FYFIELD BUSINESS PARK FYFIELD ROAD FYFIELD, ESSEX ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION BY TRIAL TRENCHING ASE Project No: 160563 Site Code: ONFB16 ASE Report No: 2016365 October 2016 Archaeological Evaluation Fyfield Business Park Chipping Ongar Essex NGR: TL 55734 05014 Planning Ref: EPF/3006/14 ASE Project No: 160563 Event Code: ONFB16 ASE Report No: 2016365 OASIS id: 261524 Mark Germany With contributions by Gemma Ayton, Luke Barber, Isa Benedetti Whitton, Trista Clifford, Karine Le Hégerat, Mariangela Vitolo and Helen Walker Illustrations by Andrew Lewsey Prepared by: Mark Germany Archaeologist Reviewed and Andy Margetts Project approved by: Manager Date of Issue: October 2016 Revision: Archaeology South-East 27 Eastways Witham Essex CM8 3YQ Tel: 01376 331470 Email: [email protected] www.ucl.ac.uk/archaologyse Archaeology South-East Fyfield Business Park, Chipping Ongar ASE Report No. 2016365 Abstract This report presents the results of an archaeological evaluation carried out by Archaeology South-East in advance of redevelopment of Fyfield Business Park, Chipping Ongar, Essex. The evaluation was conducted in relation to a planning condition. It was commissioned by Bovis Homes and it was carried out from 5/9/16 to 19/9/16. The evaluation consisted of twenty-one trenches deployed across the accessible areas of the c.4.6ha site. Archaeological remains were encountered only in trenches 7 and 8. These trenches lay close to the site entranceway on Fyfield Road, and uncovered remains relating to a farm mapped in 1862. Features dating to the 19th century were encountered alongside features incorporating medieval and early post-medieval period material. The recorded remains included four ditches, four pits and numerous artefacts, most of which consisted of pieces of ceramic building material and 14th to 16th century pottery. Some of the pits may in fact have been large post-holes; however, these are currently undated. Other findings included the recovery of seven pieces of Mesolithic/Early Neolithic struck flint and a single sherd of 11th to 13th century pottery, all of which were discovered as residual items in later features. It is suggested that the flints relate to hunter-gatherer activity encouraged by the proximity of the Cripsey Brook and River Roding. The 11th to 13th century sherd may have related to settlement within Shelley in general during the earlier part of the medieval period. The remains of the post-medieval farm site have some limited potential to contribute to a number of research objectives, as identified in Brown and Glazebrook (2000), including 'the development of the farmstead 1750-1914', and 'the origins and development of field systems; their change and continuity'. © Archaeology South-East UCL i Archaeology South-East Fyfield Business Park, Chipping Ongar ASE Report No. 2016365 CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Archaeological Background 3.0 Archaeological Methodology 4.0 Results 5.0 Finds 6.0 Environmental Samples 7.0 Discussion and Conclusions Bibliography Acknowledgements HER Summary OASIS Form Appendices FIGURES Front Cover Image: Trench 7, looking west Figure 1: Site location Figure 2: Trench locations and service constraints Figure 3: Trenches 7 and 8 Figure 4: Sections 1 to 4 Figure 5: Evaluation trenches with a map extract from the 1862 sale catalogue of the Forest Hall Estate TABLES Table 1: Quantification of the site archive Table 2: Trench 7, list of recorded contexts Table 3: Trench 8, list of recorded contexts Table 4: Finds quantification Table 5: The pottery by ware, sherd count and weight, shown in approximate chronological order Table 6: Ceramic building material fabric descriptions Table 7: Animal bone NISP (Number of Identifiable Specimens) Table 8: Site phasing Table 9: Archaeologically negative trenches: list of recorded contexts Table 10: Environmental sample residue quantification Table 11: Environmental sample flot quantification © Archaeology South-East UCL ii Archaeology South-East Fyfield Business Park, Chipping Ongar ASE Report No. 2016365 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Site Background 1.1.1 An archaeological evaluation by trial trenching was carried out at Fyfield Business Park, Chipping Ongar, Essex. It was undertaken in advance of redevelopment of the site. The archaeological work was commissioned by Bovis Homes and undertaken by Archaeology South-East (ASE) during September 2016. 1.1.2 The Fyfield Business Park site is located c.1 mile north of the town of Chipping Ongar in Epping Forest District, Essex (TL 55734 05014), separated by the A414. It is located on the east side of Fyfield Road and occupies a roughly square plot of c.4.6ha extent bounded by hedgerows (Figure 1). 