Archaeological Evaluation: Land at Birley Grange, Hall Lane, Shenfield

The evaluation comprised the investigation of 5 trial trenches distributed across the c. 6,650m2 site, focused on the footprints of the proposed new dwellings and associated infrastructure and to provide a broad sample of the development area. One trench was identified to contain archaeological remains, specifically that of an 18th-century brick culvert in Trench 1. The site was otherwise archaeologically sterile, having been heavily landscaped, both as part of its initial development in the 17th century, but more extensively in advance of the construction of the extant cottage in the early 19th century and the tennis court in the mid-20th century. These works entailed the construction of an artificial terrace across the north of the site, the result being a minimum to 1.80m of made ground deposits in the lowest parts of the site (Trench 4). any surviving below-ground remains will be at a sufficient depth so as to be unaffected by the impacts of the proposed development. The Trench locations were heavily truncated by active services (water and gas); where natural deposits were reached; no archaeological features were encountered.