Site of possible medieval building, land East of Bradwell Power Station (EHER 81555)

During trial trenching in May 2020, the remains of a 'reasonably high status medieval building' were uncovered. Documentary research by Kevin Bruce identified a possible contender for the medieval site, a farmhouse of the former New Wick Farm.

May 2020. Trial trenching. Trial trenching in May 2020 identified field boundaries and an area of medieval settlement evidence, probably moderate-high status. <1> Documentary research by Kevin Bruce identified a possible contender for the medieval site. During the archaeological investigations in May 2020 a ‘reasonably high status medieval building’ was found. Prior to the excavation, there were no known buildings which might relate to the site. The Second World War airfield (EHER 16047) has obliterated the old field and road pattern. By superimposing a modern map onto the 1922 OS 25 inch survey it is possible to identify the dig site as New Wick Farm, very close to what is now Wymarks Farm, which included Hide Hill that had been part of the manor of Battels. The site was in a field named 'Spring Pits', indicating that there would have been a fresh water supply to the property. Utilising a c.1500 rental of the manor of East Hall and a charter of 1485 in which the boundaries of the adjacent properties were recorded, it was been possible to show that the land was ‘Tanyes’. This was the portion of Down Hall manor purchased by John Brooke in 1576 which also included ‘Thomelyneswyk’ or ‘Tomlyngs wick’. Bruce suggests the land may have been redeveloped with a new sheep fold or dairy at the ‘New Wick’ site, causing the abandonment of the older Tanyes house and the Brooke family may have moved to a newer house at ‘Tomlyngs wick’. The dig produced a piece of an early 14th century Scarborough Ware pot. The New Wick house (that found during the excavation) was abandoned when the airfield was constructed but remained as an empty shell until after the construction of Bradwell A. Bruce himself recalls clambering around the derelict building as a teenager and suggests it could have been a 16th century house, perhaps with 15th century timbers. No other record is known of it’s interior properties and exterior photos show little. The building appears to have been missed by the Royal Commission surveyors for ‘An Inventory of the Historic Monuments of Essex’ in 1922. <2>