Archaeological Test Pit Excavations in Clavering, Essex in 2016

Archaeological test pit excavations in Clavering, Essex in 2016

Catherine Collins

2019

Access Cambridge Archaeology Department of Archaeology University of Cambridge Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3ER

01223 761519

[email protected]

http://www.access.arch.cam.ac.uk/

1 Introduction

A total of 12 1m2 archaeological test pits were excavated over a one-year period in 2016 in the village of Clavering in west Essex, as part of the newly renamed Independent Learning Archaeology Field School (ILAFS), formally known as the Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA), and run by Access Cambridge Archaeology (ACA) out of the University of Cambridge. This test pitting followed on from a similar community test pitting event in Clavering in 2012 as part of the ‘On Landguard Point’ project, devised and managed by the Pacitti Company in 2011-2012 and run with ACA. It was an arts project about home funded by the Arts Council England as part of the Cultural Olympiad ‘Artists taking the Lead’ for the London 2012 Olympic Games.1

The village of Clavering is situated close to the north western Essex border with Hertfordshire, 11km north of Bishops Stortford and 26km south of Cambridge, on the eastern edge of the Chiltern Hills. Clavering lies on the B1038 between Newport and Buntingford, between the A10 to the west, the A120 to the south and the M11 to the east. The River Stort flows through Clavering, a tributary of the River Lea; it rises just west of the village, and turns south crossing the High Street toward Bishops Stortford. The village was recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086 as Clauelinga to mean 'the place where clover grows'.

Settlement in the parish of Clavering today is highly dispersed, with seven ‘greens’ (Hill Green, Stickling Green, Starlings Green, Roast Green, Sheepcote Green, Birds Green and Deers Green) and three ‘ends’ (Mill End, Ford End and Further Ford End) scattered through the parish. There are also several isolated manor houses, farms and other houses scattered across the parish, several lying on or adjacent to moats. The largest area of settlement is Clavering itself, which takes the form of a linear settlement now nearly 2km long, following the route of the B1038 (Pelham Road/Clatterbury Lane). The western end of this village is mostly arranged either side of a small stream valley which the road follows, but at its eastern end the road and its flanking settlement rises up out of the valley as it runs into Hill Green (the latter may formerly have been a separate settlement.) The core of Clavering village today is at Church End, towards the western end of the present village, centred on the church and nearby ‘castle’ moated site, immediately west of Middle Street and the point where two small stream valleys meet. Houses east and west of Middle Street are set back from the north-south orientated road and this area may formerly have been a market place. Clavering has experienced some expansion, particularly from the 20th century onwards with many new houses infilling the linear settlement and clustered on a recent estate at Colehills.

1.1 Access Cambridge Archaeology

Access Cambridge Archaeology (ACA) (http://www.access.arch.cam.ac.uk/) is an archaeological outreach organisation based in the Department of Archaeology in the University of Cambridge, which aims to enhance economic, social and personal well-being through active engagement with archaeology. It was set up in 2004 and specialises in providing opportunities for members of the public to take part in purposeful, research- orientated archaeological investigations including excavation. Educational events and courses range in length from a few hours to a week or more and involve members of the public of all ages.

1 Lewis, C and Ranson. C. 2012. ‘Archaeological Test Pit Excavations in Clavering, Essex, in 2012’. University of Cambridge: Access Cambridge Archaeology unpublished report 3

Since 2015, ACA has been managed by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) and thus have been able to work more closely with the unit to deliver outreach programmes such as the community excavations at Peterborough Cathedral in 2016, community test pitting activities in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The ACA and CAU collaboration has also enabled the continuation of the education outreach projects that involve work with both primary and secondary school pupils.

1.2 The Independent Learning Archaeology Field School (ILAFS)

The Independent Learning Archaeology Field School (ILAFS) programme, formerly known as the Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA) programme, aims to raise the aspirations, enthusiasm and attainment of 14-17 year-olds with regard to higher education by making a valuable contribution to current academic research at the University of Cambridge. The three- day learning-extension course has been run by Access Cambridge Archaeology (ACA) since 2005, aimed at UK students in state schools years 9, 10 and 12.

