Birdbrook Storage Facility, Birdbrook, Essex

Between the 5th-7th of November 2024 Oxford Archaeology (OA) conducted an archaeological evaluation on arable land south of Sturmer Road near Birdbrook, Essex, at the site of a proposed water storage facility. The evaluation comprised the investigation of seven linear trenches, each 20m in length, over a total area of 0.55ha. large area of post-medieval disturbance was revealed in the eastern area of the field, within Trenches 3-7, probably as a result of gravel extraction and the building of the Colne Valley railway line in the early 1860s. A possible shallow ditch and posthole exposed in Trench 1 in the western area of the field were devoid of finds and were therefore unphased. Due to the modern disturbance, natural geology was not visible in many of the trenches. The evaluation concluded that the area had been heavily impacted by post-medieval activity, particularly in the eastern area of the field, reducing the likelihood of uncovering any significant archaeological remains. In addition, between the 12th-13th of May 2025, two areas were subject to archaeological monitoring. Further evidence for post-medieval quarrying was observed across both areas.