Middle Iron Age red hill and enclosure, Tollesbury Creek (EHER 16832)

A geophysical survey, followed by trial trenching, located a circular red hill surrounded by an angular ditch or enclosure. The site produced pottery of Middle Iron Age date (some burnt) and salt briquetage.

1994. Geophysical survey and trial trenching. A topsoil magnetic susceptibility survey and gradiometer survey, followed by trenching located a circular feature (a red hill) surrounded by an angular ditch or enclosure. The gradiometer survey located the circular feature and ditch which comprised a 2-3m wide anomaly located some 4-5m outside the ring. A number of pit forms were also visible as were linear features. <1> Subsequent trial trenching confirmed that the features recorded on the gradiometer survey represent a red hill; deposits of red earth and two fire pits were recorded. Finds included pottery of Middle Iron Age date (some burnt) and salt briquetage consisting almost exclusively of fragments from vessels, probably rectangular with rounded corners. <2> See photo <3>. See also <4>. See EHER 16833 for a nearby red hill and EHER 11536 for a possible red hill. NRHE data transfer: Red Hill [Iron Age/Roman salt industry - see EHER 12107]. <5> <6> <7> May 1960. Field survey. Red Hill: bisected by hedgerow and drainage ditch. North half under pasture and well preserved; South half under cultivation and destroyed. Investigated and surveyed 11.5.60. <8>