On ILAFS, participants spend two days running their own small (1m2) archaeological excavation within living villages, with the aim of applying and developing a wide range of learning skills, boosting their academic confidence and giving them a taste of life and learning at university level. They make new discoveries for and about themselves, and, in the process, contribute to the university's currently occupied rural settlement (CORS) research into the development of rural communities and settlements in the past. The third day is spent in the University of Cambridge analysing the excavation results in discursive learning sessions which aim to engage and challenge participants, prepare them to produce a written analysis for assessment as well as provide an inspirational and positive experience of higher education. After the field school, learners receive detailed individual feedback on their data collection, personal, learning and thinking skills developed during the fieldwork as well as their reporting and research skills exhibited in the written assignment, which will support applications to further and higher education.

2 Methodology

The one year of test pitting in Clavering was organised by ACA in conjunction with the Clavering Landscape History Group. The excavation and records followed the Independent Learning Archaeology Field School (ILAFS), instruction handbook and recording booklet.

The test pit digging takes place over two days, which begins with an initial talk explaining the aims of the excavation, the procedures used in digging and recording the test pit and the correct and safe use of equipment. Participants are then divided into teams of three or four individuals, and each team is provided with a complete set of test pit excavation equipment, copies of the instruction handbook and a record booklet to enter excavation data into.

The test pits were all 1m2 and the turf, if present, was removed in neat squares by hand. Each test pit was excavated in a series of 10cm spits or contexts, to a maximum depth of 1.2m. The horizontal surface of each context/spit was then drawn at 1:10 scale before excavation, a photograph taken and the colour of the soil recorded with reference to a standardised colour chart. A pro-forma recording system was used by participants to record their test pit excavation. This comprised a 16-page Test Pit Record booklet which was developed by ACA for use by people with no previous archaeological experience. Each pit and context is described and noted using the site code CLV/16.

During the excavation, 100% of the spoil is sieved through a 10mm mesh (with the occasional exception of very heavy clay soils which have to be hand-searched). All artefacts are retained, cleaned and bagged by context. Cut and built features are planned at 1:10 and excavated sequentially with latest deposits removed first. Pottery and most other finds are identified promptly by archaeological experts on site who visit the test pits regularly providing advice and checking that the excavation is being carried out and recorded to the required standard. Test pits are excavated down to natural or the maximum safe depth of 1.2m, whichever is encountered first. A minority of test pits will stop on encountering a feature, (ancient or modern) which archaeological staff deem inadvisable or impossible to remove, and occasionally excavation may cease at a level above natural due to time constraints. On completion of each test pit excavation, all four sections are drawn at 1:10 along with the unexcavated base of the test pit prior to backfilling by hand and the turf replaced neatly to restore the site.

After the two days of excavation are completed, the archaeological records and finds (all of which are kept and cleaned on site) are retained by ACA at the University of Cambridge for analysis, reporting, archiving and submission to HER’s, publication and ongoing research into the origins and development of rural settlement. Ownership of objects rests in the first instance with the landowner, except where other law overrides this (e.g. Treasure Act 1996, 2006, Burials Act 1857). ACA retain all finds in the short term for analysis and ideally also in the longer term in order that the excavation archives will be as complete as possible, but any requests to return finds to owners will be agreed.

3 Results from the 2016 test pitting in Clavering

The approximate locations of the 12 test pits excavated in Clavering over the 13th and 14th of July 2016 can be seen in figure 1 below (please note that the test pits are not to scale). These were excavated by 47 Year 9 and Year 10 pupils from The Bishops Stortford High School, Forest Hall School, Passmores Academy, Burnt Mill Academy, The Hertfordshire and Essex High School and Davenant Foundation School (school names correct at time of participation).

The test pits were excavated as part of the Independent Learning Archaeology Field School (ILAFS), run by ACA and funded by Cambridge Admissions Office out of the University of Cambridge. The test pitting was directed by Catherine Collins, with onsite supervision provided by Emily Ryley, Jessica Rippengal and Paul Blinkhorn, who also analysed the pottery. The test-pits were spread out along the village on the Druce, Pelham Road, Stortford Road, High Street, Middle Street, Church End and Pond Manor and the sites found by members of the Clavering Landscape History Group and in particular, Jacqueline Cooper.

The data from each test pit is discussed in this section and set out in numerical order and by year. Most excavation was in spits measuring 10cm in depth, but in cases when a change in the character of deposits indicated a change in context, a new spit was started before 10cm.

