Representations on behalf of the Trembath Family & Barratt Strategic Land West of Great Dunmow

Appendix 2: Archaeological Desktop Assessment (provided by Cambridge University Archaeological Unit)

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Land West of Great Dunmow, Land West of Great Dunmow, Essex Essex An Archaeological Desk Based Assessment An Archaeological Desk Top Assessment

Grahame A. Appleby BA, MPhil, FRGS

Illustrations by V. Herring

Grahame Appleby © Cambridge Archaeological Unit University of Cambridge Department of Archaeology CAMBRIDGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL UNIT April 2009

Report No. 873

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SUMMARY CONTENTS SUMMARY...... ii This archaeological desktop assessment was requested by Bidwells to assess the likely impact of the development of a c. 98.8ha site (centred NGR TL 6090 2200) on any potential 1 INTRODUCTION ...... 1 archaeological remains. Evaluation of the archaeological, historical, aerial and cartographic evidence shows the proposed development area is located in an area of known 2 RELEVANT POLICY...... 2 prehistoric and Romano-British activity, areas of Medieval settlement, woodland, parkland PPG15...... 2 and close to former World War II installations. Currently, the proposed development area PPG 16...... 2 consists of agricultural land and landscaped parkland. Uttlesford District Council Local Plan ...... 3 Essex and Southend-on-Sea Structure Plan...... 4 3 BASELINE CONDITIONS ...... 6 Layout of Study Data ...... 6 Topography and Geology...... 6 Past and Current Land Use...... 6 THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT...... 6 Objectives...... 6 Sources ...... 7 Aerial Photography Survey ...... 7 Known and Potential Archaeology...... 7 Prehistoric (up to 43AD)...... 7 Romano-British (43 - c. 450 AD) ...... 7 Medieval (c. 450 – 1590 AD) ...... 8 Post-Medieval (1590 - Present)...... 8 Undated ...... 9 4 CARTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE...... 9

5 DISCUSSION...... 10

6 CONCLUSION ...... 12

7 REFERENCES ...... 14

8 ILLUSTRATIONS ...... 17

9 APPENDICES...... 20 Appendix 1 Study Area Site and Finds Gazetteer ...... 20 Appendix 2 Aerial Photographic Survey...... 24

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ii iii Representations on behalf of the Trembath Family & Barratt Strategic Land West of Great Dunmow

1 INTRODUCTION 2 RELEVANT POLICY

1.1 This archaeological desktop assessment was requested by Bidwells to assess the likely 2.1 Archaeology is covered by both local and national policy. Nationally the principal impact of the development of a c. 98.8ha site (centred NGR TL 6090 2200) on pieces of legislation are Planning Policy Guidance Notes 15 and 16 (PPG15, potential archaeological remains. Evaluation of the archaeological, historical and PPG16), respectively introduced in 1994 and 1991. These have been significant in cartographic evidence shows the proposed development area is located in an area of prompting and guiding the development of local policy. In Essex, the relevant policies known prehistoric and Romano-British activity, areas of Medieval settlement, are specified within the Uttlesford District Council Local Plan (adopted 2005) and woodland and close to former World War II installations. Currently, the proposed the Esssex and Southend-on-Sea Structure Plan (to 2011). The relevant sections of development area consists of agricultural land and landscaped parkland. these policies are reproduced below. 1.2 The objective of this assessment is to examine the probability of archaeological remains being encountered within the proposed development area and to set the PPG15 findings in the context of both the relevant legislation (national and local), as well as 2.2 Section 3.15 the broader archaeological context. Achieving a proper balance between the special interest of a listed building and proposals for alterations or extensions is demanding and should always be based on specialist expertise; but it is rarely impossible, if reasonable flexibility and imagination are shown by all parties involved. Thus, a better solution may be possible if a local planning authority is prepared to apply normal development control policies flexibly; or if an applicant is willing to exploit unorthodox spaces rather than set a standardized requirement; or if an architect can respect the structural limitations of a building and abandon conventional design solutions in favour of a more imaginative approach.

PPG 16 2.3 Section 6

Archaeological remains should be seen as a finite and non-renewable resource, in many cases highly fragile and vulnerable to damage and destruction. Appropriate management is therefore essential to ensure that they survive in good condition. In particular care must be taken to ensure that archaeological remains are not needlessly or thoughtlessly destroyed. They can contain irreplaceable information about our past and the potential for an increase in future knowledge. They are part of our national identity and are valuable for their own sake and for their role in education, leisure and tourism.

