Late Bronze Age to early Iron Age settlement and cremation cemetery at Chelmsford Park and Ride site, Maldon Road, Sandon (EHER 46062)

Trial trenching, a watching brief and subsequent archaeological excavation recorded Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pits, post holes and ditches. In addition to the pits and ditches, there were two groups of cremation burials which were C14 dated and contemporary with the settlement.

2005. Trial trenching and watching brief. Seventeen evaluation trenches were excavated. Significant archaeological features consisting of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pits, post holes and ditches, were recorded and were concentrated in the northern part of the evaluation area. In addition to the pits and ditches, there was a single unurned and undated cremation burial in the north-east corner of the site (adjacent contexts suggest that this is also likely to be Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age in date). <1> Subsequent monitoring of groundworks during building produced similar settlement evidence. <2> Aerial photo taken while excavation was taking place. <3> 2006. Archaeological excavation. Excavation in 2006 uncovered evidence of activity in the Late Bronze Age. This took the form of an area of post holes, which may include elements of domestic structures. Finds of spindle whorls and oven debris suggest a domestic occupation and a local economy which must have included an element of pastoral farming. In addition two groups of cremation burials suggest a cemetery area seperated from the domestic focus. C14 dating of the cremations suggests they are contemporary with the pottery-dated domestic activity. A series of later field ditches suggest that the site was later converted to pastoral farming (LBA) and later pits show some activity in the Middle Iron Age. <4>