Figure 1: Location map of 2016 Clavering test pits (NB test pits not to scale) © Crown Copyright/database right 2019. An Ordnance Survey/EDINA supplied service 1: 5,000

Test Pit one (CLV/16/1)

Test pit one was excavated in the enclosed garden area across the road to the south of an early 16th century Grade II listed cottage set just west of the castle site and church (Pond Manor, Deers Green, Clavering. TL 46720 31780).

Test pit one was excavated to a depth of 0.7m. Natural was not found but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A single sherds of medieval Hedingham Ware was excavated from context two of CLV/16/1 and was mixed in with four sherds of 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares.

Figure 2: Location map of CLV/16/1

HED VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt Date Range 1 1 2 15 1800-1900 1 2 1 2 2 3 1200-1900 Table 1: The pottery excavated from CLV/16/1

Very few finds were excavated from CLV/16/1, although a single sherd of high medieval pottery was recorded and may suggest that this area of land has always been open fields next to the River Stort as it is probably prone to flooding. Despite the presence of the 16th century house opposite the land continued to have little use with slightly more activity into the 19th century, perhaps related to a change in land use. The few finds also excavated consist of ceramic building material (CBM), tile, a brick fragment, iron nails, scrap metal and animal bone. A single possible worked flint was also found from context five and may indicate the presence of probable later prehistoric activity along the northern banks of the River Stort, although analysis of the lithics would be needed to confirm this.

Test Pit two (CLV/16/2)

Test pit two was excavated in the long enclosed rear garden of a modern house set along the main road in the far west of the village (The Vicarage, 54 Pelham Road, Clavering. TL 46822 31712).

Test pit two was excavated to a depth of 0.6m, with half the test pit excavated further to 0.68m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this depth and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A mix of pottery types were excavated from CLV/16/2 and have been identified as medieval Hedingham Ware, post medieval Glazed Red Earthenware and an additional two sherds of 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares also found.

Figure 3: Location map of CLV/16/2

HED GRE VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 2 2 1 2 4 24 2 3 1200-1900 2 4 2 14 1200-1400 Table 2: The pottery excavated from CLV/16/2

The results from CLV/16/2 suggest that there was activity on site during the high medieval period, potentially the eastern extent of the medieval settlement as identified through the test pitting strategy. A probable change in settlement patterns and land use mean that this land was likely left as open fields until the 19th century when it was incorporated into the land associated with the vicarage and may have then been sparsely utilised for the disposal of rubbish, although only a few finds were also excavated from the test pit, consisting of tile, CBM, a lump of iron, coal, oyster shell and animal bone. The presence of five possible pieces of worked flint were also found through the lower layers of the test pit and are likely to be later prehistoric in date and perhaps part of wider settlement activity to the south of the River Stort, although analysis by a lithics expert would be needed to confirm this.

Test Pit three (CLV/16/3)

Test pit three was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a late 18th to early 19th century Grade II listed house fronting the main road through the village and just southwest of the church (Piercewebbs, 40 Pelham Road, Clavering. TL 46983 31736).

Test pit three was excavated to a depth of 0.7m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from CLV/16/3 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares, although a single sherd of Midland Blackware was also recorded.

MB VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt Date Range 3 2 1 6 4 10 1580-1900 3 3 19 37 1800-1900 3 4 21 51 1800-1900 3 5 14 26 1800-1900 3 7 1 1 1800-1900 Figure 4: Location map of CLV/16/3 Table 3: The pottery excavated from CLV/16/3

Prior to the construction of the house during the late 18th and early 19th century it seems that the land was rarely utilised and was likely left as open fields with slight evidence for use during the 16th century only. A mix of 19th century and later pottery was found mixed through the test pit with a range of finds consisting of tile, CBM, glass, iron nails, slag, coal, oyster shell, animal bone and mortar. Possible worked flint and four pieces of burnt stone were also excavated from CLV/16/3 and are likely to be later prehistoric in date, although analysis by a lithics specialist would be needed to confirm this.

Test Pit four (CLV/16/4)

Test pit four was excavated in the enclosed side garden of a 17th-18th century Grade II listed cottage set next to the southern church boundary and walkway into the church (Church End House, Church End, Clavering. TL 47052 31753).

Test pit four was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this depth and the test pit was recorded and back filled.