2.4 Section 30

No development shall take place within [areas of archaeological interest] until the applicant has secured the implementation of a programme of archaeological work in accordance with a written scheme of investigation which has been submitted by the applicant and approved by the local authority.

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Uttlesford District Council Local Plan Essex and Southend-on-Sea Structure Plan 2.5 Section 5.7. 2.11 Historic Landscape Features

Within Uttlesford District, approximately 3000 sites of archaeological Policy NR5 Historic Landscape Features interest are recorded on the Heritage Conservation Record (EHCR) maintained by Essex County Council. These sites are not shown on the Development will not be permitted which would have a materially proposals map and inquiries should be made to the County adverse impact upon the historic and archaeological importance, Archaeologist. Scheduled Ancient Monuments of which there are 73 in existing landscape character, and physical appearance of Ancient the District (December 2001) are shown on the proposals map. The Landscapes, Ancient Woodlands, Registered Parks and Gardens, EHCR records represent only a fraction of the total. Many important Registered Battlefields and Protected Lanes. Conservation, sites remain undiscovered and unrecorded. Archaeological sites are a enhancement and management measures will be encouraged and finite and non-renewable resource. As a result it is important to ensure implemented within these defined areas so as to retain and promote that they are not needlessly or thoughtlessly destroyed. their historic and landscape interest. Any proposals which would give rise to a material increase in the amount of traffic using Protected Lanes 2.6 Section 5.8. will not be permitted. The desirability of preserving an ancient monument and its setting is a 2.12 Heritage Conservation material consideration in determining planning applications whether the monument is scheduled or unscheduled. There is a presumption in Policy HC1 Historic Settlements favour of the preservation of nationally important sites and their settings. The need for development affecting archaeological remains of The amount, location, rate and density of development will be strictly lesser importance will be weighed against the relative importance of the controlled in all historic settlements so as to protect, safeguard and archaeology. enhance their special character and environmental quality. The following characteristics of historic settlements, to be defined in 2.9 Policy EN4 Ancient Monuments and Sites of Archaeological Importance adopted local plans, will be rigorously protected from inappropriate development and unsympathetic change: - Where nationally important archaeological remains, whether scheduled or not, and their settings, are affected by proposed development there 1. Landscape setting within surrounding open countryside; will be a presumption in favour of their physical preservation in situ. 2. Gateway approaches; The preservation in situ of locally important archaeological remains 3. Public open spaces and corridors; will be sought unless the need for the development outweighs the 4. Special townscape character; and importance of the archaeology. In situations where there are grounds 5. Historic and architectural character and archaeological remains. for believing that sites, monuments or their settings would be affected developers will be required to arrange for an archaeological field 2.13 Protection of Archaeological sites assessment to be carried out before the planning application can be determined thus enabling an informed and reasonable planning decision Policy HC5 Protection of Archaeological Sites to be made. In circumstances where preservation is not possible or feasible, then development will not be permitted until satisfactory Development which would damage or destroy a Scheduled Ancient provision has been made for a programme of archaeological Monument or other nationally important archaeological site, its investigation and recording prior to commencement of the character or its setting, will not be permitted. Other archaeological development. areas and sites, together with their settings, will be protected, conserved and enhanced wherever possible. 2.10 Policy ENV9 – Historic Landscapes HC5 Target - No SAM, or other nationally important archaeological Development proposals likely to harm significant local historic site, to be damaged or destroyed. landscapes, historic parks and gardens and protected lanes as defined on the proposals map will not be permitted unless the need for the 2.14 Archaeological Assessment development outweighs the historic significance of the site. Policy HC6 Archaeological Assessment

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Development proposals which would materially affect a site of 3 BASELINE CONDITIONS archaeological importance will be considered against the following requirements:- 3.1 The proposed development area (PDA), measuring c. 98.8ha, is located to the north of the B1256, a former Roman road and known since the Medieval period as Stane Street 1. Where nationally important archaeological sites and monuments, (linking Colchester to Braughing). The landscape is characterised by agricultural land, whether scheduled or not, and their settings, are affected by a proposed woodland and, to the east, new housing (Woodlands Park), a supermarket and the development they should be preserved in situ. historic centre of Great Dunmow. To the west is located the A120 dual-carriageway and to the south, the Flitch Way, utilising the route of a former railway. 2. Where there are grounds for believing that a proposed development would affect important archaeological sites and monuments, developers Layout of Study Data will be required to arrange for an archaeological field evaluation to be carried out before the planning application can be determined, to 3.2 This report examines a study area extending outwards for 0.5km from the centre of the assess the character and extent of the archaeological remains, and to proposed development area. Gazetteer points are shown on Figure 1 and are listed in allow an informed and reasonable planning decision to be made. Appendix 1. Gazetteer numbers are referenced in the text in bold e.g. (1).

