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January 16, 20260 citationsOpen Access

Land West of Thaxted Road, Saffron Walden, Essex

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AHAndrew Hood

Key Points

  • The research aims to identify and document archaeological features at the Thaxted Road site in Saffron Walden.
  • Removed overburden using a mechanical excavator under archaeological supervision.
  • Hand-cleaned features and deposits for better identification.
  • Conducted manual archaeological investigations in two identified areas of potential.
  • Area 1 revealed a medieval ditched enclosure with contemporary pits, tied to a small rural settlement from the 12th-14th century.
  • Area 2 uncovered a prehistoric segmented trackway with a cobbled surface, indicative of use from the middle Bronze Age to late Iron Age and post-medieval field boundaries.

Abstract

Non-significant overburden was removed using a suitable mechanical excavator, which was equipped with a toothless grading bucket, whilst under constant archaeological direction. Where necessary, revealed archaeological features and deposits were hand-cleaned to aid identification, interpretation and planning. Thereafter, all further archaeological investigation was conducted manually by archaeologists. The archaeological fieldwork comprised two area strips at locations of identified archaeological potential, as suggested by the results of a previous evaluation. Area 1 contained part of a Medieval rectilinear ditched enclosure, as well as a small number of contemporary pits. The enclosure was likely to be the rear part of a croft, which was associated with a small rural settlement, possibly dating to the 12th - 14th century. Area 2 contained part of a Prehistoric segmented ditched trackway, with an associated cobbled surface. Limited dating evidence suggested that the trackway may have been in use as early as the middle Bronze Age to early Iron Age, whilst a single radiocarbon determination indicated that the cobbled surface was probably laid in the late Iron Age and represented a later alteration or addition. Area 2 also contained part of a substantial Post-medieval ditched field boundary.

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Cite This Study

Andrew Hood (2025) studied this question. The archaeological works revealed a Medieval rectilinear ditched enclosure likely associated with a small rural settlement dating to the 12th – 14th century, and a Prehistoric segmented ditched trackway with an associated cobbled surface dating to the late Iron Age and possibly earlier.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6969d4a2940543b97770986chttps://doi.org/10.5284/1139115
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