Probable 10th century 'burh' ditch, 20 Spital Road, Maldon (EHER 14727)

Excavation of an earthen bank in 1985 recorded a ditched and banked earthwork which was interpreted as very likely to be the remains of a rampart and large associated ditch described by the antiquarians Nathaniel Salmon (1749) and Joseph Strutt (1775) in the 18th century. Despite the apparent lack of late Saxon pottery from the fills (Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age, Roman and early Saxon material is present) it was considered probable that the main ditch is that of the 10th century burh (EHER 7766).

1985. Archaeological excavation. An archaeological excavation was carried out by the Maldon Archaeological Group during 1985. There is an earth bank, stretching over 50m across several back gardens at Spital Road. Just downhill from the bank is a large ditch (8m wide, 2m deep) of more than one phase. The excavation targeted this ditch and recorded its cross-section. The earliest recorded feature was a small Iron Age pit or posthole, under the bank. The cross-section of the ditch recorded a small gully or palisade slot roughly 2-3m from the earth bank (which the excavated slot also recorded in section) and seeming to run parallel to it. In the main ditch cut, the 'only primary silt finds were Roman' but this was interpreted as the 'most likely candidate for late Saxon burh earthworks'. The earliest cut of this ditch was interpreted as 'most likely to be Iron Age'. <1> <2> The excavations concluded there is no doubt that the excavated feature is the remains of a rampart and large associated ditch described by the antiquarians Nathaniel Salmon (1749) and Joseph Strutt (1775) in the 18th century. Despite the apparent lack of late Saxon pottery from the fills (Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age, Roman and early Saxon material is present) it is probable that the main ditch is that of the 10th century burh (EHER 7766). A thick post-medieval build-up layer was present over the site. <3> <4> <5> Bank and ditch, possibly belonging to the burh. <6> Note: The ditch appears to be on the same alignment as that recorded to the immediate south-west in 1992 (EHER 14725), which the excavators concluded was unlikely to be the burh defence, owing to the lack of late Saxon pottery from the fills. The results of this excavation (20 Spital Road) have concluded otherwise from similar evidence. The two records should be considered together, and in conjunction with the record for the burh defence, EHER 7766.