3. In circumstances where preservation is not possible or merited, then Topography and Geology development will not be permitted until the developer has ensured that satisfactory provision has been made for a programme of archaeological 3.3 The underlying geology is London Clay, overlain by Till, and localised areas of investigations and recording prior to the commencement of the alluvium and valley gravels. The topography of the study area is characterised by development, commensurate with the archaeological significance of the gently undulating land with small valleys, flat plateaus and small tributary streams site. bisecting the study area. The PDA is located on one of these plateaus and slopes from west to east from approximately 98m OD to 94m OD.

Past and Current Land Use

3.4 Past and current land use is characterised by earlier roads and tracks (including Stane Street), Medieval field boundaries, Medieval settlement, present day agriculture, the urban expansion of Great Dunmow, the construction of the A120 trunk road and the former rail link between Braintree and Bishop’s Stortford; opened 1869, closed 1969 (passenger services ceased in 1952), now the Flitch Way. The site is bounded to the south by the B1256, to the north by a stream and the former RAF Great Dunmow (originally part of Easton Park), to the east by agricultural land, and to the west by the A120 and agricultural land. The western third of the PDA consists of landscaped parkland with a processional drive, The Avenue, with the original entrance to Easton Park and gatehouse located beside the B1256. Easton Park was developed as formal parkland following the grant of Estaines Manor to Henry Maynard in 1590 and replaced an earlier Medieval deer park. In 1943, the greater part of the parkland was requisitioned for the construction of an airfield (RAF Great Dunmow), resulting in the loss of many of the park’s trees; only the runways, perimeter road and former bomb and ammunition storage area tracks survive.

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

Objectives

3.5 The study aims to collate and assess existing information relating to the archaeology and history of the area within and immediately surrounding the development area. This will be used to assess both areas of archaeological potential and determine the likely survival of such remains. This data will then be used to assess the probability of

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archaeology being encountered along the route of the power cable. major settlement site, the farmstead and associated cemetery (with accompanying grave-goods of pottery and metalwork) at Strood Hall (15a); fieldwalking ahead of Sources construction of the A120 dual-carriageway resulted in the recovery of pottery and tile from a distinct scatter measuring 100m by 60m, with a Colchester type flagon 3.6 Principal sources consulted for this study were: recovered from nearby (16).

