Middle to Late Bronze Age settlement, field-system and salt-working site, land between Chandlers and Creeksea Lane (EHER 49206)

Trial trenching and small-scale excavation in 2018 recorded extensive evidence for Middle to Late Bronze Age activity on land between Chandlers and Creeksea Lane, comprising a field system, features associated with settlement, cremation burials and a large briquetage assemblage. The evidence was separated spatially, with the densest concentration of features recorded in the South of the investigated area at 'Zone C'. In this area, a cluster of five cremation burials radiocarbon dated to the Middle Bronze Age, and a further isolated cremation burial of similar date hint at funerary activity. Also of note in this area is the large assemblage of briquetage recovered from the features, with one pit in particular yielding a considerable quantity of briquetage and badly made pottery, leading to its interpretation as a settling tank for the production of salt, and placing the site within the context of the eponymous 'Red Hills' of Essex as an example of early salt production. To the North of Zone C in Zone B, a series of linear features provide evidence of a system of land division which extends across both Zones, and other features such as pits and post holes suggest small scale peripheral activity to the settlement recorded in Zone C. The evaluation confirmed the presence and provided a Middle-Late Bronze Age date for many linear and discrete features recorded by the preceding geophysical survey in 2017.

February 2017. Geophysical survey. A number of magnetically weak trends were detected in the South the surveyed area; they appear to form rectilinear and circular patterns. It is possible that they are simply the result of chance alignments due to ploughing or alluvial deposits. Without prior knowledge of the Romano-British farmstead to the SE (see EHER 16132, and EHER 11235, see also EHER 11332 and EHER 11236 to the SW), they are likely to have been classified as of Uncertain Origin. However, given the known context, the anomalies have been classified as Possible Archaeology. The weakness of the magnetic responses could be a result of overlying alluvial deposits. <1> April-May 2018. Trial trenching and archaeological excavation. 32 of 75 trenches contained archaeological features. The results of the evaluation can be broadly separated into three zones, and Bronze Age remains were recorded in trial trenches in Zones B and C, and in all three expanded excavation areas (Areas 1-3) in Zone C. Trenches 34-64 in Zone B, situated in the middle of the site, contained a low concentration of archaeology from the Late Bronze Age period and consisted of linear ditch features, pits and postholes. Many of the features were undated, though three pits and a ditch contained Late Bronze Age pottery and flint. Additionally, two ditches in Trench 50 also hinted at land division associated with the activity found further to the North (EHER 81301). Collectively, this very small assemblage of evidence points to small scale peripheral activity from the Late Bronze Age activity found further to the South in Zone C. The third zone (Zone C) located at the Southern end of site (Trenches 65-75) contained the fewest number of trenches yet these revealed the greatest density of archaeology. This included further ditches and pits dating to the Late Bronze Age period. The ditches appear to correspond to known cropmarks and geophysical anomalies in the immediate area. A curvilinear gully in Trench 68 which was identified on the geophysical survey, was confirmed as archaeological by the evaluation. Trenches 66-68 were located in an area where curvi-linear anomalies and also recti-linear boundary systems were common; collectively indicating possible roundhouse drip gullies (or ring ditches) and rectangular enclosures. Interestingly, the axis of this rectilinear system seen on the geophysical survey results respects the orientation of a palaeochannel identified by the evaluation. Late Bronze Age activity was largely represented by ditch features that indicate the presence of a field system. Ditch 22 in Trench 66 was deep enough and contained finds to suggest a substantial land boundary/drainage system. Collectively, these features demonstrate a definite process of systemic land use, presumably linked to farming and human occupation. Associated settlement-related activity was also represented by the presence of pits in Trench 68 and in Trench 69 which contained pottery dated to the Late Bronze Age. Large quantities of burnt cracked flint along with pottery dating to the Late Bronze Age period suggest probable domestic activity in the immediate vicinity. The pits from Trench 68 were very reminiscent of the features located in the NE corner of Zone B, and the prehistoric features from this Zone presumably represent a continuation of those found to the North in Zone B. Further Bronze Age features were revealed in the expanded excavation areas in the mitigation zone (Areas 1-3) located in the Southern part of the site (Zone C), where enclosures, ring ditches and other anomalies had been identified by the geophysical survey. A cremation burial was recorded in Area 1, and a cluster of five cremation burials, one of which was also radiocarbon dated to the Middle Bronze Age, was recorded at the Western edge of Area 2, and these were possibly situated between two ditches. Other features include pits, postholes and a large waterhole (possibly Middle Iron Age) with associated assemblages of Late Bronze Age pottery and fire-cracked flint, while several ditches appear to have been related to a contemporary field system. The waterhole contained prehistoric pottery in three of its four fills, including the base, which dated to the Late Bronze Age and Middle Iron Age periods. This suggests that it may have originally been sunk in the Bronze Age period and subsequently backfilled at some point in the Middle Iron Age. Of significance is the assemblage of briquetage recovered from some of the Late Bronze Age features, and one pit in particular; interpreted as a settling tank. The pottery from the main fill of this pit appeared very badly made and some was still fused to large fragments of burnt clay. These had possibly been dumped into the pit or stamped down into the base. An underlying layer also contained some of the same material, and a clay lining to the pit appeared blue grey in appearance which, along with the absence of signs of in situ burning, suggest the pit was used as a settling tank. This evidence places the site neatly in context with the eponymous ‘Red Hills’ of Essex, although saltworking sites of this early date are still relatively rare in the region. <2> October 2024. Trial trenching. A shallow ditch and gully terminus were recorded in Trenches 5 and 7 and have been dated to the Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age period. The features recorded yielded small quantities of Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age pottery (seven sherds, 28g). These features were probably associated with the Late Bronze Age activity identified during the 2018 investigations which took place between the two trenches (see above). <3>