13th century building remains, Maldon Road and Wood Corner, Witham (EHER 80927)

Evidence of a 13th small building and associated was discovered during monitoring.

November 2013 to March 2014. Watching brief. Medieval activity along the route, dated to the 13th century, was recorded in two places, along the Maldon Road and at Wood Corner. The first of these was in an area of extensive monitoring where the remains of a medieval roadside building dated to around 1200 were uncovered. The building was approximately 9m long and at least 4m wide and produced evidence for two possible phases, though only the post-disuse phase was datable. The earliest phase was represented by post-holes, the remnants of an internal post line, and a possible disturbed clay floor remains. Any other evidence for the building had seemingly been ploughed. A ditch to the south, though undated, may be a boundary feature, while a gully to the north may be the remains of a badly-disturbed drainage feature. Both features respect the outline of the building, are similar distances apart from it, and are therefore likely to be associated and contemporary with it, especially as no other features were recorded in the vicinity. Further remains of medieval activity were recorded at Wood Corner, in another area of extensive monitoring. A pit was a discrete feature that contained a large quantity of 13th century pottery sherds, indicating activity the same date as the building. <1>