x Essex Historic and Environment Record (HER) th x Essex County Records Office (ECRO) 3.10 Within the study area a coin hoard was discovered during the 18 century on the Maynard Estate (1b), with further metalwork finds (possibly coins) found c. 200m east x Historic map sequence of the PDA (9a), although no occupation evidence was found during construction of a x OS 1805 Old Series map retail store at this site. Nearby, at Buildings Farm, evidence of a Romano-British x OS 1885 First Edition, OS 1:2500, 1:10000, 1:10,560, 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 st fieldsystem and settlement was identified during fieldwork (10), dating from the 1 to series to present day th 4 centuries AD, with a large quantity of metalwork, pottery recovered. No evidence for buildings was found during the excavation, although two possible circular Aerial Photography Survey structures were uncovered; approximately 0.5km to the south, a second fieldsystem was identified on aerial photographs of the area. 3.7 An examination of the aerial photographic record was undertaken by Roger Palmer to examine an area bisected by the proposed route (the full report is presented in Medieval (c. 450 – 1590 AD) Appendix 2). DETAILED REPORT TO FOLLOW 3.11 Medieval activity (with the exception of the known early histories of Little Cranfield, Little Easton and Great Dunmow – see Powell 1963) is relatively limited within the Known and Potential Archaeology study area and confined to pottery scatters (4b, 9b, 27a), artefacts recovered during metal-detecting (24b), finds dating from the period, including a ditch, found during Prehistoric (up to 43AD) fieldwalking ahead of construction of the A120 dual-carriageway (27a, 29), a Saxon coin found near Folly Farm (14g) and two earthwork features (25, 34a). The former of 3.8 Aerial photographic surveys, fieldwalking, excavation and surface finds reveal the these two features is of uncertain date, with a prehistoric origin suggested with later presence of prehistoric sites and features throughout the study area, and within the Medieval re-use of the site; however, the site is recorded as the location of a windmill PDA. The earlier prehistoric period is represented by a number of flints scatters (4a, 8, and this, combined with the small quantity of Medieval pottery and tile recovered 11), a Neolithic chisel (1b), potential Mesolithic material (8), and prehistoric pottery during excavation of the mound, suggests a Medieval or later origin for the mound. At (8), including Post-Deverel-Rimbury pottery sherds at Strood Hall (15a). In addition, Minchins Farm a possible moated homestead (first recorded in 1509) has been Neolithic flints from a pit and fragments of copper alloy were recovered from Strood identified, although this attribution has not been positively confirmed or rejected. Hall. Iron Age activity is seen within the study area and wider environs and includes a Situated to the west of the PDA is the possible site of a deserted Medieval village, quarry pit west of Strood Hall (15a) and Middle and Late Iron Age settlement related Little Cranfield (inferred from a series of linear cropmarks observed on aerial features at Highwood Farm (27c); located c. 400m south of the PDA, evidence at photographs), and the formerly moated house and associated ponds and dovecote at Highwood Farm dating to this period includes pits, four-post built structures and a Little Cranfield Hall (13); the former manor boundary of Little Cranfield Hall remains small rectangular enclosure. A glass bead, two weaving combs and a clay loomweight visible in the modern fieldsystem, with the present house dating from the 16th century. were recovered also recovered. Earlier excavation east of the PDA in 1993 resulted in Listed buildings within the study area dating from the period include Stone Hall (6b, the discovery of Middle Iron Age activity (10), with at least two roundhouses 6c), timber-framed barns at Folly Farm and north of Minchens Farm (14d, 33), and identified. Metal-detecting at Folly Farm (24c) resulted in the recovery of several Iron Highwood Farm farmhouse (19). Age coins, including two silver coins and two blank gold staters, with aerial photographs of the area revealing numerous linear and possible structural features Post-Medieval (1590 - Present) dating to the period. 3.12 Post-Medieval features and archaeology within the study area comprise a number of Romano-British (43 - c. 450 AD) historic buildings (several listed: 5, 6a, 14a-14e, 18-23, 26a-26b, 32, 34b), pottery and tile scatters (7, 30), post-Medieval finds (7, 24b, 27b) and linear cropmark features (13, 48). Located south of the PDA is located the former Braintree to Bishop’s 3.9 Evidence of Roman activity within the study area is attested by the major route of the Stortford railway (36). Opened to passengers in 1869, this was closed to passengers in former Roman road, known since the early Medieval period as Stane Street (35) 1952, and eventually to freight in 1969; the former route is now a footpath, with only (Margary 1964, 1973), that bisects the study area in an east – west direction, with concrete posts remaining. Located to the northwest of the PDA is the site of the further sections of Roman road identified to the northeast and south of Great former RAF Great Dunmow, operational between 1943 and 1948 and used to store Dunmow. Situated close to these roads are a number of sites, including at least one

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approximately 34,000 military surplus vehicles until the 1950s; situated within 0.5km century to the present day, notably the construction of the A120 dual-carriageway to of the northern boundary of the PDA is the former bomb and ammunition storage area. the west of the PDA. The OS and Easton Park estate map sequence further elucidates minor field boundary changes within the PDA and changes in land use adjacent to the Undated site, for example the construction of former RAF Great Dunmow (opened 1943, closed 1958), and the former railway linking Braintree to Bishop’s Stortford (1868- 3.13 Several features found within the study area include areas of unclassified cropmarks 1969), now the Flitch Way. High Wood, comprising roughly the western third of the (2) and field boundaries (12, 14f, 17, 24a, 28) identified from aerial photographs, PDA, was the entrance to Easton Park, and represents the largest remaining vestige of several of which appear on earlier editions of Ordnance Survey maps of the area. the former parkland that was not affected by airfield construction. High Wood has been represented on estate maps and the entire historic OS map sequence to the 4 CARTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE present day.

