Neolithic causewayed enclosure, Springfield Lyons (EHER 5789)

The site of a probable Neolithic causewayed enclosure at Springfield Lyons, visible as cropmarks and tested by small-scale excavation. The cropmarks were transcribed and interpreted by RCHME in 1997 as part of the Industry and Enclosure in the Neolithic Project. See the archive report for full details. The existence of the enclosure was realised following excavation of the adjacent Late Bronze Age enclosure (EHER 5788). Excavation in 1990 and 1991 plus air photographs indicate the presence of an arc of pits and/or ditch segments immediately to the east of the Late Bronze Age site, and which appear to cut off a small gravel promontory between two streams which run into the River Chelmer. Trial trenching so far has recovered around 2000 sherds of Mildenhall-style plain bowl sherds, plus Grooved Ware and Beaker sherds from superficial deposits and pits. Much of the Neolithic material appears to have been deliberately placed. Of the two fully-excavated features along the enclosure circuit, one comprised an almost shaft-like pit, and contained deposits of Mildenhall pottery often comprising up to half a complete vessel. One of the pits had a narrow slot associated with Beaker pottery cut into its upper fills. A by-product of the excavation of the Late Bronze Age enclosure is that it is clear that much activity associated with the causewayed enclosure was occurring outside the ditch circuit. It is also intriguing to note that the Late Bronze Age enclosure is itself causewayed, and its principal entrance directly faces the Neolithic enclosure.

Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age pits (dated to around 2000 BC) were found during excavation of a Late Bronze Age enclosure (see 5788 for this). A small amount of pottery was found, including grooved ware. Flintwork included waste flints, scrapers and barbed and tanged arrowheads <1> Other refs: <3><4><5><6><7> Aerial photographs <2> Further Neolithic pits were excavated in 1991 and interpreted as part of a Neolithic Causewayed enclosure. Examination of an area outside the east entrance of the Late Bronze Age enclosure revealed two large pits, both of which yielded early Neolithic decorated pottery. Subsequent trial trenching revealed these features to be part of a causewayed enclosure, which cut off an area of land between two small streams. The segments of causewayed ditch were formed by elongated pits some of which had deeper shaft like features. The causewayed ditch showed evidence of a number of recuts, and occasional artefact rich deposits, it appeared that in some cases particular types of natural material, had been selected for deposition. Subsequently the causewayed enclosure became a focus for deposition of Grooved Ware and Beaker material both in the upper ditch fills and in small pits and other features. <8> Two large pits and a smaller shallow pit were excavated on the projected line of the causewayed enclosure along with the northern end of a pit that had been part-excavated during the 1991 trenching. A small amount of early Neolithic pottery was recovered from these features and from a small pit located within the enclosure. A gap between pits towards the north-east corner of Plot K may indicate the position of an entranceway into the causewayed enclosure. <9> Information from NRHE An interrupted ditched enclosure was discovered during excavations at Springfield Lyons (TL 736 082) in 1990 by Essex County Council <10>. Associated Neolithic finds suggested that the features formed part of a Neolithic causewayed enclosure. Trenches were excavated across the projected line of the enclosure ditch and two pits were discovered confirming this interpretation. Two post-holes were also discovered to the west of the causewayed enclosure. The excavation evidence suggested that there was no regularity in the size and shape of the pits although most were elongated along the line of the enclosure and were between 7m and 19m long <11> A 1:2500 scale, level 3, photogrammetric survey was carried out by the Aerial Survey Section of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME) in the vicinity this enclosure in March 1997. The pits were visible on aerial photographs and an inked plan was produced of all archaeological features in the vicinity of the enclosure. A single arc of pits can be seen centred at TL 7357 0818 to the west of the Bronze Age enclosure described in TL 70 NW 86. The arc of pits is 100m long but excavation evidence indicates that the pits extend at least 30m to the north. This line of pits is only partially visible on the photographs and there are many gaps where geological features have masked the overlying archaeology. It is not possible to ascertain the original shape and size of the complete enclosure from the aerial photographic or excavation evidence. <12> <13> <14> Neolithic features, including a pit, plus artefacts including pottery and flint arrowheads, were discovered during excavation of the adjacent Late Bronze Age enclosure (see EHER 5788). <15> Additional references <16> <17>