Possible linear features, Maltings Lane, Witham (EHER 80565)

A geophysical survey undertaken in 1996 identified a backfilled pond and two linear features that were tentatively ascribed an archaeological origin. The date and nature of these features is unknown.

1996. Geophysical survey. The most pronounced response was found on the eastern margin of the survey area and may represent a backfilled pond. It is likely that this backfill comprises magnetically noisy materials, such as ferrous waste. Adjoining this, and possibly associated with it, is an area of increased noise, possibly from ferrous waste, magnetic gravels or other magnetically enhanced materials. Whilst this anomaly may be of archaeological significance, such an interpretation remains highly tentative. To the west of the two anomalies mentioned above , the dataset contains two weak linear responses which appear to intersect each other. These may represent old field boundaries or, perhaps, drainage features associated with the postulated pond-like feature. The dataset also contain several short linear anomalies, these are labelled B to E on the interpretation diagram. It is not possible to explain these with any certainty, although anomaly C is on line with linear anomaly A. Whilst anomaly B is most likely to be the product of magnetic gravels, or similar pedological variations, an archaeological origin cannot be ruled out. General north-south trends can be seen within the dataset; these are most likely to have arisen from recent agricultural practices such as ploughing. The remaining responses can be attributed to ferrous objects within the soil. <1>