Bronze Age to Iron Age site, land west of Heckford’s Road (EHER 49659)

Evaluation revealed a low concentration of ditches and pits, including the continuation of a droveway. Stripping over an area produced further prehistoric and Iron Age evidence.

In February 2017, an archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology on agricultural land located to the west of Heckford’s Road, Great Bentley, Colchester, Essex. The evaluation comprised the excavation of sixteen 30m trial trenches. Fieldwork to the immediate west of the site at Sturrick Farm revealed ditches forming a droveway and associated enclosures of probable Bronze Age or Iron Age date. The evaluation was undertaken to investigate the possible continuation of the droveway. Further to confirm the presence or absence of archaeological remains within the site and to consider the possible relationship of any remains revealed with cropmarks recorded in the wider surrounding area. The evaluation revealed a low concentration of ditches and pits, producing limited dating evidence dispersed across the site. Notably, the possible continuation of the north-west to south-east aligned droveway recorded at Sturrick Farm was identified in the south-western corner of the site. A series of north-east to south-west aligned ditches were recorded at right angles to the droveway and may represent the remnants of an associated prehistoric field system. Additionally, a possible ring ditch was recorded within the northern part of the site and although no dating evidence was recovered this may represent broadly contemporary prehistoric activity. Overall, the site is generally characterised by low-level agrarian activity of possible prehistoric date.<1> The archaeological strip, map and sample excavation identified a number of archaeological features comprising ditches and pits relating to agricultural and domestic activity, including field boundaries and pits dating to the Bronze Age, and a large cluster of waste pits within an enclosure dating to the Later Iron Age. A probable post-medieval field boundary was also recorded. Finds were also recovered from across the site including the severely truncated remains of three Iron Age vessels from the plough soil, as well as ceramic material dating to the Early Bronze Age.<2>