Medieval farmstead at Stebbingford Farm (EHER 16854)

An area of approximately a hectare was excavated at Stebbingford Farm, revealing a mid 12th to mid 14th century farm.

An area of approximately a hectare was excavated at Stebbingford Farm, revealing a mid-twelfth to mid-fourteenth century farm. This comprised four buildings, a yard, a field-system and horticultural area <1>. The site was excavated in advance of the construction of the A120 trunk-road by the Dept. of Transport. It was first located by aerial photography with linear features and pits showing as cropmarks <2> - <4>; fieldwalking suggested the presence of archaeological features <5> and their presence and potential was confirmed by trial-trenching in 1991 which located a medieval pit containing charcoal and carbonised grains and medieval ditches dated by pottery to the tenth to thirteenth centuries. On the basis of these results it was decided to excavate an area of approximately 1 hectare in the winter of 1993 <6>. 1993. Excavation. The excavated area was apparently abandoned from the end of the Roman period until the late twelfth century. The main phases of occupation on the site were from the late twelfth to the fourteenth century. In the first phase of settlement: late twelfth to early thirteenth centuries, structures comprise: three buildings; cess and rubbish pits; a central yard; a field system and possible horticultural area. During the second phase of settlement: mid-thirteenth to mid-fourteenth centuries, some changes were made within the occupation area, the most important of which was the construction of another building. The pottery (43 Kg) included Mill Green ware and Hedingham fine ware, forms comprised bowls, jugs and the odd curfew. Other finds included a late 13th century brooch, a small knife blade, fragments of lava quern, structural daub and baked clay objects, the latter variously identified as chimney pots, kiln furniture or bellows guards. This site is the largest and most complex excavation undertaken to date on a medieval settlement in Essex. The faunal evidence shows that all the main domesticated species (cattle, pig and sheep/goats) were represented in the diet. Marine mollusca, principally oysters were also eaten. The site is regarded as of fairly high status, indicated by the presence of fine-ware jugs; an elaborately decorated curfew and goods such as wine and shell-fish. <1> April 2002. Excavation. April 2002, a small number of features were excavated as part of the A120 (Site 51) scheme, the site lay immediately to the east of an earlier site excavated for the A120 (Site 25/26). The features recorded included 2 N-S ditches, a large shallow pit and a large spread of cultural material. A small assemblage of 12th-14th century pottery were recovered. <7> Aerial photographs. <8> - <10> Area = 1.2