Land Off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex

Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex

Archaeological Evaluation

for: Axis Land Partnerships

CA Project: SU0141

CA Report: SU0141_1

Site code: GC70

July 2020

Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex

Archaeological Evaluation

CA Project: SU0141 CA Report: SU0141_1

Document Control Grid Revision Date Author Checked by Status Reasons for Approved revision by 1 08/07/20 BHH APS Internal – APS review

This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.

Cirencester Milton Keynes Andover Exeter Suffolk Building 11 Unit 8, The IO Centre Stanley House Unit 1, Clyst Units Unit 5, Plot 11 Kemble Enterprise Park Fingle Drive Walworth Road Cofton Road Maitland Road Cirencester Stonebridge Andover Marsh Barton Lion Barn Industrial Gloucestershire Milton Keynes Hampshire Exeter Estate GL7 6BQ Buckinghamshire SP10 5LH EX2 8QW Needham Market MK13 0AT Suffolk IP6 8NZ t. 01285 771 022 t. 01264 347 630 t. 01392 573 970 t. 01908 564 660 t. 01449 900 120 e. [email protected]

CONTENTS SUMMARY ...... 2

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 1

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ...... 4

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ...... 10

4. METHODOLOGY ...... 11

5. RESULTS ...... 11

6. DISCUSSION ...... 12

7. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 13

8. REFERENCES...... 13

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...... 15

APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM ...... 17

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1 Site Location Plan (1:25,000)

Fig. 2 Trench location plan

Fig. 3 Photograph - general view of Trench 3 looking south-east

Fig. 4 Photograph - general view of Trench 13 looking south-east

Fig. 5 Photograph - general View of Trench 22 looking south-east

Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

SUMMARY

Project name: Land off London Road, Great Chesterford

Location: Great Chesterford, Essex

NGR: 550754 242257

Type: Evaluation

Date: 30 June – 3 July 2020

Planning reference: UTT/19/0573/OP

Location of Archive: To be deposited with Saffron Walden Museum and the Archaeology Data Service (ADS)

Site Code: GC70

In July 2020, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation at Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex. A total of twenty-two trenches, each measuring 30m long by 1.8m wide, were excavated across the 3.2ha development site.

The Site is located in the hinterland of the Roman town at Great Chesterford and archaeological interest in the development area derived largely from a record of the discovery of a group of Romano-British burials in the northeast part of the Site in the 1960s, although the reference was potentially a duplicate, incorrectly located, record of burials found further to the northeast of the site, outside the development area.

No archaeological features or deposits were identified by the evaluation. In particular, no evidence for any burials, previously disturbed graves or any activities that may have led to the discovery of burials, such as mineral extraction, was noted in any of the trenches. Consequently, it is considered that the actual place of discovery of the Romano-British burials does indeed lie further northeast, outside the site boundary.

Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

1. INTRODUCTION

In July 2020, Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation at Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex (centred at NGR: 550754 242257; Fig. 1), on behalf of Axis Land Partnerships.

A Desk-Based Assessment (DBA; CA 2018) was submitted for pre-application consultation with Essex Place Services (EPS) in December 2018, in their role as archaeological advisors to Uttlesford District Council (UDC), to inform a forthcoming planning application for the residential development of the site. It was determined by EPS that the site was of some archaeological potential and a field evaluation by trial trenching would be required post planning consent, to be secured and implemented by condition. A planning application (UTT/19/0573/OP) was subsequently submitted to UDC in March 2019, comprising an Outline application with all matters reserved except for access for the development of up to 76 dwellings, including provision of vehicular and pedestrian access, public open space and hard and soft landscaping at Land to the South West of London Road, Little Chesterford, Essex, receiving a grant of conditional approval on 17th June 2020, subject to a suite of conditions. Conditions 14 to 17 pertain to the recommended programme of archaeological works and state:

14 No development or preliminary groundworks can commence until a program of archaeological trial trenching has been secured and undertaken in accordance with a written scheme of investigation which has been submitted by the applicant, and approved by the planning authority prior to reserved matters applications being submitted.