1.1.3 The centre and east of the site is occupied by numerous buildings of the Business and Research Park, along with hard-surfaced access roads and car parks. The site peripheries are generally grassed with some areas of trees and shrubs. Information provided by the client indicates that the site is crossed by numerous services (Figure 2). 1.2 Geology and Topography 1.2.1 The geology of the site comprises chalky till with outwash sands and gravels, silts and clays, above a bedrock of London Clay (www.bgs.ac.uk). The overlying topsoil is mid to dark greyish brown friable to firm sandy silt clay. 1.2.2 The wider topography of the site consists of low rolling hills, ranging in height from 0.45m to 0.65m OD. The surrounding landscape is rural and composed of arable farmland, hedgerows and occasional small copses of trees. 1.2.3 Fyfield Business Park occupies a ridge of high ground, flanked by the Cripsey Brook and River Roding to the west and east respectively, both of which flow southwards towards Chipping Ongar and Brentwood. Access to the site is via the business park entranceway on Fyfield Road (B184). 1.3 Planning Background 1.3.1 Epping Forest District Council granted outline planning permission (EPF/3006/14) for Fyfield Business Park to be redeveloped. The redevelopment will include part retention of the business park, erection of 105 residential dwellings, and provision of playing fields and recreational facilities. 1.3.2 Attached condition 17 relates to archaeology and states: ‘No development or preliminary groundworks of any kind shall take place 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 planning authority. The development shall then be carried out in accordance with the approved details © Archaeology South-East UCL 1 Archaeology South-East Fyfield Business Park, Chipping Ongar ASE Report No. 2016365 Reason: To ensure the suitable recording and protection of heritage assets in accordance with policy HC1 of the Adopted Local Plan and Alterations and the aims and objectives of the NPPF.’ 1.3.3 A brief for the archaeological work was issued by Maria Medlycott, Historic Environment Advisor for Essex County Council (ECC/Place Services 2016). A Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) designed to meet the requirements of that brief was subsequently submitted and approved by ECC/Place Services (ASE 2016). 1.4 Scope of Report 1.4.1 This report describes and discusses the results of a first phase of archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching, undertaken on available, open land in advance of mixed development at Fyfield Business Park, Chipping Ongar, Essex. The north-eastern extremity of the site was not evaluated as this has been identified as a wildlife/conservation area within the development plan and already has high ecological value. The archaeological work was recommended and monitored by Essex County Council/Place Services, and was undertaken by ASE on behalf of Bovis Homes between 5/9/16 to 12/9/16. © Archaeology South-East UCL 2 Archaeology South-East Fyfield Business Park, Chipping Ongar ASE Report No. 2016365 2.0 ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 Introduction 2.1.1 The site and its vicinity are known to contain seven listed buildings and the archaeological remains of a Roman bath house (Acanthus Architects 2014; Allen in archive). The settlement of Shelley is recorded in the Domesday Book and is therefore at least c.1000 years old. 2.1.2 According to the Essex HER, known archaeological sites and findspots in the vicinity of the site are sparse. No archaeological investigation has previously taken place within the site. 2.2 Roman 2.2.1 The Roman bath house was discovered within arable land, c.600m north-east of Fyfield Business Park, in September 1992. It had flint foundations and is likely to have been part of a Roman villa, although no other in situ structural remains have been found to confirm this. Artefacts accompanied the remains of the bath house and suggested it to have been in use during the mid-2nd to early 3rd century AD (Allen in archive). 2.2.2 Surface concentrations of Late Iron Age to late 4th century pot sherds have been found roughly 60m east of the bath house, making it possible that the Roman villa either arose from or occupied the site of an Iron Age farm (Allen in archive). 2.3 Medieval to Modern 2.3.1 The site forms part of the rural parish of Shelley, a small settlement of scattered houses between the River Roding and the Cripsey Brook. 2.3.2 Shelley is recorded in the Domesday Book and has been in existence since at least the Late Saxon period. In 1086, its households comprised five villagers, five small holders and three slaves. Its arable land was sufficient for three plough teams, and its woodland sustained 150 pigs. Twenty acres of meadow were also present. The lord of the manor was Reginald, and the tenant in chief was Geoffrey de Mandeville (opendomesday.org/place/TL5505/shelley).