A range of pottery types were excavated from CLV/16/4, all of which dated from the mid-16th century and later and have been identified as Glazed Red Earthenware, Staffordshire Slipware, English Stoneware and Staffordshire Manganese Ware. By far the largest quantity of pottery excavated from through the test pit was recorded as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares.

Figure 5: Location map of CLV/16/4

GRE SS EST SMW VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 4 2 4 39 44 172 1550-1900 4 3 1 3 51 120 1700-1900 4 4 1 7 1 2 15 31 1550-1900 4 5 1 6 14 57 1700-1900 4 6 1 2 19 72 1650-1900 4 7 1 42 6 22 1550-1900 Table 4: The pottery excavated from CLV/16/4

Despite the proximity of the test pit to the church boundary, there is little in the way of evidence for any activity on site prior to the construction of the cottage during the 17th/18th century, the land was likely open fields or gardens, perhaps even within an earlier church boundary. As ever, the peak of activity on site was during the 19th century and later when there was a great deal of disturbance evident through the garden with the disposal of domestic rubbish. A large mix of finds were also excavated through the test pit with the Victorian pottery and consists of CBM, clay pipe, tile, sewer drain fragments, glass, iron nails, metal hoops and hooks, a metal square handle, metal wire, a metal screw cap, pieces of scrap metal, iron rods, slate, coal, concrete, Bakelite wall fixing, Perspex, animal bone and oyster shell. An additional four pieces of burnt tone were also excavated and are likely part of a later prehistoric area of settlement identified through the test pitting, although further work on the lithics would be needed to confirm this.

Test Pit five (CLV/16/5)

Test pit five was excavated in a small allotment patch to the rear of a 13th century Grade II* listed building built immediately east of the castle site (The Bury, Middle Street, Clavering. TL 47155 31951).

Test pit five was excavated to a depth of 0.8m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from CLV/16/5 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares with a small number of additional post medieval sherds recorded as Glazed Red Earthenware and Cologne Stoneware. Figure 6: Location map of CLV/16/5

GRE WCS VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 5 1 1 9 17 100 1550-1900 5 2 16 98 1800-1900 5 3 4 113 1800-1900 5 5 1 11 1 4 18 134 1550-1900 5 6 7 27 1800-1900 5 7 1 13 1 4 1550-1900 5 8 2 11 1800-1900 Table 5: The pottery excavated from CLV/16/5

Despite the location of CLV/16/5 just to the north of a 13th century original Royal Manor House, built just east of the moated castle site, the excavations yielded no evidence of medieval activity. The on-site occupation recorded instead dates from the 16th century and later during the numerous renovations that were taking place on the property, including inserting a chimney stack as well as changes to the south front that also meant that there was generally more activity on site. Further changes to the outside space of the property may have been why there is a great deal of disturbance noted during the 19th century and later, perhaps with the additions of outbuildings that are still standing nearby today. The finds mainly consist of brick rubble and tile with glass, but additional finds include a bent iron rod and iron nail, slate and coal, a piece of plastic and animal bone. A single piece of worked flint and two pieces of burnt stone that were also excavated from the test pit are likely later prehistoric in date, although analysis by a lithics expert would be needed to confirm this.

Test Pit six (CLV/16/6)

Test pit six was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a 16th century Grade II listed house set just back from the main road in the centre of the village (Danceys, Middle Street, Clavering. TL 47337 31890).

Test pit six was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The majority of the pottery Figure 7: Location map of CLV/16/6 excavated from CLV/16/6 dates to the medieval period as both Essex Grey Ware and Hedingham Ware. An additional three sherds of 19th century ‘Victorian’ ware pot were also identified.

Grey HED VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 6 2 2 19 2 7 1 2 1200-1900 6 3 2 7 2 4 1100-1900 Table 6: The pottery excavated from CLV/16/6

The results from CLV/16/6 suggest that there was occupation on site during the high medieval period but was abandoned prior to the construction of the current structure during the 16th century. This site may actually have been part of a larger property, likely a farm as the listing states that the original structure has non-domestic origins, so may have been a barn initially. As only a small amount of post 16th century finds were recorded from the test pit which suggests that there has likely always been little in the way of activity on site as well as not a great deal of disturbance. The few finds that were found consist of tile and CBM, bottle glass, an iron nail, oyster shell and animal bone. Two pieces of burnt stone were also recorded from context five and are likely to be later prehistoric in date and perhaps also part of a wider spread of prehistoric activity identified through the test pitting strategy along the southern banks of the River Stort.