REASON: The Historic Environment Record and the documents submitted with the planning application indicates that the proposed development lies within a potentially sensitive area of heritage assets. The development site lies on the edge of the Roman town of Great Chesterford immediately to the east of the known Roman cemetery (EHER 4949). An area of cropmarks located to the north of the development area forms a sequence of enclosures on the southern side of the river (EHER 4866). This occupation may spread across London Road into the development area. The archaeological work would comprise initial trial trenching to identify the extent and depth of archaeological deposits followed by a programme of open area excavation if archaeological deposits are identified. All archaeological work should be conducted by a professional recognised archaeological contractor in

1 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

accordance with a brief issued by this office. This is in accordance with Policy ENV4 of the Uttlesford Local Plan (adopted 2005).

15 A mitigation strategy detailing the excavation/preservation strategy shall be submitted to the local planning authority following the completion of this work.

16 No development or preliminary groundworks can commence on those areas containing archaeological deposits until the satisfactory completion of fieldwork, as detailed in the mitigation strategy, and which has been signed off by the local planning authority through its historic environment advisors.

2 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

17 The developer shall submit to the local planning authority a post-excavation assessment (to be submitted within three months of the completion of fieldwork, unless otherwise agreed in advance with the Planning Authority). This will result in the completion of post-excavation analysis, preparation of a full site archive and report ready for deposition at the local museum, and submission of a publication report.

The scope of the evaluation required under condition 14 was agreed in consultation with EPS (Richard Havis - Principal Historic Environment Consultant) and carried out in accordance with a Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) prepared by CA (2019) and approved by EPS and UDC.

The evaluation was also undertaken in accordance with the Standard and guidance for archaeological field evaluation (CIfA 2014), Standards for Field Archaeology in the East of England (Gurney 2003), Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MoRPHE) PPN 3: Archaeological Excavation (Historic England 2015) and Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment: The MoRPHE Project Managers' Guide (Historic England 2015).

The site The proposed development site is approximately 3.2ha in extent. It comprises a single arable field on the southern outskirts of the village of Great Chesterford. The north-eastern site boundary is defined by the B1383 London Road, with the West Anglia Main Line railway located immediately to the south-west of the site. The

3 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

south-east of the site is bounded by further agricultural land, with residential housing estates to the north-west. The site lies approximately 43m AOD, on relatively flat ground.

While the village itself lies on the gravel terrace of the east bank of the River Cam the Site lies to the south-west, on solid geology which comprises chalk of the New Pit Chalk Formation, formed between 93.9 and 89.8 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. The overlying drift geology is composed of clay and silt of the Lowestoft Formation, formed between 480,000 and 423,000 years ago during the Quaternary period (BGS 2019). Two borehole logs are recorded just outside the southern extent of the Site. While one is confidential, the other demonstrated that the geological sequence of that area consists of coarse gravel, chalk and small pieces of flint overlain by c. 3.6m of loamy sand which contained flint and chalk fragments (BGS 1965). This variation in the underlying geology over such a relatively small area is likely to be a reflection of the location of the Site on the terraces of the Cam, with River Terrace Gravels (Sand and Gravel) mapped to the south-east.

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

2.1 The archaeological background of the Site and the wider area has previously been presented as part of the Heritage Desk-Based Assessment (HDBA) produced by CA (2018). The following text is summarised from this document.

Prehistoric 2.2 The position of the River Cam, which is situated c. 200m to the north-east of the Site, would have created a favourable area for activity and settlement in the prehistoric period. Despite this, Medlycott (2011) has noted that there is only scattered evidence for prehistoric settlement around Great Chesterford. Palaeolithic and Neolithic implements were recorded from an area c. 220m to the north-west of the Site, (Doubleday & Page 1903). Further, possible Neolithic material was recorded in broadly the same area, c. 200m to the north-west of the Site. Four residual debitage flakes of struck flint possibly dating to the later Neolithic or early Bronze Age were recorded from a Roman ditch and flue (Barlow 2015). Although not definitively dated, further worked flint was recorded in an area to the north-west of the Site (Medlycott 2011).

4 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

2.3 In the Iron Age period it is generally acknowledged Great Chesterford would have been situated on the tribal boundary between the Catuvellauni to the north and west and the Trinovantes to the east. This is due to its strategic position within the landscape, situated where the River Cam breaks through chalk hills and across the Cambridgeshire claylands to the fens. Iron Age features have been found on both sides of the river at Great Chesterford, indicating that a community settled both sides of it rather than being separated by it (Medylcott 2011).

