Possible undated features at Fobbing Solar Farm, Fobbing Marshes (EHER 80902)

A geophysical survey detected an elevated area thought to relate be a possible area of Iron Age or Romano-British salt-production, characterised by a series of linear anomalies. Two linear anomalies elsewhere at the site correspond to former channels visible on mapping dating to 1868. The rest of the site is considered to have the potential for deep sediment sequences of significant geoarchaeological importance.

November 2020. Geophysical survey. The detailed gradiometer survey has been successful in detecting a wide range of anomalies that are interpreted as archaeology. However, the majority of the site is dominated by moderately strong responses associated with the former marshland surface as well as variation in the Tidal Flat deposits. These areas likely contain deep sediment sequences that can be of significant geoarchaeological importance. Despite this, there are notably ‘quieter’ areas that delineate the course of probable former channels as well as other notable morphological aspects of the area. This also includes areas of elevated ground which correspond to higher topographic zones where there is likely to be limited or no overlying superficial tidal deposits. These areas have formed the focus for the location of many of the probable archaeological remains that have been located by this survey. In the Western part of the site, a further possible area of Iron Age or Romano-British salt-production has been identified. This was also located on elevated ground visible in the LiDAR data, associated with the Western limit of the Tidal Flat deposits. The linear anomalies here were also notably strong, possibly forming gullies around an area of production or round-house structures. Elsewhere at the site, two linear anomalies that correspond to former channels visible on mapping dating to 1868 <1> have been identified. It is not possible to determine the exact age of these features, only that they were extant in the landscape during the 19th century. <2>