Test Pit seven (CLV/16/7)

Test pit seven was excavated in the front garden of a 17th-18th century Grade II listed property set just back from the main road through the centre of the village (Blacksmiths Cottage, Middle Street, Clavering. TL 47322 31846).

Test pit seven was excavated to a depth of 0.4. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints and the presence of a dog burial, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

The vast majority of the pottery excavated from CLV/16/7 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares, although single sherds of both post medieval Glazed Red Earthenware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware were also recorded.

Figure 8: Location map of CLV/16/7

GRE SWSG VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 7 1 3 15 1800-1900 7 2 1 2 10 47 1720-1900 7 3 1 6 57 189 1550-1900 7 4 36 139 1800-1900 Table 7: The pottery excavated from CLV/16/7

The excavation at CLV/16/7 suggests that there was little in the way of activity on site prior to the construction of the cottage during the 17th/18th century, but the delay during the excavation due to the discovery of a relatively recent dog burial (wrapped in plastic), meant that natural was not found and there may be the potential for earlier finds at a greater depth. There was a lot of disturbance during the 19th century also, when a lot of rubbish appears to have been spread across site, the dog burial then disturbing this further through the four contexts of the test pit. The other finds also recorded consist of brick fragments, clay pipe, CBM, tile, glass, iron nails and bolts, strips of metal, a metal washer and a tiny metal spoon with plastic wrappers and flower pot fragments, a plastic screw cap and mussel shell.

Test Pit eight (CLV/16/8)

Test pit eight was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a possible later 19th century house set back from the main road in the centre of the village (The Old Manse, 13 Pelham Road, Clavering. TL 47169 31684).

Test pit eight was excavated to a depth of 0.7m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this level and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

Ten sherds of 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares were only excavated from the lower contexts of CLV/16/8.

VIC TP Context No Wt Date Range 8 5 6 55 1800-1900 8 6 4 12 1800-1900 Table 8: The pottery excavated from CLV/16/8

The excavations at CLV/16/8 suggest that there was little in the way of activity prior to the 19th century; although even then it was probably open fields until the current line of houses were built during the 20th century. A mix of finds were recorded through the depth of the test pit and consists of tile, brick fragments, clay pipe, tile, glass, coal, slate, iron nails, metal rods, foil, scrap metal, plastic drinks caps and burnt material. Figure 9: Location map of CLV/16/8

Test Pit nine (CLV/10/9)

Test pit nine was excavated on the grass playing field behind Clavering Primary School, set on higher ground in the south of the village (Clavering Community Primary School, Stortford Road, Clavering. TL 47251 31630).

Test pit nine was excavated to a depth of 0.5m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this depth and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A single sherd of Late Bronze Age pottery was recorded from the lowest context of Figure 10: Location map of CLV/16/9 CLV/10/9. Also found through the test pit were two sherds of Roman pottery, a single sherd of medieval Hedingham Ware and three sherds of post medieval Glazed Red Earthenware. An additional seven sherds of 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares were also identified.

BA RB HED GRE VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 9 2 3 11 5 8 1550-1900 9 3 2 2 1 1 2 13 100-1900 9 6 1 2 1200-800BC Table 9: The pottery excavated from CLV/16/9

The sherd of Bronze Age pottery from CLV/16/9 is the only one to be identified through the test pitting strategy in Clavering and has shown that there was a shift in the focus of activity from the Neolithic to the northeast to the high ground south of the river where the primary school now sits. Three pieces of burnt stone and the three pieces of worked flint that were also found are likely to be Bronze Age in date too, given the presence of pottery of that date, although analysis by a specialist would also be needed to confirm this. The Romano-British activity also continued to follow this trend as well as extending back northeast again and probably part of a wider network of farmsteads or field systems. As also limited medieval, post medieval and 19th century pottery sherds were also identified with a small amount of finds, it is probable that this site has always remained open, with little in the way of disturbance when the primary school was built. The finds excavated consist of tile, CBM, possible burnt daub fragments, glass, iron nails, slag and coal, many of which may have been used for manuring.

