Mid to Late Roman agricultural activity and kiln, Dale Hall Farm (EHER 49020)

Excavations recovered a settled agricultural landscape dating to Late Iron Age to Roman period. Mid to Late Roman excavated features included evidence for agricultural activities and a 3rd to 4th century AD kiln.

Evaluation 2014 and Excavation 2015 Archaeological excavations were carried out at Dale Hall Farm, Lawford, Essex. The excavations were conducted in three separate areas of a large development site; Areas A and C revealed an agricultural landscape dating from the Late Iron Age to the mid- late Roman period. This landscape largely comprised Late Iron Age/early Roman field boundaries, trackways and enclosures, many of which appear to have been maintained, extended or re-dug over a period of time. Some evidence for structural activity was also present, and may have been related to this agricultural activity. Excavation of Area A also revealed a late 3rd-4th century Roman kiln and associated kiln debris. Evidence for activity of a 2nd-3rd century date is considerably more limited than the evidence for 1st and 2nd century activity. It is possible that it exists in the form of undiagnostic body sherds, but it seems more likely that the there was something of a hiatus, or at least a shift in focus, in activity at this time until the establishment of the 3rd-4th century kiln in the central part of Area A. The presence of this simple late Roman kiln provides us with evidence that some kind of settlement activity in the area is likely, though gives no further clue as to where this might have been. It is thought that the kiln only served the needs of the immediate area and was used for the production of basic kitchenware. It is unclear whether activity relating to the kiln was occurring contemporarily with late phases of agricultural activity in the vicinity. Certainly there is little evidence for pottery that was produced in the kiln finding its way into the field system features. Based on the above, it seems reasonable to speculate that there was a complex system of fields and trackways established at Dale Farm by the late 1st century. It is likely that there was a small settlement peripheral to this field system, whose inhabitants established and utilised the small enclosed cremation cemetery identified in Area B. The field system was maintained for a time, before being radically simplified at some point during the 2nd century. During the late 2nd or 3rd centuries activity associated with this field system slowed or ceased, possibly to be relocated or possibly, as a result of the establishment of a series of much larger enclosures. Then, during the late 3rd or 4th century a small pottery kiln was established in the centre of Area A in order to make pottery for the local area. Much like the earlier field systems, this kiln was likely peripheral to a rural settlement.<1>