1. Archaeological Trenching. Fields South of Abbey Chase, Beeleigh Abbey, Maldon, Essex
- Author
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Ennis, T
- Subjects
Archaeology ,Grey Literature - Abstract
Eight trial trenches were excavated in the fields to the south of the abbey, seven of which were located in an eastern field that had not been subject to previous archaeological work. This trenching was designed to investigate potential earthworks and field systems visible on a Lidar plot of the site. The eighth trench was excavated in the western field that had been previously investigated in 2019, in an attempt to identify the position of a potential tile kiln previously suggested by the recovery of a large quantity of tile wasters and the presence of a possible quarry. The earliest tangible remains consisted of two parallel mid/late Roman ditches situated c.40m apart that may have formed part of a field system; two shallow, poorly defined linear features may also have been associated. The earliest medieval remains consisted of a ditch and a quantity of 11th/12th-century pottery recovered from a root-disturbed area that may possibly predate the foundation of the abbey in AD1180. The majority of the medieval remains dated to the 13th/14th century, with one ditch dated to the late 14th to 16th century. All were probably contemporary with the life of the abbey and related to associated agricultural/horticultural activity. Some of the larger ditches formed part of a rectilinear field system that may have originated in the medieval period but continued in use into the post-medieval. It is feasible that this system may have provided an irrigation function as well as drainage. The additional trench excavated in the western field (the 1999 area) did not encounter any remains of a tile kiln, but did provide further evidence of the complexity of the below-ground remains in this part of the site. Partly exposed in the base of the trench were the articulated remains of a horse, probably buried in the late 19th or early 20th century, once the post-medieval farmyard and buildings in this area had gone out of use.
- Published
- 2021
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