2.4 Despite this, the evidence for Early or Middle Iron Age activity within the study area is limited. In an area c. 100m to the east of the Site a findspot of an Iron Age silver coin of the Catuvellauni/Trinovantes ‘Winged Helmet Type’ dated between c. 60-20 BC was recorded. Also, in the same 2015 excavation as discussed in paragraph 2.2 a single sherd of pottery dating to the Early Iron Age period was recovered. Both the flints and the pottery sherd were thought to indicate possible pre-Roman origins to the settlement at Great Chesterford (Barlow, 2015).

2.5 Two areas of cropmarks have been identified through aerial photography, indicating further possible prehistoric or Romano-British activity within the study area. Located close to the bank of the River Cam, visible c. 100m to the north-east of the Site are a series of rectilinear cropmarks indicating a possible series of small paddock enclosures or a small field system, a possible associated trackway and a small number of discrete features. A second area is recorded, c. 215m to the south-east of the Site, formed of a circular ditch to the west of the River Cam possibly representing either a prehistoric or Romano-British hut circle or barrow. These features have not been subject to intrusive archaeological investigation and therefore their date cannot be securely determined at this stage.

Romano-British 2.6 The early Romano-British settlement of Great Chesterford was located in what is today the northern part of the modern village of Great Chesterford, situated to the north of the study area. Shortly after the Conquest, owing to the strategic position of Great Chesterford, a fort was constructed. Occupation of the fort appears to have been short-lived with evidence for military activity only spanning a period of approximately 20 years (Medylcott 2011).

2.7 The Romano-British town is believed to have developed following the destruction/dismantling of the fort and grew around the area of the former southern

5 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

gate. Although the town faced a period of decline in the 3rd century, it later expanded again in the 4th century and was considered important enough to be consolidated through the building of town walls. The area defined by the town walls is today designated as a Scheduled Monument (NHLE 1013484). These walls, constructed of flint, were still largely extant at the beginning of the 18th century but have since been robbed to provide material for road repairs. The southern extent of the walls is located c. 500m to the north of the Site, outside of the study area. A second walled enclosure has also been identified through antiquarian descriptions to the south of the main town walls, although this wall has not been dated. It is unlikely two walled enclosures were in use/built at the same time but it is unclear whether it pre-dates or post-dates the main town walls (Medlycott 2011). Roman tradition would not permit burials within a town or village; which explains why the majority of burials in Great Chesterford have been found in areas outside of the town walls. The Site is on the opposite side of the River Cam to the Roman settlement of Great Chesterford, it also partially lies within one of five cemetery/extramural settlement areas classified by Medlycott (2011). The burials within this south-western area comprise both cremations and inhumations and are widely scattered over an area of c. 600x250m. However, the majority of the excavated evidence for these cemeteries was recorded in antiquarian excavations and therefore lack the detail expected from modern excavations.

2.8 The HER records that a group of Romano-British graves were discovered within the Site; however, there are no further details regarding this, only that the burials were discovered post-1960 (MEX17200). The archaeological evaluation of land bounding the Site to the north-west failed to identify any archaeological features and only two pieces of worked flint (MEX38459). Other burials recorded within the south-western area of settlement/extra-mural activity include skeletons found in a gravel pit c. 75m directly north of the Site. The HER also gives very little details for this record other than they were found in a gravel pit again post-1960 (MEX17197).

2.9 In a second area, c. 180m to the north-west of the Site, a further cluster of inhumations and cremations is recorded. The area in which these burials are attributed is illustrated on Figure 4 but as they were excavated from the late 18th century onwards the exact position may not be correct. A late 18th-century excavation, under the line of the current railway, recorded ‘fragments of pottery and ashes’ which were presumed to be part of the cemetery area. Another late 18th century excavation recorded ‘pottery and ashes’ with the bones of an animal also

6 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

recorded in close proximity to a large urn which contained human ashes. Later archaeological investigation within the same area, however, recorded no archaeological finds or features. In 1823, workmen found several Roman vases set in a circle close to the current railway station. Although they most likely represent part of the south-western cemetery, the vases apparently contained small bones of animal (Doubleday & Page 1903). In 1934, during gravel extraction in the same area further inhumations and cremations were recorded (Medlycott 2011). In 1971, human bones were reported in the same area although the HER gives no further details.