Test Pit 10 (CLV/16/10)

Test pit 10 was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a modern house that was likely built in the garden of the neighbour’s property – a 15th-16th century, Grade II listed hall house immediately to the south and fronting the River Stort to the west (Druce View, The Druce, Clavering. TL 47615 31824).

Test pit 10 was excavated to a depth of 0.61m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this depth and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A wide range of pottery wares were excavated from CLV/16/10, the majority of which dates to the mid-16th century Figure 11: Location map of CLV/16/10 and later as Glazed Red Earthenware, Staffordshire Slipware, English Stoneware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware with a number of sherds identified as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares. Also recorded from the test pit were five sherds of medieval pottery that have been recorded as Essex Grey Ware, Hedingham Ware and Late Medieval Ware.

Grey HED LMT GRE SS EST SWSG VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 10 1 1 2 3 19 1550-1900 10 2 1 3 1 7 3 47 5 16 1100-1900 10 3 2 5 1 3 3 13 1550-1900 10 4 1 3 1 1 1 7 3 6 3 7 2 4 1100-1800 10 5 1 13 3 10 1700-1900 10 7 2 25 3 6 1700-1900 Table 10: The pottery excavated from CLV/16/10

The excavations at CLV/16/10 suggest that there was limited activity on site during the medieval period; the land was likely open fields on the other side of the river from the core of the settlement at that time. It was when the adjacent property was built during the 15th-16th century that there is evidence for more intense activity on site that continued through until the land was sold and the current house was built and does suggest that the land was once connected. The finds also excavated consist of tile, CBM, clay pipe, sewer drain fragments, glass, iron nails, metal chain links, scrap metal, slate, a nut shell and animal bone. A single piece of burnt stone was also recorded from context one that may be later prehistoric in date and part of the extended prehistoric settlement already identified through the test pitting strategy.

Test Pit 11 (CLV/16/11)

Test pit 11 was excavated in the enclosed rear garden of a former 18th century pub, known as the Swan Inn, fronting the High Street to the north-east of the village (Swan Cottage, High Street, Clavering. TL 47672 32042).

Test pit 11 was excavated to a depth of c.0.52m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints and the presence of a curving brick feature, excavations were halted at this depth and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

Figure 12: Location map of CLV/16/11 All the pottery excavated from CLV/16/11 dates to the mid-16th century and later as Glazed Red Earthenware, English Stoneware and the majority was identified as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares.

GRE EST VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 11 1 1 5 1 8 1700-1900 11 3 1 5 15 126 1800-1900 11 4 3 83 1 53 38 212 1550-1900 11 5 43 981 1800-1900 Table 11: The pottery excavated from CLV/16/11

The results of CLV/16/11 suggest that there was limited activity on site prior to the construction of the cottage during the 18th century, being most likely utilised as fields particularly from the 16th century. The use of the property as a pub during the 19th century in particular may explain the particularly large number of finds that were recorded for that time and the high level of disturbance across the garden. The presence of a brick feature also identified in the test pit (figure 13) that was slightly curving in design, may have been the top of an oven or other similar feature. The confines of the test pit and the limited time meant that full excavation of the feature was not possible.

The finds excavated from test pit 11 consist of clay pipe, tile, CBM, sewer drain, modern tile, glass, slate, coal, mortar, iron nails, metal wire, a coin/token, a metal button, iron tacks, scrap metal, aluminium, metal rods, horseshoe fragment, wire and screws with animal bone, a plastic comb and plastic tubing.

Test Pit 12 (CLV/16/12)

Test pit 12 was excavated in the large enclosed rear garden of an early 19th century house set back from the main road in the northeast of the village (The Bower House, High Street, Clavering. TL 47625 32078).

Test pit 12 was excavated to a depth of 0.6m. Natural was not found, but due to time constraints, excavations were halted at this depth and the test pit was recorded and backfilled.

A small amount of pottery was excavated from CLV/16/12 and have been identified as medieval Hedingham Ware, post medieval Glazed Red Earthenware and as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares.

