With contributions by Peter Boyd, Caroline Cartwright, John Evans, Elizabeth Healey, Hilary Major, Warwick J. Rodwell, Michael C. Wadhams and Tony J. Wilkins.
The programme of cropmark survey and research in Essex has identified many cropmark enclosures, often forming part of complex collections of cropmarks of different periods. Excavation has been used on selected sites to date the cropmarks and place the site into an archaeological context.
At Woodham Walter, limited excavation confirmed the postulated Iron Age and Romano-British date for the enclosures and also revealed earlier prehistoric occupation in the area. Although the excavation was small, a tentative series of phase plans have been produced for the cropmark complex. The site is considered in relation to other cropmarks in the Chelmer-Blackwater Valley, as part of the programme of landscape studies in the area.
The second part contains a gazetteer of all excavated enclosures in Essex, with a small selection of unexcavated ones. Each type is then discussed and summarised, with the intention of ascertaining how far the excavated sites help interpretation of the unexcavated ones. This is the first stage in the classification of enclosures, where all the evidence is assembled to facilitate a more analytical approach to questions of preservation or excavation.
Author(s): David G. Buckley, John D. Hedges, Deborah Priddy
Series: East Anglian Archaeology, 33
Publisher: Essex County Council, Archaeology Section
Year: 1987
Language: English
Pages: 104
City: Chelmsford
List of Figures vi
List of Plates vi
List of Tables vi
Acknowledgements vii
Contributors vii
Editorial viii
Excavation of a Cropmark Enclosure Complex at Woodham Waiter, Essex, 1976 / David G. Buckley and John D. Hedges
Part 1: Introduction
I. Summary 1
II. Introduction 1
III. The Site. Topography and geology / Tony J. Wilkinson 1
Description of the monument 1
IV. Objectives of the Excavation 3
Part 2: The Excavations
I. Method of Excavation 4
II. Pre-Enclosure Occupation
Mesolithic 5
Neolithic 5
Bronze Age 5
III. The Middle Pre-Roman Iron Age Sub-Rectangular Enclosure
Enclosure ditch AF1 5
Enclosure interior 8
Dating 8
Function 9
IV. The Late Pre-Roman Iron Age/Romano-British Rectangular Enclosure
The ditches 10
Associated features 12
Enclosure phases 12
V. Romano-British Occupation 14
VI. The Post-Roman Period 15
Part 3: The Artefacts
I. Objects of Stone
Saddle querns 16
Other stone objects 16
II. The Lithic Assemblage / Elizabeth Healey 16
Technology 16
Debitage 16
The retouched flintwork 17
Summary and discussion 19
III. The Pottery and its Implications / Warwick J. Rodwell 20
Fabrics 20
Description 21
Discussion and dating 37
IV. Fired Clay / Hilary Major 39
V. Crucible Analysis / John Evans 39
VI. Loomweights, / Hilary Major 40
VII. Tile / Hilary Major 40
VIII. Objects of Iron / Hilary Major 40
Part 4: The Environmental Evidence
I. The Animal Skeletal Remains / Michael C. Wadhams 41
II. Carbonised Seeds / Peter Boyd 41
III. Charcoal / Caroline Cartwright 41
IV. Carbonised Residue Analysis / John Evans 41
Part 5: Discussion
Earlier prehistoric activity 42
Later prehistoric and Roman occupation 44
Appendix: Feature Information-Tables 3-5 46
An Assessment of Excavated Enclosures in Essex together with a Selection of Cropmark Sites / Dcborah Priddy and David G. Buckley
Summary
I. Introduction 48
Cropmark studies in Essex 48
II. Gazetteer
Form of gazetteer 48
Classification 49
A. Circular enclosures
i. Excavated 50
ii. Cropmarks 51
B. Curvilinear enclosures
i. Excavated 53
ii. Cropmarks 55
C. Sub-rectilinear enclosures under 0.25 ha
i. Excavated 55
ii. Cropmarks 61
D. Rectilinear enclosures under 1 ha
i. Excavated 61
ii. Cropmarks 66
E. Rectilinear enclosures between I and 4 ha
i. Excavated 68
ii. Cropmarks 71
F Rectilinear enclosures over 4 ha
i. Excavated 71
ii. Cropmark 71
III. Discussion
A. Circular enclosures 72
B. Curvilinear enclosures 72
C. Sub-rectilinear enclosures under 0.25 ha 73
D. Rectilinear enclosures under 1 ha 74
E. Rectilinear enclosures between 1 and 4 ha 74
F. Rectilinear enclosures over 4 ha 75
Conclusion 75
Appendix: Photographic References for Cropmark Plots 75
End Notes 77
Bibliography 78
Index 81
List of Figures
List of Plates
List of Tables