2.10 Further Roman activity was recorded in 1847 when foundations for a school were inspected, c. 230m to the north of the Site. A number of Roman coins, pits and a bronze chain in a pit were identified. In 1989 a watching brief in the same area inspected extensive foundations trenches for new outbuildings but only identified considerable disturbance and some large features that could have been associated with quarrying (MEX 17228).

2.11 Despite the majority of the Roman activity recorded in the study area relating to funerary activities there is a small amount of evidence for Roman industrial practices. Roman ditches and a flue were recorded during an evaluation in 2015 which contained some 2nd-4th century pottery, ceramic building material, animal bone and iron fragments (Barlow 2015).

Early medieval and medieval 2.12 There is evidence of an Anglo-Saxon population at Great Chesterford from the end of Roman period until at least the 7th century. The excavated evidence for Anglo- Saxon occupation mainly comes from burial remains in the north-western part of the Roman town although there have been some smaller groupings recorded to the south of the Roman town. The location of the Anglo-Saxon settlement is not known although it is postulated that the later Saxon element was likely in the same position of the medieval town, which developed to the south of the Roman walls (Medlycott 2016).

2.13 A find spot is recorded on the HER which includes a group of late Roman and Anglo-Saxon objects such as copper alloy brooches, decorative rivets from shield boards, coins and early Saxon pottery sherds deriving from the late 6th to 7th century (MEX10366). However, it should be noted that this record is poorly located, being

7 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

grid-referenced only to the quarter sheet intersection with the result that for mapping purposes only the findspot is displayed c.225m to the south-east of the Site. Located c. 220m to the north-west of the Site is another find spot of an early medieval copper alloy pin.

2.14 The first written account of Great Chesterford came in 1004, where it was recorded as Ceasterford which derives from ‘the ford by the camp’. Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, Great Chesterford became a royal manor. It was recorded as Cestreforda in the Domesday Survey of 1086 and was held by Earl Edgar, with ten hides in Essex and one and half hides also in Cambridgeshire (Doubleday & Page, 1903).

2.15 The 13th-century Parish Church of All Saints is located in the south-west of the medieval town. It is situated within the area of the possible Roman second walled enclosure, c. 380m to the north of the site, outside the study area. In the 13th century the Marshalless of England had a hall or court close to the church which has been postulated to be in an area c. 230m to the north of the Site. However, little archaeological evidence has been revealed to substantiate this and it has been suggested that a moated enclosure, to the south-eastern edge of the village may have been the location of the hall (Medlycott, 2016). Situated c. 320m south of the Site, outside of the study area it is designated as a Scheduled Monument called ‘Moated site, fishpond and enclosure at Bordeaux Farms’. It is a rectangular moated site with a fishpond and associated enclosure, the List entry records that the name Bordeaux was first mentioned in 1307 and is considered to be connected with the family of Walter de Burdeaus (NHLE 1008700).

2.16 The Site is situated on the opposite side of the River Cam to the medieval town, located c. 500m from the focus of settlement. In the late Saxon to early medieval period the Site was most likely within an undeveloped landscape of fields and meadows. The area in which the Site lies was characterised by large common-fields with sparse settlement, the field type is thought to have developed in the Late Saxon or medieval period and are described as of the Cambridgeshire and Midland type, which is a regularly arranged ‘two or three field system’. This is a field-type which is rare is Essex (Brown et al, 2009). Although Great Chesterford prospered for part of the medieval period due to the cloth trade, by 1540 it was described as a purely agricultural community (Medlycott, 2016).

8 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

Post-medieval and modern 2.17 The post-medieval period was a time of decline for Great Chesterford due to the collapse of the cloth trade, as such there remained little settlement outside the medieval village. While being situated to the south of the village of Great Chesterford, the Site sits within the northernmost part of the Parish of Littlebury. The Parish of Littlebury was enclosed in 1804 under the Parliamentary Enclosure Act. The earliest cartographic source consulted as part of this assessment was the Parish of Littlebury Enclosure Map dated to 1805. This map depicts the Site sitting between two large parcels of land both of which were owned by Joseph Shepherd. The enclosure award is not clear enough to ascertain what the use of the land was, it can be inferred it was in use for agricultural purposes. The two large parcels may have been part of a ‘two or three field system’ as a third field owned by Joseph Shepherd lies c. 175m to the south-east.

