Colchester Archaeological Trust
CAT Report 2115: summary
(Click on report title to view full report in PDF format)
Archaeological evaluation on land to the west of
Clacton Road, Elmstead Market, Essex, CO7 7DF:
November 2024
by Dr Patrcik Spencer
(with contributions from Dr Matthew Loughton and Laura Pooley)
Date report completed: 17/12/2024
Location: land to the west of Clacton Road, Elmstead Market, Essex, CO7 7DF
Map reference(s): TM 07284 23707 (centre)
File size: 3,148 kb
Project type: Archaeological evaluation
Significance of the results:
Keywords:
Summary.
An archaeological evaluation (seven trial-trenches) was carried out on land to the west of
Clacton Road, Elmstead Market, Essex in, advance of the construction of a new residential
development. Recent archaeological investigations surrounding the development site have
revealed evidence for Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age activity that included a ring-ditch, and a
substantial Roman landscape with enclosures, at least four trackways or droveways, evidence
for agricultural activity and possibly a pottery kiln.
The current evaluation revealed two ditches and two pits that produced pottery of early Roman
and 2nd-century date showing that features associated with the wider Roman agricultural
landscape do continue into the development site. Also excavated were a medieval ditch and a
post-medieval to modern field boundary ditch. Undated features included eight pits, four
pit/post-holes, two ditches and a tree-throw