Site of late 17th century farmhouse, Great Burwood Farm, Foulness (EHER 18334)

Now destroyed. The site of a farmhouse and brewhouse probably dating to 1898-1700 with brick foundations, which have been excavated at Great Burwood Farm. The building was rectangular in plan, with two outshots. It stood until about 1924-1925 when it was demolished. Local anecdotal evidence suggests that the building had a timber and weatherboarded superstructure. The outshots are thought to have contained a brewhouse and chaise house. Sale particulars of the building from 1899 suggest that it had been a bailiff's house at that time. There are similarities in the design of the house to an extant building at Tree Farm nearby. Below the level of the buildings 14th and 15th century pottery was found, possibly indicating occupation of the site at that date. A Roman cinerary urn was allegedly also discovered at the site.

1998. Probing survey. The archaeological evaluation by probing is a direct result of our participation in the Essex Place Names Project (EPN). A dwelling is clearly shown on the Tithe Award Map at Great Burwood and anecdotal evidence tells us this building was demolished in 1924. We have put down a 20m grid and probing has revealed what would appear to be a brick foundation. It is most likely that this building originates from the first phase of brick buildings on Foulness, that is 1687-1700AD?, but Great Burwood is mentioned in documentary evidence as far back as the 12th century AD. So the aim of an archaeological survey would be to establish the earliest date for occupation on this particular site. <1> <2> 1998. Trial trenching. Building shown on OS 1st edition six inch map sheet 71 (<3>) to the west of the present buildings. In April this year, the Society commenced work at Great Burwood Farm, Foulness Island. A building is shown to have existed in what is now the farmer's back garden. Two trial trenches were dug within a 20m grid, what appears to be an outbuilding was discovered in Trench I, and the foundation of the farm house was located in Trench II. We are concentrating our efforts on uncovering the foundation of the farmhouse. Artefacts so far recovered confirm that the farm house was in existence in the 17th century, some fragments of pottery recovered from under the foundation of the outbuilding are likely to be pre-1500 AD. Work continues with the objective to obtain the earliest date for occupation on this site, which is (a) adjacent to a freshwater supply and (b) has good access to the 'Broomway' (EHER 2792) and an ancient track through the Island to the River Roach. <4> Excavations at Great Burwood Farm, Foulness revealed brick foundations of a building dated by associated finds to around 1698-1700. The building was known to have been extant in 1899 and may have been demolished in 1924. <5> The building was rectangular with two outshots. From sales particulars of 1899 relating to then still extant building, it is thought that the building was used as a bailiff's house by the end of the 19th century. <6> Anecdotal evidence from local people suggests that the building had a timber and weatherboarded superstructure. The two outshots were used for a brewhouse and a chaise house. The building may have been demolished in 1925. <7> An article in the MoD conservation magazine notes that the arrangement of the excavated farmhouse is similar to an extant example at the nearby Tree Farm. The article includes an overview of the finds from the site: below the level of the buildings there was pottery dating to the 14th and 15th century, possibly indicating that the site was occupied in some way at that time. Neither this article nor sources <5> - <7> make any mention of Roman finds. <8> Area: 20 acres Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import. NRHE summary description. A farmhouse and brewhouse probably dating to 1898-1700 with brick foundations have been excavated at Great Burwood Farm. The building was rectangular in plan, with two outshots. It stood until about 1924-1925 when it was demolished. Local anecdotal evidence suggests that the building had a timber and weatherboarded superstructure. The outshots are thought to have contained a brewhouse and chaise house. Sale particulars of the building from 1899 suggest that it had been a bailiff's house at that time. There are similarities in the design of the house to an extant building at Tree Farm nearby. Below the level of the buildings 14th and 15th century pottery was found, possibly indicating occupation of the site at that date. A Roman cinerary urn was allegedly also discovered at the site.