, digital photos, etc.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Cotswold Archaeology 2014 Land at Walpole Farm, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex: Archaeological Evaluation CA typescript report 14508

Essex

CotswoldArchaeology

Cirencester 01285 771022

Milton Keynes 01908 218320

Andover 01264 326549

w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk

e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE

FIGURE NO.DATEREVISIONSCALE@A4

PROJECT NO.DRAWN BYAPPROVED BY

N

0 1km

Site location plan

Land at Walpole Farm, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex

660346AOJB 1

21/10/2014001:25,000

Reproduced from the 2006 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeology Ltd 100002109

c

51

2

258

260

262

TL

51

4

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ditch 1003

ditch 4002

ditch 4103

ditch 4202

ditch 3402

see Fig. 4

see Fig. 5

see

Fig. 3

see Fig. 6

see

Fig. 7

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey Digital mapping with the permission of

Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office

© Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeology Ltd 100002109.

P:\660346 W

alpole F

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PROJECT NO.

DRAWN BY

APPROVED BY

660346

AO

JB

DATE

REVISION

SCALE@A3

21/10/2014

00

1:2000

PROJECT TITLE

Land at Walpole Farm, Stanstead

Mountfitchet, Essex

FIGURE TITLE

Trench location plan showing

archaeological features and

geophysical survey results

FIGURE NO.

2

site

evaluation trench

archaeological feature

option sites for educational

use

grazing paddock

Cirencester

Milton Keynes

Andover

w

e

01285 771022

01908 218320

01264 347630

www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk

[email protected]

service

land drain

recent boundary (OS)

suggested recent boundary

potential archaeology

potential quarry

Geophysic Survey results (Pre-Construct

Geophysics 2013)

1km0

1700

1702

ditch 1703

90.5mAOD

N S

Section AA

A

A

ditch 1703

Trench 17 plan

Ditch 1703, looking east (1m scale)

N

CotswoldArchaeology



Andover 01264 347630


e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE



21/10/2014001:20 & 1:200

660346AOJB 3


Trench 17: plan, section and photograph

0 1m

section scale 1:20

0 10m

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89.2mAOD

S N

Section BB

3303

3304

ditch 3302

B

B

ditch 3302

Trench 33 plan

Ditch 3302, looking west (1m scale)

N

CotswoldArchaeology



Andover 01264 347630


e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE



21/10/2014001:20 & 1:200

660346AOJB 4



0 1m

section scale 1:20

0 10m

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91.3mAOD

N S

Section CC

3803

380438013801

ditch 3802

C

C

ditch 3802

Trench 38 plan

Ditch 3803, looking east (1m scale)

N

CotswoldArchaeology



Andover 01264 347630


e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE



21/10/2014001:20 & 1:200

660346AOJB 5



0 1m

section scale 1:20

0 10m

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95.3mAOD

S N

Section DD

4802

4803

ditch 4804

4805

4806

ditch 4807

D

D

ditch 4804pit 4807

Trench 48 plan

Ditch 4804 and pit 4807, looking west (1m scale)

N

CotswoldArchaeology



Andover 01264 347630


e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE



21/10/2014001:20 & 1:200

660346AOJB 6



0 1m

section scale 1:20

0 10m

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96mAOD

N S

Section EE

4903

ditch 4902 ditch 4904

4905

96mAOD

N S

Section FF

49094907

ditch 4906ditch 4908

4900

E

E

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Fditch 4906

ditch 4908

ditch 4904

ditch 4902

Trench 49 plan

Ditches 4902 and 4904, looking east (1m scale)

Ditches 4906 and 4908, looking east (1m scale)

N

CotswoldArchaeology



Andover 01264 347630


e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE

FIGURE TITLE



21/10/2014001:20 & 1:200

660346AOJB 7


Trench 49: plan, sections and photographs

0 1m

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0 10m

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land at walpole farm stanstead mountfitchet essex · appendices a and b, respectively. figure 2...

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