Roman well at land adjacent to Market Field School, Elmstead Market (EHER 80370)

A possible Roman well was identified by the features recovered from the fill.

August 2018. Trial trenching. The investigation did not uncover any archaeological features corresponding with the identified cropmarks, and it is possible that they are geological in origin. A number of features of probable Roman and post-medieval date were found. Towards the eastern end of the site lay a well or quarry pit. Artefacts retrieved from this feature give a likely Roman date, indicating some activity around this area during this period, though it is possible that these were residual finds in a later context. The majority of features detected dated to the postmedieval period. A post-medieval quarry pit or back-filled pond was located in the northeastern corner of the site, and two ditches dating to this period were uncovered in the centre and at the western end of the site, the latter of which corresponds to a field boundary ditch shown on OS maps of the area compiled in the late 19th century. The absence of pottery within these features indicates that the site was used for agricultural rather than domestic purposes during the post-medieval period. A number of undatable features, namely a pit and four ditches, were also found. <1>