Early to Middle Anglo-Saxon structure at Point Clear, River Colne (EHER 80614)

Four groups of worked wood, exposed at –1.61mOD by aggressive tidal scour on the open foreshore at Point Clear on the River Colne date from the very late 6th and early 7th centuries, contemporaneous with a series of large, dated fish trap structures in the Blackwater estuary. The function of the site is unclear, although possibly linked to the extensive fishing industry operational at the period.

February 2020. Field survey and archaeological excavation. Four groups of worked wood were recently exposed at –1.61mOD by aggressive tidal scour on the open foreshore at Point Clear on the River Colne, Essex. Samples from feature group 1, 2 and 3 have returned provisional dates of the very late 6th and early 7th centuries, contemporaneous with a series of large, dated fish trap structures in the Blackwater estuary. The level of preservation of all features recorded is relatively good, particularly the subsurface remains of Feature Group 1 which appears to be by and large intact to a depth of at least 500mm. The function of the site is unclear, although possibly linked to the extensive fishing industry operational at the period. The feature does not follow the same form as the fish traps identified in the Blackwater but appears to have been built on the contemporary foreshore. The circular feature may well be a pound of some kind, originally with wattle fencing encircling it. The post alignments to the NW may be contemporary, but their relationship to the circular feature is unclear. A summary of the features is thus: Feature Group 1 comprised the basal elements of a circular structure some 17m in diameter formed by roundwood piles. Feature Group 2 comprised two 18m-long alignments of roundwood piles associated with hazel wattle work beside a brushwood raft. Feature Group 3 comprised two assemblages of semi-worked wood close to and possibly associated with the pile alignments. Feature Group 4 was a horizontally laid section of hurdlework comprising hazel rods and sails. The relationship of this structure to the others is at present unclear. <1>