Trial trenching by Archaeological Solutions on land adjacent to 21 Cripplegate, Southminster, Essex, 2018 - EEX59258

One 'L-shaped' trial trench measuring 20m by 1.8m was excavated using a mechanical excavator. NRHE data transfer: Site code: SOUC18. In March 2018 Archaeological Solutions Ltd (AS) carried out an archaeological trial trench evaluation on land adjacent to No. 21 Cripplegate, Southminster, Essex (NGR TL 96306 001722). The evaluation was undertaken to provide for the initial requirements of a planning condition attached to planning approval for a single storey dwelling (Maldon Council Planning Ref. MAL/17/00044). It was carried out in response to advice from the Historic Environment Advisor of Essex County Council (ECC HEA). A comparatively large number of features (nine) were present within the trench. The features were diverse comprising pits, postholes and ditches. Pits F1003 and F1009 may have been tree hollows based on the large quantity of roots they contained. Pit F1011 contained a sherd of prehistoric pottery but it was heavily abraded suggesting that the sherd is residual. Posthole F1007 and Ditch F1019 contained late post-medieval or modern finds. Pit or Tree Hollow F1009 cut Subsoil L1001 and may have been relatively recent. Postholes F1005 and F1007 had similar fills and were likely contemporary, and their fills were similar to Topsoil L1000 suggesting these features may have been modern. Indeed F1007 contained 18th - 19th century CBM. The remaining features, Pit or Tree Hollow F1003, intercutting Ditches F1015 and F1017, and Ditch F1013, were undated. Information from OASIS Online Form.