13th century occupation, 43/44 Kings Head Street, Harwich (EHER 3378)

Excavations at the rear of the garage recovered 13th century occupation, including a Scarborough ware knight-jug and aquamanile, and a possibly Belgian strap- handled costrel.

Excavations, 1978 Excavations at the rear of the garage recovered 13th century occupation, including a Scarborough ware knight-jug and aquamanile, and a possibly Belgian strap- handled costrel. This was overlain by a septaria courtyard surrounded by a free-standing septaria wall. A second septaria wall was built over the first and a clay floor with a hearth laid down (pre 17th century). <1> <2> <3> <4> Monitoring was carried out at the site of a residential development at 43/44 Kings Head Street. A two metre build-up of deposits was recorded from the top of the present road to the natural. Two pits and two layers dating to the 13th to 14th century were recorded. Evidence of internal occupation surfaces were revealed towards the front of the property and a garden soil containing 14th to 15th century pottery was identified to the rear. Undated septaria surfaces on the street frontage may represent previous road surfaces. Thick deposits of sand that may have been deliberately deposited to raise up the ground surface were recorded, this has also been recorded nearby at Church Street. <5> Further small-scale excavations at the rear of the kingshead Garage recovered more of the plan of the courtyard structure and increased the range of British and continental ceramics. <6>