2.18 The ‘B1383’ London Road today defines the north-eastern boundary of the Site. This road ran from London to Newmarket and despite the collapse of the cloth trade, would have brought some passing trade into Great Chesterford (Uttlesford District Council, 2017).

2.19 The Plan of the parishes of Wenden and Littlebury, dated to 1828, shows the route of the railway line between London and Cambridge (later known as the Great Eastern Railway) but it did not open until 1845 (Crosby, 2013). It is unlikely it was in construction for such a long period of time so it is more likely it is a later addition to the map.

2.20 The Site itself is still shown as being bisected by a boundary between two fields but due to the railway line these fields were considerably smaller by 1828. It can only be inferred that the land was still in use for arable or pastoral purposes, as the reference numbers within the map probably refer to a lost written survey. There was now a small footpath to the south of the Site which appears to cross the railway line

2.21 The surrounding landscape remained undeveloped and most probably in use for agricultural purposes. In 2017, during an archaeological evaluation c. 95m north of the Site a single furrow was recorded, representing post-medieval cultivation practices. Post-medieval pottery sherds and ceramic building materials were also located, representing material spread by manuring or ploughing.

9 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

2.22 In 1977, the M11 motorway was constructed, c. 450m to the west of the Site. Modern residential development can also now be seen in the northern part of the study area, part of which bounds the Site to the north. Despite this change, the Site today still remains under arable cultivation as does the surrounding landscape to the east and south.

Previous Archaeological Works 2.23 There have been no recorded archaeological investigations carried out within the Site itself but there have been several investigations in the wider study area, all of which have been undertaken to the north of the Site.

2.24 In 1992, a programme of archaeological trial trenching undertaken directly to the north of the Site, comprising 26 trenches excavated across a 1.1ha area, recorded no archaeological features. However, a small quantity of flint cores and flakes and several small sherds of Roman and post-medieval pottery were recovered from the spoil heap indicating there has been activity in the area since the prehistoric period (MEX38459).

2.25 In 2015, c. 200m to the north-west of the Site an archaeological evaluation recorded features indicating that possible Roman industrial processes were undertaken in the area (Barlow 2015). In the same area, c. 250m to the north-west of the Site a single evaluation trench was excavated, and two engineers test pits were observed. While the results of the archaeological works identified only modern material, due to the topography of the site it was believed that it was situated within an earlier, back- filled gravel quarry (MEX10398).

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The objective of the evaluation is to provide information about the archaeological resource within the site, including its presence/absence, character, extent, date, integrity, state of preservation and quality.

The information gathered will enable UDC, as advised by EPS, to identify and assess the particular significance of any heritage assets that are present, consider the impact of the proposed development upon that significance, and to avoid or minimise any conflict between the conservation of those heritage assets and any

10 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

aspect of the development proposal. This process is in line with policies contained in the National Planning Policy Framework (MHCLG 2019).

If significant archaeological remains had been identified this report would have aimed to place them in their local and regional context in reference to Research and Archaeology Revisited: A Revised Framework for the East of England (Medlycott 2011). However, no such remains were identified during the evaluation.

4. METHODOLOGY

The evaluation comprised the excavation of 22 trenches, each measuring 30m long by 1.8m wide, in the locations shown on figure 2. Trenches were set out on OS National Grid co-ordinates using Leica GPS Overburden was stripped from the trenches by a mechanical excavator fitted with a toothless grading bucket. All machining was conducted under archaeological supervision to the top of the natural substrate, which was the level at which archaeological features were first encountered.

Records were maintained in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual.

Deposits were assessed for their palaeoenvironmental potential in accordance with CA Technical Manual 2: The Taking and Processing of Environmental and Other Samples from Archaeological Sites; however, no deposits were identified that required sampling.

CA will make arrangements with Saffron Walden Museum for the deposition of the project archive. A digital archive will also be prepared and deposited with the Archaeology Data Service (ADS).

A summary of information from this project, as set out in Appendix B, will be entered onto the OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain.

5. RESULTS

This section provides an overview of the evaluation results. Detailed summaries of the recorded contexts are given in Appendix A.

