Section of 4th century town wall at Elm Cottage, Newmarket Road, Great Chesterford (EHER 83506)

Substantial remains of the town wall foundation were identified approximately 2m to the north-east of their suspected position.

October 2009. Trial trenching and test pitting. Substantial remains of the town wall foundation were confirmed in the north-eastern end of the music room trench, comprising large flint nodules and chalk rubble within a sandy mortar matrix. Stratified Roman deposits of apparent dumped material were also identified against its south-western side. The location of the town wall was previously thought to have been about 2m to the south-west of its actual position. The masonry remains had no construction cut which could be explained by the belief that, prior to the erection of the wall, the topsoil was removed and pits and shafts emptied then backfilled with rammed hard-core. The layers built-up against the wall indicate that the foundation was at least partially created above ground and material was later pushed up against it to support the foundation. No remains of Roman or earlier date were identified within the test pit to the rear of the house, however the limited depth of its excavation should be noted. <1>