Assessment Report
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WA Heritage FINGRINGHOE AND MIDDLEWICK RANGES AND FRIDAY WOOD DTA COLCHESTER TRAINING AREA DTE EAST, ESSEX Archaeological Desk- based Assessment and Monument Condition Survey Prepared for Landmarc Support Services Ltd HQ DTE East West Tofts Camp Thetford Norfolk IP26 5EP by WA Heritage Wessex Archaeology Portway House Old Sarum Park SALISBURY Wiltshire SP4 6EB Report reference: 68560.01 March 2008 © Wessex Archaeology Limited 2008 all rights reserved Wessex Archaeology Limited is a Registered Charity No. 287786 Colchester Training Area DTE East, Desk Based Assessment FINGRINGHOE AND MIDDLEWICK RANGES AND FRIDAY WOOD DTA COLCHESTER TRAINING AREA DTE EAST, ESSEX Archaeological Desk-based Assessment Contents List of Figures……………………………………………………………………………….…ii Summary……………………………………………………………………………………….iii Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………….iv 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................1 1.1 Project background .....................................................................................1 1.2 Aims and Objectives....................................................................................1 1.3 Landscape, Geology and Topography ........................................................2 2 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................3 2.1 Desk-Based Assessment ............................................................................3 2.2 Survey Equipment for the Condition Survey................................................4 2.3 Field Methods for Condition Survey ............................................................5 2.4 Output for Condition Survey ........................................................................6 3 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ...............................6 3.1 Introduction..................................................................................................6 3.2 Designations................................................................................................7 3.3 Mesolithic (8500 to 4000BC) ......................................................................8 3.4 Neolithic (4000 to 2400BC) .........................................................................8 3.5 Bronze Age (2400BC to 700BC) .................................................................8 3.6 Iron Age (700BC to AD43) ..........................................................................9 3.7 Romano-British (AD 43-410) .....................................................................10 3.8 Saxon (AD 410-1066)................................................................................11 3.9 Medieval (AD1066 – 1499)........................................................................12 3.10 Post-Medieval AD (1500-1799) .................................................................13 3.11 Modern (AD 1800 – present)....................................................................14 3.12 Unknown date ...........................................................................................17 3.13 Archaeological impacts .............................................................................17 3.14 Conclusions...............................................................................................18 4 CONDITION SURVEY.......................................................................................20 4.1 Introduction................................................................................................20 4.2 Assessment of condition ...........................................................................20 4.3 Stability of monuments ..............................................................................21 4.4 Threats to monuments ..............................................................................22 4.5 Summary and recommendations...............................................................23 5 ARCHIVE...........................................................................................................23 6 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................24 Appendix 1- Gazetteer of recorded Cultural Heritage Resource......................26 Appendix 2 – Fingringhoe ................................................................................37 Appendix 3- Friday Wood.................................................................................39 Appendix 4 - Middlewick...................................................................................43 Appendix 5- Condition Survey results by WA number......................................46 i Colchester Training Area DTE East, Desk Based Assessment List of Figures Figure 1 Site Location Figure 2 Cultural Heritage resource within Fingringhoe Range Figure 3 Cultural Heritage resource within Friday Wood DTA Figure 4 Cultural Heritage resource within Middlewick Range Figure 5 Chapman and Andre 1777 map of Fingringhoe Figure 6 Chapman and Andre 1777 map of Friday Wood Figure 7 Chapman and Andre 1777 map of Middlewick Figure 8 East Donyland Tithe Map 1839 Figure 9 Fingringhoe Tithe Map Figure 10 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6” 1881 map of Fingringhoe Figure 11 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6” 1881 map of Friday Wood Figure 12 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6” 1881 map of Middlewick Plate 1: Pillbox WA 63 and sea wall, Fingringhoe Ranges, view north-west Plate 2: Berechurch Dyke, WA 12, Friday Wood Training Area, view north Plate 3: Redhill, WA 29, Fingringhoe ranges showing briquetage and animal burrowin, view north Plate 4: The Fort, Civil War redoubt, WA 55, Middlewick Ranges, showing cycle and footpath erosion, view north Plate 5: Military bunker, Rock Farm, Friday wood training Area, WA 203, view south Plate 6: Holdfast fittings for gun emplacement, part of WW2 anti-aircraft battery WA 69, Friday Wood Training Area, view south ii Colchester Training Area DTE East, Desk Based Assessment FINGRINGHOE AND MIDDLEWICK RANGES AND FRIDAY WOOD DTA COLCHESTER TRAINING AREA DTE EAST, ESSEX Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Summary WA Heritage, a specialist section of Wessex Archaeology, was commissioned by Landmarc Support Services on behalf of Defence Estates to undertake an archaeological desk-based assessment (DBA) and monument condition survey of Fingringhoe and Middlewick Ranges and Friday Wood Dry Training Area (DTA)- hereafter refered to as ‘the Site’. The Site, centred on NGR 601458, 219090 and covers a total area of approximately 1,521 hectares. The project has been undertaken in accordance with the Project Brief (Defence Estates 2008) and Written Scheme of Investigation (Wessex Archaeology 2008). Fieldwork was undertaken between the 18th and 22nd February 2008. This report has provided a baseline survey for which future assessments of condition can be undertaken. It will contribute to the management of the estate and raises the need for users and/or contractors to be made aware of the rich archaeological resource which survives within the three DTE areas. The DBA records 82 known archaeological sites (either monuments, findspots or buildings) with the Site. As part of the condition survey, eight further monuments or built structures were observed. As part of the assessment an additional 25 known archaeological remains that are located in close proximity to the Site are considered as part of the desk-based assessment but not recorded as part of the condition survey, making the total number of archaeological sites recorded as 115. The archaeological remains range in date from the early prehistoric (Mesolithic) through to the modern military remains associated with the defence of Britain during the Second World War. The topography of the landscape has influenced the type and form of archaeological remains that have been discovered within the Site. The Fingringhoe range is dominated by Roman salt workings, known as red hills, within the low-lying salt marsh areas and WWII pillboxes ring the coastal edge. Friday Wood contains the important Iron Age Scheduled Monument of Berechurch Dyke which formed the eastern edge of the important Iron Age oppidum. Numerous cropmarks which probably relate to late prehistoric settlement activity is recorded across the Friday Wood and Middlewick area. Traces of First World War practice trenches are also recorded from aerial photographs in the eastern section of Friday Wood. The survey recorded the condition, stability and vulnerability of 66 monuments within the Site. The vast majority were assessed as being either in Good or Fair Condition. In addition these monuments were considered to be Stable with a few assessed as being of Gradual Decline. A cluster of monuments within Fingringhoe Range accounts for monuments in Poor condition. This condition is due to the extensive animal (rabbit) burrowing especially within the Roman red hills on the low-lying reclaimed marshland. For a couple of monuments this impact is considered to be of high vulnerability and some form of management is recommended. It is also recommended that the extent of erosion caused by human influences is monitored especially on the redoubt in Middlewick Range. iii Colchester Training Area DTE East, Desk Based Assessment FINGRINGHOE AND MIDDLEWICK RANGES AND FRIDAY WOOD DTA COLCHESTER TRAINING AREA DTE EAST, ESSEX Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Acknowledgements WA Heritage is grateful to Landmarc Support Services Ltd on behalf of Defence Estates for commissioning