Bronze Age ring ditch, Ardleigh Ring Ditch Ten (EHER 82018)

Ardleigh ring ditch ten was excavated in advance of gravel extraction in September 1963. The ditch was 0.3m deep, with a stone-free fill distinguishable from the surrounding gravel. Six sherds of a Bronze Age urn were found at a depth of 0.15m in the south-west quadrant of the ditch. Surviving in the central burial was the base of one urn, which contained a few cremated bones of an adult.

This site at Martell 's Hall Farm was first seen as a cropmark in 1962 and was excavated in advance of gravel extraction in September 1963. The excavation was carried out using the method employed for investigation of rings one, two and three. The ditch was 0.3m deep, with 'a stone-free fill' distinguishable from the surrounding gravel. Six sherds of a Bronze Age urn were found at a depth of 0.15m in the south-west quadrant of the ditch. Surviving in the central burial was the base of one urn, which contained a few cremated bones of an adult. Two pits each about 1m from the central burial lay to the north and south, each was about 1m to 3m in diameter and 0.75m deep. A third large pit lay at the eastern side, touching the ditch. Fills of all three features were described as 'stone-free soil'. <1> <2>