Late Iron Age to Roman pits, ditches and occupation layers, Oak Tree Meadow, Heybridge (EHER 47133)

A watching brief in 2005 recorded pits, ditches and occupation layers containing large quantities of Late Iron Age and Roman domestic rubbish. These remains are interpreted as a southwards continuation of the important settlement excavated to the north, at Elms Farm (EHER 81914), in 1993-1995.

June 2005. Watching brief. Although of a restricted nature, this investigation has identified the presence of pits, ditches and apparent build-up deposits containing large quantities of domestic rubbish. Established to be of Iron Age and Roman date, these remains are interpreted as a southwards continuation of the important settlement excavated to the north, at Elms Farm (EHER 81914), in 1993-1995. It is likely that the recorded remains represent past occupation and other land-use of the lowest river terrace, and demonstrates that Late Iron Age and Roman period activity extended down to the saltmarsh alongside the river Chelmer. While all of the features and layers recorded within the 23 trenches are thought to be most probably Roman in date, it should be noted that there is a very significant element of residual Late Iron Age material (late 1st century BC to mid 1st century AD) that suggests undisturbed remains of this date probably exist elsewhere within Oak Tree Meadow. The retrieval of residual prehistoric pottery suggests that it is also possible that remains of this date occur on the site, though perhaps heavily disturbed by later activity. In addition, it should be borne in mind that the very broken and abraded nature of some of the late Roman assemblages are reminiscent of material collected from early Saxon deposits at the Elms Farm excavation site. Despite the absence of Saxon artefacts, the presence of Saxon remains should not be discounted. <1> Note: Late Iron Age and Roman remains were also recorded to the immediate north-east during a watching brief in 2004, see EHER 47095. The material described in this record may be associated with the settlement at Elms Farm, see EHER 81914.