Roman timber structure, 42 London Road (EHER 7769)

Trial excavations here in 1973 recorded part of a late first-early second century timber structure of unknown function and late first to early 4th century pottery.

1973. Trail trenching. Many sherds of abraded Roman pottery were found in the northernmost of two trial trenches and dated to the last 1st to early 4th century. This trench had been disturbed by late and post medieval gravel quarrying (see EHER 7771). The southern trench was more productive, and the evaluation recorded two distinct phases of Roman features. The later phase produced late 1st and early 2nd century features, comprising a complex succession of slots and post holes on an approximately east-west alignment. The earliest phase consisted of slots for timber posts. These were succeeded by a slot more likely to have carried horizontal timber cills, whose line was continued eastwards by individually inserted posts. During this phase a length of the beam slot was replaced by a short length of slot parallel to it and immediately to the north. Another length of slot was probably emptied in order to insert a narrow entrance. The discovery of these features was not unexpected. The site is close to a Roman road, and 1st and 2nd century coins and other finds have been found in the Beeleigh Road area. 'A small site close to main road might well have been ancillary to the known masonry complex, probably a villa, on the site of St Mary's Church'. <1> <2> Two, 2m by around 16m trial trenches in an area north of London Road and east of Dykes Chase, Maldon located part of a late first-early second century timber structure of unknown function. <3> 1976. Field survey. The site of the 1973 excavations was indicated by a teacher at Mount View, a Franciscan Convent, at TL 8461 0715. The site is now covered by a school playground. No further finds have been reported. <4> Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import.