Post-medieval field boundaries and plough furrows at Brook Park West, Clacton-On-Sea (EHER 80427)

The results of a magnetometer survey tentatively suggested potential archaeological pits and/or sites of burning of unknown date, but these were proven to be natural features by trial trench evaluation. The evaluation also identified post-medieval field boundaries known from OS mapping, and corresponding plough furrows.

May 2017. Geophysical survey. The results of a magnetometer survey in the Eastern extent of the site have been tentatively interpreted as showing potential archaeological pits and/or sites of burning of unknown date. A recently removed field boundary, known from the 1st edition OS map and aligned NW-SE was also visible. The survey results broadly support the outcome of a Heritage Assessment on the land which had identified nothing of relevant archaeological potential within and in close proximity to the site. However, on a cautionary note, it is possible that the clay/silt geology might have served to mask magnetically weak features (should any lie within the survey area). <1> August 2017. Trial trenching. The evaluation revealed the full course of a historic NNE-SSW field boundary. Towards the North this was recorded as single ditch, whilst progressing further South, evidence was uncovered for multiple phases of ditch. This maintains two intercutting ditches further South in Trenches 12 and 14. The profile change from the Northern square-base to the Southern concave profile shows disparity in excavation along its course therefore may indicate broad phases of discrete maintenance, suggesting a long history of use. Examination of the potsherds recovered in the Northern sections point to a Romano-British date, whilst potsherds across its whole length also strongly indicate it to be a post-medieval boundary. This boundary corresponds with the geophysical survey as well as all Ordnance Survey editions pre-1970. The Romano-British date pottery recovered from the ditch may warrant further investigation of the Northern portion of site. Plough furrows dominate the remainder of the evaluation. These were generally poorly preserved given their shallow depth, yet they were observed running along the same alignment as the aforementioned NNE field boundary. None were revealed in any other direction. A second boundary ditch heading NW was only observed in Trench 8, but is likely to continue along this alignment as identified on the geophysical survey and Ordnance Survey maps. Possible pits detected by geophysical survey were proven to be natural features. <2> July 2019. Geophysical survey. The results of a magnetometer survey in the Western extent of the site have been interpreted as showing a limited number of potential archaeological features. These are a single weak linear response in the Northern part of the site which could be a track or field boundary, and a linear anomaly in the Southern-most part of the survey area. Both features run parallel to modern field boundaries and therefore could relate to the modern field system. <3>