Bronze Age cremation cemetery at Hole Farm (EHER 9301)

A small group of Bronze Age cremations were uncovered by ploughing at Hole Farm, Bulmer.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: A small Late Bronze Age urnfield and a possible Anglo-Saxon hut site with residual Romano-British pottery and tile, were found in a field on Hole Farm, Bulmer, centred TL 834384. The site was first discovered when the field was deep ploughed in 1958 producing patches of dark soil, black ash and pottery. M. R. Hull visited the site identifying sherds of Deverel Rimbury type urns. The site was investigated by B. Blake in May 1958 when further Deverell Rimbury sherds were found and a cremation with no vessel. In the area of the largest black patch he found a scooped hollow 9 feet by 12 feet and 12-15 inches deep, filled with dark occupation soil containing numerous sherds of Anglo-Saxon pottery dated 6th/7th century, also residual Romano British pottery and a tile, also animal bones. This was thought to be a hut although there were no structural remains in the form of post holes or floor levels. Some of the urns are in Colchester Museum (Accession Number 36.58) donated by the farmer L.A. Minter. <1> - <3> On the crest in the slope spreads of large flints and stones were thought to possibly indicate a structure but no trace was found, nor anything which could explain the spreads of large flints, but sherds of Deverel-Rimbury ware were found in one place and a cremation with no vessel was found in another. The initial discoveries, pre-excavation, included two Bronze Age urns, one shattered, the second preserved by bandages wrapped round it. <4> Finds in Colchester Museum. <5> August 1976. Field visit. The sites lie on a gentle south east slope under standing crop. Mr P. Minter, son of L.A. Minter, now deceased, located the urnfield at TL 83313845, the Saxon material to TL 83343845 and the Romano-British finds to TL 83503828. No further finds have been made in the area and the perambulation was not possible owing to standing crop. <6> <7> See also: <8> - <10>