Remains of post-medieval road from Mistley Hall (EHER 7482)

The main road to Mistley formerly ran barely 200m from the 18th century Hall. Geophysical survey in 2015 identified a negative anomaly which is likely to represent this 18th century road. Trial trenching in 2020 recorded the road in eight trenches. Archaeological excavation exposed a short section of the road, which consisted of compacted gravel agger that showed evidence for having been repaired/resurfaced on at least one occasion, and flanking ditches.

The main road to Mistley formerly ran barely 200m from the 18th century Hall. Between 1778 (date of map of the estate drawn by Bernard Scale) and 1784 when a description of the property was published by Rouchefoucauld, the road line was changed to that of the present road, to the West of the park. The NGRs above for the old road are approximate, based Chapman and Andre's map of 1777 which shows the old course of the road passing in front of the hall. <1> - <4> March 2015. Geophysical survey. The geophysical survey identified a negative anomaly which is likely to represent the 18th century road from Mistley Hall. <5> August 2020. Trial trenching. A sizable 18th century road that appears to have served the post-medieval Mistley Hall was identified traversing Trenches 56 – 58, 60 – 62, 64 and 134 and corresponded to that on the geophysical survey plan. It is visible on a map dated 1778 but is not shown on the Tithe map of 1833-53. It seems that by this period Long Road (North of site), Pedler’s Corner, Dead Lane (South of site) and Clacton road (East of site) all had been established and partly replaced the earlier roads visible in the 1778 map. The road may have served Mistley Hall. <6> See also EHER 49702 for post-medieval remains associated with activity at Mistley Hall. February 2021. Archaeological excavation. The road identified within Area 3 is locally referred to as ‘Rigby Road’, a former estate road associated with the 'Old Hall' or Mistley Hall, 1.2km to the East. The road itself runs to the hall through what would have been former estate lands. The name Rigby derives from Richard Rigby (1722-88), an owner of the hall who made investments to the property and its lands, potentially including the construction of the road itself. The excavation exposed a short section of the road, which consisted of a compacted gravel agger that showed evidence for having been repaired/resurfaced on at least one occasion, and flanking ditches. <7> Information from NRHE TM 1120 3152 The former London-Mistley road diverted by Rigby in the 18th century was recorded as from an aerial photograph. <8>