11 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

The natural geological substrate consisted of a mid-red brown silt sand with frequent inclusions of naturally occurring flint, exposed at between 0.2m and 0.45m below the present ground level (bpgl).

Subsoil was encountered overlying the natural substrate in five of the excavated trenches (trenches 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14), all located in the centre of the site. The subsoil measured on average 0.2m thick and comprised a mid-red brown silt clay.

In all 22 trenches topsoil measured on average 0.2m thick and comprised a mid- grey brown silt clay/sandy clay.

No archaeological features or deposits were identified in any of the trenches and no artefactual material was recovered from the topsoil or subsoil, with cultural material also noted to be very sparse on the surface of the field.

6. DISCUSSION

While the Site is situated in a rich archaeological landscape, in the hinterland of the Roman town at Great Chesterford, no archaeological features or deposits were identified by the evaluation.

The Essex Historic Environment Record contains a reference to the discovery of Romano-British graves (EHER MEX17200) in the 1960s, in the north part of the Site. However, no evidence for any burials, previously disturbed graves or any activities that may have led to the discovery of burials (e.g. mineral extraction) was noted in any of the trenches in that part of the site. On this basis it is possible, as suggested in the preceding Heritage Desk-based Assessment (CA 2019) that the reference is a duplicate, erroneously positioned, record of the discovery of inhumation burials c. 180m north-west of the site (EHER MEX17197).

The negative results of the evaluation mean that no further archaeological works will be required within the application site and consequently conditions 15, 16 and 17, requiring a mitigation strategy, the implementation of said mitigation strategy, and a programme of post-excavation assessment, analysis and publication respectively, no longer require implantation.

12 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

7. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by James Coyne, assisted by Isobel Ward, Annabel Johns, Megan Reid, and Joseph Price. This report was written by Bethany Hardcastle. The report illustrations were prepared by Ryan Wilson. The project archive has been compiled and prepared for deposition by Hazel O’Neil. The project was managed for CA by Adrian Scruby and monitored by Richard Havis of Essex Place Services, on behalf of Uttlesford District Council

8. REFERENCES

Barlow, G. 2015. 9 London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Archaeological Trial Evaluation. Bury St Edmunds: Archaeological Solutions Ltd.

BGS (British Geological Survey) 1965. Great Chesterfield Pilot No. 2. Reference TL54SW44.

BGS (British Geological Survey). 2019. Geology of Britain Viewer. http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html Accessed 8 July 2020.

Brooks, H. & Wallis, S. 1991. ‘Recent Work in Great Chesterford’, Essex Archaeology and History, Vol. 22, pp. 38-45.

Brown, N., Garwood, A. Havis, R. Medlycott, M, Massey-Ryan, R. 2009. Uttlesford District Historic Environment Characterisation Project.

CA (Cotswold Archaeology). 2018. Land at London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Heritage Desk-Based Assessment. CA Report No. 18567.

CIfA, 2014. Standard and guidance for archaeological field evaluation. Chartered Institute for Archaeologists

Gurney, D. 2003. Standards for Field Archaeology in the East of England. East Anglian Archaeology Occasional Paper 14.

MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government). 2019. National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

13 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

Medlycott, M, (ed.). 2011. Research and Archaeology Revisited: A Revised Framework for the East of England. East Anglian Archaeology Occasional Paper 24.

Medlycott, M. 2011. The Roman Town of Great Chesterford. East Anglia Archaeology.

Medlycott, M. 2016. Great and Little Chesterford Neighbourhood Plan: Historic Environment Assessment. Chelmsford: Place Services.