4.1 The cartographic evidence for the study area is extensive and dates from the 17th 5 DISCUSSION century. Morden’s reproduced map of 1722 includes the road network of Essex, with Stane Street more accurately surveyed than on the 1765 edition. Several subsequent 5.1 Putative prehistoric cropmarks and Mesolithic to Bronze Age features, flint scatters maps of the study area by other cartographers are similarly more accurate due to and artefacts are recorded within the study area, utilising the series of small spring-fed improved surveying techniques, but remain insufficiently detailed to provide specific rivers and river Chelmer (part of the wider Chelmer Catchment area). Although the data regarding the PDA; however, the 1805 Ordnance Survey 1” map sheet records Neolithic chisel recovered from Little Easton is included within this assessment, the the topography of the PDA, showing this to be a relatively flat plateau bordered to the lack of precision of where it was found reflects the nature of how the historic record south by Stane Street and to the north and west by parkland. It is interesting to note was created rather than the actual distribution of such objects. Significantly, Neolithic that the section of Kitchen’s ‘most accurate map of the roads of England and Wales’ flints and Bronze Age pottery have been recovered from archaeological features depicting Essex, dated 1764, is remarkably inaccurate, omitting Stane Street during excavations at Strood Hall and Highwood Farm, and to the east in Dunmow, altogether. and attest to settlement related activity dating to these periods immediately adjacent to the PDA. Date Description 1610 J. Speed’s map of Essex 5.2 The general paucity of archaeological features within study area that pre-date the later 1648 W. Bleau’s map of Essex Iron Age/Romano-British periods creates several challenges for assessing the 1664 J. Bleau’s map of Essex 1695 & 1722 R. Morden’s map of Essex likelihood of encountering archaeology of the earlier prehistoric period within the 1744 I. Cowley’s map of Essex PDA. This challenge is particularly relevant when considering the potential for 1745 Chapman & Andre’s map of Essex 1746 S. Simpson’s map of Essex uncovering discrete archaeological features and artefact, such as those discovered at 1748-50 T. Osborn’s map of Essex Strood Hall and Highwood Farm, including an Iron Age quarry pit at the former. 1749 Estate map of Lewis Way, Esq. (D/DU 234/82) Nonetheless, excavation and fieldwork within the wider Essex environs during the 1764 T. Kitchen’s map of Essex 1794 J. Carey’s map of Essex construction of Stansted Airport (Havis & Brooks 2004) and the A120 dual- 1805 OS Old Series Edition carriageway (Timby et al. 2007) provide evidence of human activity dating from the 1811 Easton Lodge estate map (ECRO D/DMg P2) 1831 R. Creighton’s map of Essex Mesolithic to the Late Iron Age, albeit of a probable transient or seasonal nature prior 1833 S. Hall’s map of Essex to the Late Bronze Age. Animal husbandry is suggested as the predominant economic 1836 W. Schmollinger’s map of Essex 1842 Little Cranfield tithe apportionment map (ECRO D/CT 68B) and agricultural activity on the clay geology of the area until the Middle and Late Iron 1876-1920 OS 1:2500 scale First Edition and revisions Age, when evidence for the cultivation of cereals is more evident and indicates that 1881-1951 OS 1:10560 scale First Edition and revisions woodland had been cleared for some time, with ‘short dry grassland the dominant 1955-1960 OS 1:10560 scale First Imperial Edition 1953 & 1970 OS 1:2500 scale National Grid First Edition habitat’ (Carruthers 2007: 187-189). It is thus probable that a similar environmental 1971 & 1982 OS 1:10000 scale 1st Metric Edition sequence exists within and adjacent to the PDA; at Highwood Farm (Timby et al. Braintree & Saffron Walden, Halstead & Great Dunmow. 2006 1:25000 scale Explorer Sheet 195 2007; Site 11), immediately south of the proposed development area, a large number of cattle bones and charred cereal grains were recovered from enclosure ditches Table 4.1 Cartographic evidence examined during this study attributed to the later Iron Age and Roman periods. 4.2 Estate and tithe maps provide the first extensive detailed surveys of the study area and 5.3 Evidence for substantial Iron Age and Romano-British settlements and a farmstead, enable settlement development and modifications to boundaries to be traced from the including a cemeteries (some remains left may have been left in situ at Strood Hall as 18th century to the present day, providing evidence of former estate and extant field- they were on the edge of the open-area of excavation – D. Webb pers.comm) has been boundaries. The development and expansion of Great Dunmow is attested on the OS found at Buildings Farm (to the east of the PDA), Highwoods Farm and Strood Hall map sequence and includes the construction of rail and road links from the mid 19th (Wickenden 1988; Atkinson & Lavender 1992; Timby et al. 2007 – see fig. 3 for the

