Eighteenth century wall and pond, 22 High Street, Southminster (EHER 18969)

An archaeological watching brief in 1999 identified the remains of a brick-built wall foundation and dark deposit which was interpreted as a pond.

November 1999. Watching brief. Archaeological monitoring identified the foundations of a brick built wall, and is associated construction cut, which ran approximately NE-SW. The wall was badly damaged by the excavation of the groundworks, but could be seen in section. Immediately to the West was a substantial black deposit that was at least 2m deep. It extended approximately 7m to the SW and 16m to the NW. This deposit was interpreted to be an infilled pond or similar water-filled feature, with the wall forming the Eastern boundary. However, the full extent, or exact nature, of the deposit was not ascertainable from the trenched area. It does seem that the main body of the deposit lay to the North of the trenched area. <1>