Uttlesford District Council, 2017. Great Chesterford Conservation Area Appraisal

14 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench Context Type Fill Interpretation Description Length Width Depth/ No. of (m) (m) thickness (m) 1 100 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.2 1 101 Layer Subsoil Mid grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.26 1 102 Layer Natural Mid orange brown silt sand, >30 >1.8 - flint and gravel inclusions 2 200 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.18 2 201 Layer Subsoil Mid grey brown silt >30 >1.8 0.3 clay/occasional red tint 2 202 Layer Natural Mid orange brown silt sand >30 >1.8 - 3 300 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.22 3 301 Layer Subsoil Mid red grey silt clay >30 >1.8 0.2 3 302 Layer Natural Mid red brown silt sand, flint >30 >1.8 - inclusions 4 400 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.19 4 401 Layer Subsoil Mid red/grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.2 4 402 Layer Natural Mid orange brown silt sand >30 >1.8 - 5 500 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.13 5 501 Layer Subsoil Mid red brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.1 5 502 Layer Natural Mid orange brown silt clay >30 >1.8 - 6 600 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.2 6 601 Layer Subsoil Mid red grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.14 6 602 Layer Natural Mid orange brown silt sand >30 >1.8 - with flint inclusions 7 700 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.21 7 701 Layer Subsoil Mid red brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.2 7 702 Layer Natural Mid red brown silt sand >30 >1.8 - 8 800 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.2 8 801 Layer Subsoil Mid red brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.11 8 802 Layer Natural Mid red brown sandy silt >30 >1.8 - with flint inclusions 9 900 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.2 9 901 Layer Subsoil Mid red brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.11 9 902 Layer Natural Mid red brown silt sand >30 >1.8 - 10 1000 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt sand >30 >1.8 0.29 10 1001 Layer Natural Mid orange brown silt and, >30 >1.8 - moderate small stone inclusions 11 1100 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt sand >30 >1.8 0.29 11 1101 Layer Natural Mid orange brown silt clay >30 >1.8 - with moderate small stone inclusions 12 1200 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt sand >30 >1.8 0.27 12 1201 Layer Natural Mid orange brown silt sand >30 >1.8 - with moderate small stone inclusions 13 1300 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt sand >30 >1.8 0.37 13 1301 Layer Natural Mid orange brown silt clay >30 >1.8 - with occasional small stone inclusions 14 1400 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt sand >30 >1.8 0.33 14 1401 Layer Natural Mid orange brown silt sand >30 >1.8 - with occasional small stone inclusions 15 1500 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.18

15 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

15 1501 Layer Subsoil Mid red brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.18 15 1502 Layer Natural Mid red brown silt sand with >30 >1.8 - natural flint inclusions 16 1600 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 0.18 16 1601 Layer Subsoil Mid red grey brown silt clay >30 >1.8 - 16 1602 Layer Natural Mid red brown silt sand with >30 >1.8 - flint inclusions 17 1700 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown sandy silt >30 >1.8 0.27 17 1701 Layer Subsoil Mid yellow brown sandy silt >30 >1.8 0.05 17 1702 Layer Natural Mid brown orange silt sand >30 >1.8 - with flint inclusions 18 1800 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt sand >30 >1.8 0.21 18 1801 Layer Natural Mid red brown silt sand with >30 >1.8 - flint inclusions 19 1900 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt sand >30 >1.8 0.39 19 1901 Layer Natural Mid red brown silt sand with >30 >1.8 - flint inclusions 20 2000 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt sand >30 >1.8 0.14 20 2001 Layer Subsoil Mid yellow brown silt sand >30 >1.8 0.1 20 2002 Layer Natural Light red brown silt sand >30 >1.8 - with flint inclusions 21 2100 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt sand >30 >1.8 0.12 21 2101 Layer Subsoil Mid yellow brown silt sand >30 >1.8 0.11 21 2102 Layer Natural Mid red brown silt sand >30 >1.8 - 22 2200 Layer Topsoil Mid grey brown silt sand >30 >1.8 0.14 22 2201 Layer Subsoil Mid yellow brown silt sand >30 >1.8 0.11 22 2202 Layer Natural Mid red brown silt sand with >30 >1.8 - flint inclusions

16 Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological © Cotswold Archaeology Evaluation

APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM

PROJECT DETAILS Project name Land off London Road, Great Chesterford Short description In July 2020, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation at Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex. A total of twenty-two trenches, each measuring 30m long by 1.8m wide, were excavated across the 3.2ha development site.

The Site is located in the hinterland of the Roman town at Great Chesterford and archaeological interest in the development area derived largely from a record of the discovery of a group of Romano-British burials in the northeast part of the Site, in the 1960s, although the reference was potentially a duplicate, incorrectly located, record of burials found further to the northeast of the site, outside the development area.

