Cropmarks of ditches and pits, and Anglo-Saxon grubenhäuser on land at Brightlingsea Quarry, Moverons Lane (EHER 80470)

Ditches, pits and probable grubenhäuser which have been removed during un-monitored soil stripping and mineral extraction activities at the site, and which are evidence of Anglo-Saxon settlement to the east which continues to the west.

May 2018. Aerial photograph interpretation. This assessment has identified buried cut features which have been removed during un-monitored soil stripping and mineral extraction activities at the site. Aerial photographs show cropmarks of ditches and several small pits. These ditches are continuations of features that were identified and investigated during the 2013-2015 excavation to the East and are probable field boundaries. Seven ditches were previously mapped by the NMP while one new ditch feature has been mapped as a result of this assessment. There are twelve possible further archaeological features that are visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs and were not visible in the Lidar data. These are morphologically similar in appearance to the pits or ‘grubenhäuser’ that were excavated to the East. Similarly, this excavation identified a large number of tree throws, which continue into the area of investigation as cropmarks. The typological differences between the pits, ‘grubenhäuser’ and tree-throws are subtle, however, and so it is possible that features recorded as one type might instead fall into an alternate category. <1>