Figure 14: Location map of CLV/16/12

HED GRE VIC TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 12 2 2 4 1800-1900 12 3 1 3 1550-1600 12 4 3 18 1200-1400 Table 12: The pottery excavated from CLV/16/12

Prior to the construction of the property during the 19th century, it seems that there was little in way of activity on site with limited use, likely as open fields, particularly during the early medieval and early post medieval periods. Large quantities of slag were excavated through the depth of the test pit, with over 90 pieces recorded, which suggests that there was metal working on site, perhaps an outbuilding or workshop associated with the 19th century dwelling. A large amount of coal was also excavated with CBM, tile, clay pipe, iron nails, oyster shell and animal bone. The possible worked flints and a single piece of burnt stone also suggests the presence of likely later prehistoric activity on site, although analysis by a specialist would be needed to confirm this.

4 Conclusions

The 12 archaeological test pits that were excavated in Clavering in 2016 have yielded archaeological evidence for settlement in the village from the Bronze Age through the modern day. These results have also added to the ‘bigger picture’ of the development of Clavering as well as adding to the knowledge from the 2012 community test pitting, when 29 test pits were excavated across the village.

The presence of several lithics from nine of the test pits excavated in 2016 were in the form of either worked flints, burnt stone or both and although at the time of writing these lithics were undated, they most likely are later prehistoric in date, perhaps Neolithic or Bronze Age. The latter of these is perhaps the most likely date, particularly as the majority of the prehistoric activity already recorded on the Essex Historic Environment Record (EHER) dates as Bronze Age and include the find of a hoard of both axes and spearheads (EHER 119). It has also been recorded on the HER that the general frequency of Bronze Age metalwork finds from Clavering may mean that the parish today could have been on the line of a prehistoric routeway that was frequented by bronze-smiths, linking the Icknield Way and the Thames, although this is still conjecture. A single small sherd (2g) of Bronze Age pottery was also excavated from the lower contexts of CLV/16/9 and was the first pot of this date to be found through the 2012 and 2016 test pitting strategy in the village (a single large sherd (14g) of Neolithic pottery was excavated from CLV/12/27). This area is on the eastern slopes of an area of higher ground and overlooking the river to the north and east and this test pit was also the only one to also yield pottery of a Roman date with two small sherds found. Evidence for Romano-British activity in Clavering is again limited, despite the presence of a Roman road connecting the Roman towns at Great Chesterford and Braughing and ran to the north and west of the village today. It is likely that this landscape was mainly utilised for agriculture and the two sherds of Roman pot may have been the result of manuring, but derived from a nearby farmstead.

No evidence for Anglo-Saxon activity was noted through any of the 2012 or 2016 test pits in Clavering. This is perhaps unusual, particularly as Clavering was both recorded in the Domesday Book, so would have had a reasonably sized settlement by the Late Anglo-Saxon period at least, which was also valued quite highly and the castle is thought to have pre- Conquest origins of the mid-11th century (EHER 113 and 114). Limited spot finds of Anglo- Saxon date have previously been found in the village and recorded on the HER, but further archaeological excavations are needed to define the focus of the original settlement in Clavering seems to have been missed between the sites available at the time for the test pitting.

The rest of the pottery excavated from the 2016 test pit dates from the high medieval period onwards and six of the 2016 test pits produced high medieval pot. This material generally derived from the test pits sited alongside the river, including at both CLV/16/6 and CLV/16/10, but not from the test pits sited closer to both the castle (which its use continued into the medieval) or the 14th century parish church of St Mary and St Clement (EHER 115). This suggests that the medieval settlement at Clavering may have been quite dispersed, a notion supported by the number of ‘greens’ and ends’ that are still present through the parish, some of which were test pitted during the 2012 excavations and found evidence for high medieval activity. Clavering likely also suffered during the various socio-economic upheavals of the 14th century, including the Black Death, as only one test pit produced one sherd of late medieval pottery in 2016: CLV/16/10. This shifting settlement pattern was also seen through the 2012 test pitting results, where the settlement likely contracted and some outlying sites may also have been abandoned, which led to a focus of settlement on the area now around the crossroads to the east of both the castle and church.

Clavering recovered and expanded again into the post medieval, with 10 of the 12 pits in 2016 producing pottery of this date, although not at CLV/16/6 and CLV/16/8. This suggests that the settlement in the centre of the village today likely grew at this time and had already taken the shape of the village seen today on the early 19th century OS maps, although large areas of the village today are modern 20th century and later infilling.

5 Maps

Much of the value of the test pit data from currently occupied rural settlements are derived from a holistic consideration across the entire settlement. Maps showing a range of the data from the test pit excavations in Clavering in 2016 are included below.