Middlewick Ranges Colchester Essex Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Document Ref.: 228290.01 October 2020 © Wessex Archaeology Ltd 2020, all rights reserved 69 College Road Maidstone Kent ME15 6SX www.wessexarch.co.uk Wessex Archaeology Ltd is a company limited by guarantee registered in England, company number 1712772. It is also a Charity registered in England and Wales number 287786, and in Scotland, Scottish Charity number SC042630. Our registered office is at Portway House, Old Sarum Park, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 6EB. Disclaimer The material contained in this report was designed as an integral part of a report to an individual client and was prepared solely for the benefit of that client. The material contained in this report does not necessarily stand on its own and is not intended to nor should it be relied upon by any third party. 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MK/BC CJRH Middlewick Ranges, Colchester Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Contents Summary ........................................................................................................................................iv Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... v 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Project background ....................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Development proposals ................................................................................................ 1 1.3 Aims and purpose of the assessment ........................................................................... 1 2 LEGISLATIVE AND PLANNING FRAMEWORK .................................................................. 3 2.1 Legislation .................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Designated heritage assets .......................................................................................... 3 2.3 National Planning Policy Framework ............................................................................. 3 2.4 Local planning policy .................................................................................................... 4 2.5 Supplementary planning guidance ................................................................................ 4 3 METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................. 4 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 4 3.2 Study Area .................................................................................................................... 4 3.3 Sources and Relevant Guidance .................................................................................. 4 3.4 Consultation .................................................................................................................. 5 3.5 Site visit ........................................................................................................................ 5 3.6 Assessment of significance ........................................................................................... 5 3.7 Assumptions and limitations.......................................................................................... 6 3.8 Copyright ...................................................................................................................... 6 4 BASELINE RESOURCE ....................................................................................................... 6 4.1 The Site ........................................................................................................................ 6 4.2 Hydrology, Geology and Topography ............................................................................ 7 4.3 Designated heritage assets (Figure 2) .......................................................................... 8 4.4 Historic and Archaeological Background ..................................................................... 11 4.5 National Mapping Programme (NMP), LiDAR and Aerial Photographs ....................... 31 4.6 Historic Landscape Character ..................................................................................... 31 5 ASSESSMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL AND SIGNIFICANCE .................... 35 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 35 5.2 Assessment of archaeological survival and previous impacts ..................................... 35 5.3 Known Heritage Assets with Archaeological Significance ........................................... 36 5.4 Potential Heritage Assets with Archaeological Interest................................................ 37 5.5 Known Historic Landscape Features and their significance ........................................ 39 6 IMPACT ASSESSMENT ..................................................................................................... 39 6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 39 6.2 Statement of potential impact ...................................................................................... 39 7 CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................................. 41 7.1 General ....................................................................................................................... 41 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 43 Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 43 Historic Environment Records .............................................................................................. 44 Cartographic and documentary sources ............................................................................... 44 Online resources .................................................................................................................. 44 APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................. 46 Appendix 1: Terminology ..................................................................................................... 46 Appendix 2: Legislative and planning framework ................................................................. 47 i Doc ref 228290.01 Issue 3, October 2020 Middlewick Ranges, Colchester Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Appendix 3: Gazetteer ......................................................................................................... 53 Figures Figure 1 Site location and 1km Study Area Figure 2 The Site, Study Area and Designated Heritage Assets (based on NHLE) Figure 3 The Site, Study Area and Archaeological Events based on Colchester UAD Figure 4 The Site, Study Area and Archaeological Records dating to the Prehistoric periods (based on Colchester UAD) Figure 5 The Site, Study Area and Archaeological Records dating to the Late Iron Age to Roman periods (based on Colchester UAD) Figure 6 The Site, Study Area and Archaeological Records dating to the Anglo-Saxon period to Medieval periods (based on Colchester UAD) Figure 7 The Site, Study Area and Archaeological Records dating to the Post-medieval to Modern periods, undated and multi-period records (based on Colchester UAD) Figure 8 The Site, Study Area and Archaeological Records dating to World War I and World War II (based on Colchester UAD) Figure 9 Historic Mapping 1777-1839 Figure 10 Historic Mapping 1881-1958 Figure 11 The Site, Study Area and Cropmarks identified through the NMP project (based on Colchester UAD) Figure 12 LiDAR data and interpretation Plates Plate 1 View looking north