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sites at Highwood Farm and Strood Hall). These sites are located to the west of the plague (Ashton 1985: 53; Beresford 1954); it is possible the creation of a deer park known Roman small town at Great Dunmow, itself situated at a nodule point of (the forerunner of Easton Lodge Park and estate) may account for the contraction of Roman, possibly earlier, roads and tracks (Going 1988; Figure. 61). The recovery of Little Cranfield resulting in the isolation of the parish church. silver and blank gold coins dating from the Late Iron Age from Folly Farm attest to relatively high status settlement in the area and a number of Iron Age burials have 5.6 The manorial history of the area and Dunmow Hundred is covered in detail elsewhere been discovered around Great Dunmow (Powell 1963). This evidence suggest that the (see Powell 1963) and is thus not repeated here. Nonetheless, manor houses and study area was densely populated in the Late Iron Age and a potential ‘centre’ in the moated sites, in addition to the listed buildings included in this assessmet, form pre-conquest period and possibly accounts for the establishment of the later Roman components of the archaeological and historical landscape with a manor and moated settlement. sites noted in the Historic Environment Record; Little Cranfield Hall and Minchins Farm. Moated sites are a later Medieval phenomenon, with several hundred recorded 5.4 Substantial quantities of Roman pottery, coins, metalwork and building material has in eastern England. The function and purpose of these sites is unclear, with defence, been recovered from within and around Great Dunmow (Wickenden 1988), including display of wealth and/or as a means to keep out vermin and animals all suggested as the coin hoard from Little Easton (Kettle & Sorrell 1779), with several cemeteries also possible reasons for their construction. In East Anglia the high density of these sites discovered within its immediate environs. Stane Street (the current B1256), one of the may reflect a ‘woodland’ village settlement pattern, or possible ‘multi-manor villages, principle routes of the early Roman province dating from the mid 1st century AD, and possessing two or more capital messuages, or indeed the even more fragmented two further Roman roads (the A130 and a route traceable to Radwinter: Margary 1973; tenurial situations found in East Anglia’ (Le Patourel & Roberts 1978: 50). There thus The Viatores 1964) would have provided important landscape boundaries, affording exists the possibility of further moats existing within the study area and are unlikely to convenient baselines from which to align field and property. An extensive system of be encountered within the PDA itself, although this cannot be entirely excluded. field boundaires oriented upon Stane Street, extending from East Essex towards Braughing, has been identified, possibly pre-dating the Roman period, and surviving 5.7 Examination of the historic and cartographic sources (estate, tithe and historic OS map into the Medieval period (numerous parish boundaries are aligned to the road and sequence) confirm that the boundaries of the PDA have remained relatively unaltered th attest to its pre- Anglo-Saxon origin). Similarly, the local topgraphy and riverine from the late 16 century to the present day, with minor alterations to the internal field system would have provided suitable locations for semi- or nucleated settlements boundaries in the eastern third of the proposed development area. Significantly, High dating from the Late Iron Age and persisting into the Romano-British period (see Wood appears on early estate maps and all subsequent OS maps of the area, reflecting Taylor 2007). The Late Iron Age and Roman settlement and farmsteads at Buildings the historic nature of this part of the PDA; the Gathehouse to Easton Lodge stands Farm, Highwood Farm and Strood Hall reflect the density of archaeology dating from beside the junction of the A120 / B1256 at the start of The Avenue. It is possible that these periods that are possibly oriented to the road. It is of note that Wickenden’s archaeological features relating to the removal of earlier buildings, agricultural roadside excavations between 1970 and 1972 in Dunmow beside Stane Street practices and extinct field boundaries may thus be encountered close to the southern identified a shrine and possible property back-plots aligned to the road, with a similar boundary of the PDA, with further archaeology within High Wood masked by th cremation cemetery to that found at Strood Hall also uncovered (Wickenden 1988: 12- landscaping and planting that has occurred from the 17 century onwards. The wider 23). A similar settlement pattern to the study area environs is seen in northwest Essex post-Medieval landscape of the study area has undergone little alteration with the and southern Cambridgeshire, with settlement foci distributed at 0.5km to 1.4km notable exception of the urban expansion of Dunmow, the construction of the intervals (Williamson 1984; Evans et al. 2008). It is possible that several of the Braintree to Bishop’s Stortford branch line (construction began in 1864), the unidentified linear and cropmark features within the study area date to these periods destruction of the larger part of Easton Park during airfield construction, and the more and there exists a high probability of encountering similar occupation evidence within recent construction of the A120 dual-carriageway. With the notable exception of the PDA. boundary works relating to the B1256, these developments have had little, if any, direct impact upon the PDA. 5.5 During the Medieval and post-Medieval periods, the study area and PDA is dominated by Great Dunmow, Little Easton and Little Cranfield; Middle Saxon pottery dating th from the 7 century has been found within Dunmow (Wickenden 1988: 45), with 6 CONCLUSION scatters of Medieval pottery found throughout the study area. The possible presence of a deserted Medieval village at Little Cranfield and the creation of the Easton Park in 6.1 The proposed development area is situated within a landscape possessing a rich the late 16th century, replacing an earlier deer park, may result in the discovery of historical environment with evidence of activity from the prehistoric period to the further artefact scatters and settlement related features of the early to later Medieval present date. The known historical land use would indicate a medium to high period in the western part of the PDA, notably within High Wood. It is also clear from probability of surviving archaeology and artefacts associated with the former Iron Age the documentary and cartographic sources that there was a contraction in settlement to Roman settlements and cemeteries, associated agricultural activities and later density from the later Medieval period in England and was traditionally attributed to landscaping from the later Medieval period onwards. The potential for discovering the effects of outbreaks of the plague. Post-war research, however, has highlighted the archaeology pre-dating the Iron Age period is, however, much lower, although this impact of settlement clearance for stock-raising and enclosure and the impact of cannot be excluded. economic changes due to population decreases following severe outbreaks of the

