Middle Bronze Age barrow cemetry, Elmstead, Fen Farm (EHER 45983)

Evidence of Middle Bronze Age activity included two ring ditches and a bucket urn cremation. These are likely to form part of a barrow cemetery in the southeast corner of the site. A third possible ring-ditch was identified further northwest. Prehistoric activity was also recorded across the southwest half of the site, including ditches, pits, and postholes.

Evaluation, 2003 An archaeological evaluation, comprising 28 trenches was carried out on the site of a proposed agricultural reservoir. Areas of Prehistoric activity were identified across the southern half of the preposed development area. Evidence of Middle Bronze Age activity included two ring ditches and a bucket urn cremation. These are likely to form part of a barrow cemetery in the southeast corner of the site. A third possible ring-ditch was identified further northwest. Prehistoric activity was also recorded across the southwest half of the site, including ditches, pits, and postholes. The majority of the identifiable pottery recovered from these, dated to either the Middle Bronze Age or Late Iron Age (detailed in EHER 81834), although a single sherd of Roman pottery was identified. Cropmarks identified within the development area were found to correspond with backfilled field boundary ditches, often containing modern field drains.<1> Archive: Colchester Museum. Autumn 2007 Archaeological excavation. No Bronze Age features were identified within the excavation area, confirming the barrow cemetery was confined to the south east of the area. Earliest features were Early Iron Age notably seven pits of burnt material and pottery indicative of ‘ceremonial’ behaviour. <2>