Trial trenching by J.D. Hedges and D.G. Buckley at the Woodham Walter cropmark complex, east of Hoe Mill, 1976 - EEX25194

The Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments, Department of the Environment requested that the Essex County Council Archaeological Section carry out excavations to determine the nature of a cropmark complex at Woodham Walter and to assess their state of preservation, evaluate the threat posed by continued ploughing, and to establish the date and function of the features. The site was fieldwalked prior to any excavation. Three main trenches and a small trial pit (labelled A-D) were opened to investigate the stated objectives. Their locations were driven by the need to preserve, rather than disturb the important areas of the cropmark complex where good structural sequences might be expected, and were placed with consideration to the landowner's cropping programme. Trench A measured 34.5m by 12m, Trench B measured 14m by 15m, Trench C measured 23m by 6m and trial pit D measured 1m, by 1m. No archaeological finds or features were recovered from trial pit D. Note: Trench B has been transcribed onto the cropmark plot. NRHE data transfer: Finds accession no:1976.201. Site archive to go to Chelmsford & Essex Museum?