No archaeological features or deposits were identified by the evaluation. In particular, no evidence for any burials, previously disturbed graves or any activities that may have led to the discovery of burials, such as mineral extraction, was noted in any of the trenches in that part of the site. Consequently, it is considered that the actual place of discovery of the Romano-British burials does indeed lie further northeast, outside the site boundary. Project dates 30 June – 3 July 2020 Project type Field Evaluation Previous work Trial Trenching 1992 Heritage Desk-Based Assessment CA 2018

Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site location Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex Study area (m2/ha) 3.2ha Site co-ordinates 550754 242257 PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology

Project Manager Adrian Scruby Project Supervisor James Coyne MONUMENT TYPE None SIGNIFICANT FINDS None PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of archive Content (museum/Accession no.) Recipient of each type of archive Physical Saffron Walden Museum Archive Paper Saffron Walden Museum Context sheets, trench recording sheets, photographic registers, survey sheets, report Digital Saffron Walden Museum/ADS Survey data, digital photographs, report BIBLIOGRAPHY Cotswold Archaeology 2020 Land off of London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex: Archaeological Evaluation CA typescript report SU0141_1

17 5 550000 5 552000 5 5 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

224400044000

224200042000

224000040000

Andover 01264 347630 NORFOLK N Cirencester 01285 771022 Cotswold Exeter 01392 573970 Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 CAMBRIDGESHIRE Suffolk 01449 900120 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected] NORTHAMPTONSHIRE SUFFOLK PROJECT TITLE Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, MILTON Site boundary KEYNES Essex

FIGURE TITLE LUTON BEDFORDSHIRE Site location plan DSHIRE ESSEX 0 1km HERTFOR DRAWN BY RW PROJECT NO. SU0141 FIGURE NO. © Crown copyright and database rights 2020 CHECKED BY DJB DATE 03/07/2020 Ordnance Survey 0100031673 APPROVED BY JC SCALE@A4 1:25,000 1 SLOUGH N 2 FIGURE NO. 01908 564660 cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk 01285 771022 @ 01264 347630 01449 900120 01392 573970 www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk SU0141 03/07/2020 1:1000 enquiries Andover Cirencester Exeter Milton Keynes Suffolk w e 1:1000 PROJECT NO. DATE SCALE@A3 Site boundary trench Evaluation in recorded activity Roman HER Essex RW DJB JC Cotswold Archaeology 0 50m © Crown copyright and database rights copyright 2020© Crown 0100031673 Ordnance Survey PROJECT TITLE London Road, Great Chesterford, Land off Essex FIGURE TITLE location plan Trench DRAWN BY DRAWN CHECKED BY APPROVED BY 1 2

T Track 0 2 T 9 1 T 5 2 1 T 2 T

3 8 3 1 555080050800 B

d a o R n o d n o LLondon Road B1383 8 1 6 1 T T 4 1 T 3 1 7 T 1 T 9 T 2 1 0 1 T T 8 T 1 7 1 h T T s i 0 t i 0 r s 3 2 B e - 7 v T o 1 a n r X a g graves E m M MEX17200 o R Romano-British 6 T 2 T 4 T 5 T

555065050650 1 T

n e re G h s AAsh Green 0 0 0 5 4 2 2 2 4 4 2 242400 2 242250 Trench 3, looking south-east (1m scales)

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Exeter 01392 573970 Cotswold Milton Keynes 01908 564660 Archaeology Suffolk 01449 900120 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex

FIGURE TITLE Trench 3: photograph

DRAWN BY RW PROJECT NO. SU0141 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 03/07/2020 APPROVED BY JC SCALE@A4 NA 3 Trench 13 representative section, looking north-east (1m scale)

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Exeter 01392 573970 Cotswold Milton Keynes 01908 564660 Archaeology Suffolk 01449 900120 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex

FIGURE TITLE Trench 13: photograph

DRAWN BY RW PROJECT NO. SU0141 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 03/07/2020 APPROVED BY JC SCALE@A4 NA 4 Trench 22, looking south-east (1m scales)

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Exeter 01392 573970 Cotswold Milton Keynes 01908 564660 Archaeology Suffolk 01449 900120 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Land off London Road, Great Chesterford, Essex

FIGURE TITLE Trench 22: photograph

DRAWN BY RW PROJECT NO. SU0141 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 03/07/2020 APPROVED BY JC SCALE@A4 NA 5

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