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Acknowledgments 7 REFERENCES

Thanks are due to the staff at Essex County Records Office. Illustrations are by Vicky Herring. Ashton, M. 1985. Interpreting the Landscape. Landscape archaeology and local history. Robin Standring was the Project Manager. London: Routledge Atkinson, M. & N. Lavender, N.J. 1992. Excavation Buildings Farm, Great Dunmow, Essex. Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit Report Bagshawe, R.W. 1979. Roman Roads. Ayelsbury: Shire Publications: pls. 3, 5, 39 Beresford, M. 1954. The Lost Villages of Medieval England. In The Geographical Journal 117: 129-147 Carruthers, W. 2007. Environmental overview. In J. Timby, R. Brown., E. Biddulph, A. Hardy. & A. Powell, A Slice of Rural Essex. Archaeological Discoveries from the A120 between Stansted Airport and Braintree. Oxford: Oxford Wessex Archaeology: 187-193 Cooper, A. & Edmonds, M. 2008. Past and Present: Excavations at Broom, Bedfordshire 1996-2005. Cambridge: Cambridge Archaeological Unit

13 Copley, G.J. 1958. An archaeology of south-east England; a study in continuity. London: Phoenix House: 232 Eddy, M.R. 1981. Excavations in Essex, 1980. Essex Archaeology & History 13: 48-62 French, C. 2003. Geoarchaeology in Action: Studies in soil micromorphology and landscape evolution. London: Routledge Germany, M. 1993. Archaeology in Essex, 1993. Essex Archaeology & History 24 Germany, M. 1994. Archaeology in Essex, 1992. Essex Archaeology & History 25 Going, C. 1988. An Archaeological Gazetteer of Great Dunmow. In N.P. Wickenden, Wickenden, N.P. 1988. Excavations at Great Dunmow, Essex. East Anglian Archaeology Report 41. Chelmsford: Archaeology Section, Essex County Council Planning Department: 85 Havis, R. 1993. Buildings Farm Watching Brief. Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit Report Havis, R. 1994. Country Parks Archaeological Survey, The Flitch Way. Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit Report Havis, R. 2004. Archaeological monitoring at St Mary’s Primary School, High Stile, Great Dunmow. Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit Havis, R. & H. Brooks. 2004. Excavations at Stansted Airport, 1986-91, 1, Prehistoric and Romano-British. East Anglian Archaeology Reports 107. Chelmsford: Essex County Council: Heritage Conservation Havis, R. & N. Pratt. 2002. Flitch Way: an Archaeological Assessment of the The Bishop's Stortford, Dumow and Braintree Branch Railway. Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit Report Heppell, E. 2000. Proposed Gravel Extraction Site: Little Easton Airfield, Little Easton, Essex. Archaeological Desk-based Assessment. Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit Report No. 630

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