Saxon finds assemblage, Great Wakering Brickfields (EHER 11126)

Saxon bone combs and needles, a coin and an iron spearhead were found at Great Wakering brickfields in the late 19th century.

Saxon coins, combs, bone needles found in the 19th century. <1> <2> In Southend Museum? - many artefacts from these brickfields are in Southend Museum. Watching brief, principally by Philip Benton in the period 1880-1886, and with occasional visits by staff of Southend Museum in the 1920s (principally 1924-1926) during the course of brickearth extraction north of Great Wakering High Street. This was a very large multi-period site, none of which was properly recorded. Benton was able to recover, inter alia, some items of Saxon date, including three bone combs (in the British Museum). <1> <2> In 1924 it was recorded that 'the work of excavating the brickearth was being carried out by the two gangs and a satisfactory working agreement was drawn up with the men, whereby, in return for careful digging and preserving all objects unearthed, fixed sums of money would be paid.' <3> It was further recorded (in 1924) that many years ago a number of skeletons had been found, together with iron implements, so that locally it became known as the 'Battle Ground'. <3> Among these items was an iron spearhead and a sceat. <4> See also <5> <6> <7>. NRHE data import: Saxon finds include loomweights, pins, needles, a bone comb, sword handle and two iron knives with bone handles. Also flat quern stones and a skeleton (It is not clear how much of this material from Great Wakering came from the brickfield). Finds in Colchester and Southend Museums. <8><9><10><11> Three bone combs from Great Wakering are described in <5>.