Site of medieval farmstead, 'Thatchers', North of Burnham Road (EHER 18253)

Now destroyed. The site of a farmstead called 'Thatchers' has been interpreted from a scatter of oyster shell and a mixed assemblage of medieval pottery.

March 1999. Fieldwalking. A concentrated scatter of pottery, tile, oyster shell, broken brick etc, collected by Mr Steven Potter from an arable field. <1> The pottery was identified by H. Walker and S. Tyler of Essex County Council and included a late 13th to early 14th century cooking pot rim; 17th century black glazed wares; 19th-20th century unglazed, smooth early post-medieval stoneware; and one sherd of sand/chaff tempered of early medieval date, perhaps 6th-8th century. <2> <3> In an arable field to the east of Hales Farm is the site of a farmstead called 'Thatchers', which is indicated by a scatter of oyster shell and a 13th-17th century pottery sherd (dated by Helen Walker). Finds from this area also included one sherd of 6th-7th century (dated by Sue Tyler). <4>