Archaeological strip, map and monitoring by Oxford Archaeology East on the Braintree PZ pipeline from Bocking to Braintree, 2014-2015 - EEX64277

Monitoring, strip and map recording and excavation along the route of the Braintree PZ Supply/Demand Balance pipeline for Anglian Water. Monitoring was required along the entire length of the pipeline which ran for 2.2km. Three fields in the northern segment were selected for strip and map excavation due to the presence of cropmarks recorded in the HER. The route has been separated into chainages (measured in metres from the start of the route in Bocking going south) in order to aid description and location of the findings. Machine excavation was carried out on all parts of the route by a 360-type tracked excavator using a 1.8m wide flat bladed ditching bucket. Where potential archaeology had been identified prior to or during monitoring, the methodology reverted to that of strip and map. Trenches generally measured between 10m and 15m wide. Monitoring also took place of the pits at locations where the pipeline had to be drilled under roads and water courses. Topsoil was scanned with a metal detector prior to stripping and all spoil, exposed surfaces and features exposed by the strip were scanned.