1571
VANGE WICK (EAST) RESERVOIR ESSEX
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION BY TRIAL TRENCHING
Field Archaeology Unit
March 2006
VANGE WICK (EAST) RESERVOIR ESSEX
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION BY TRIAL TRENCHING
Prepared By: Matthew Pocock Signature:
Position: Project Officer Date:
Approved By: Patrick Allen Signature:
Position: Project Manager Date:
Approved By: Mark Atkinson Signature:
Position: Unit Manager Date:
Document Ref. 1571rep.doc
Report Issue Date 31 March 2006
Circulation R.S.P.B
ECC Historic Environment Management
ECC Historic Environment Record
Southend Museum
As part of our desire to provide a quality service, we would welcome any comments you may have on the content or the presentation of this report.
Please contact the Archaeological Fieldwork Manager, at the Field Archaeology Unit,
Fairfield Court, Fairfield Road, Braintree, Essex CM7 3YQ Tel: 01376 331470
Fax: 01376 331428
� Field Archaeology Unit, Essex County Council, c/o County Hall, Chelmsford Essex CM1 1QH
CONTENTS
Page
Summary 1
1.0 Introduction 3
1.1 Planning Background 3
1.2 Report and Archive 3
1.3 Abbreviations used in the Report 3
2.0 Background 3
2.1 Location, Geology, Topography 3
2.2 Historical and archaeological background 3
3.0 Aims and Objectives 5
4.0 Methods 6
5.0 Results 6
5.1 Trial Trenching 6
5.2 Geo-archaeological Survey 7
6.0 Finds and Environmental material 9
7.0 Conclusions 10
8.0 Assessment of results 11
9.0 Acknowledgements 12
10.0 Bibliography 12
APPENDICES
Appendix 1: Fieldwork Data 13
Appendix 2: Finds Data 15
Appendix 3: Contents of Archive 16
Appendix 4: Essex Historic Environment Record Sheet 17
FIGURES
1. Location 18
2. Deposit model 19
Archaeological Evaluation by Trial Trenching
Prepared for R.S.P.B
VANGE WICK (EAST) RESERVOIR ESSEX
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION BY TRIAL TRENCHING
SUMMARY
Client: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds NGR: TQ 732 858
Site Code: BAVW06 Project No: 1571
Date of Fieldwork: 13th to the 20th of February
Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit carried out a trial trenching evaluation on behalf of the RSPB under an archaeological condition placed on a planning application for the construction of a reservoir adjacent to the sea wall at Vange Wick. The proposed reservoir aims to improve the wetland habitat for birds and other wildlife.
Trial trenching identified archaeological remains comprising boundaries of several smaller post-medieval fields that were utilised by Vange Wick Farm for the grazing sheep until the 19th century. These have been incorporated into a larger area for cultivation by 1841 and are no longer visible on the surface as they have been levelled and ploughed. Drainage channels identified within an earlier walkover survey conducted by the ECC Historic Environment Branch survived as shallow depressions within the topsoil, c.0.30 m wide. These likely constitute more modern drainage attempts that may also have been softened by plough action. No further archaeological evidence was present to substantiate earlier development of the marshland in this area.
Hand augering, undertaken in conjunction with the trial trenching identified estuarine deposits overlying London Clay at c.2.76 m below current ground level. No palaeosols (old- soil), buried land surfaces, cut features or peat deposits indicative of archaeological horizons survived at depths that would be impacted by the reservoir. A minor deposit containing carbonised plant remains was observed in a localised area of the investigation and likely formed organic material sealed within a hollow of the London Clay c.2.76 m below the ground surface.
Archaeological Evaluation by Trial Trenching
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The results of this evaluation indicate that the current proposals for the RSPB reservoir will not impact upon significant archaeological remains.
Archaeological Evaluation by Trial Trenching
Prepared for R.S.P.B
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Planning Background
The Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit (ECC FAU) carried out the evaluation on behalf of the RSPB, under the terms of an archaeological condition placed on planning consent in accordance with Planning Policy Guideline note 16 (PPG16). The condition was placed following specialist advice from the Essex County Council Heritage Environment Management team (ECC HEM). The archaeological work followed a brief produced by ECC HEM (Connell 2005) and a written scheme of investigation (WSI) prepared by ECC FAU (2006).
1.2 Report and Archive
Copies of this report will be supplied to the client and to the National Monuments Record in Swindon. A version will be uploaded to the Online Access Index of Archaeological Investigations (OASIS) (http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/project/oasis). Copies of the project archive will be deposited at Southend-on-Sea Borough Museum.
1.3 Abbreviations used in the Report
ECC (Essex County Council), FAU (Field Archaeology Unit), HEM (Historic Environment Management), IFA (Institute of Field Archaeologists), NGR (National Grid Reference), RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), WSI (Written Scheme of Investigation).
2.0 BACKGROUND
2.1 Location, Geology and Topography
The development area is situated on Vange Marsh to the south of Vange Creek (NGR TQ
732 858). Vange Marsh lies on the alluvial plain of the Thames estuary and solid geology consists of London Clay overlain by tidal flat deposits. Currently the land is pasture, relatively flat and used for grazing, though some areas have previously been ploughed. Ground surface heights range between 1.89 and 2.08m OD. The proposed development comprises construction of a reservoir adjacent to the creek, beyond the sea wall, within the scope of the Thames Gateway South Essex Greengrid partnership scheme (Fig 1).
2.2 Historical and Archaeological Background
The archaeological background for this and other parts of the Essex coastal marshland, has previously been given extensive discussion by Medlycott and Gascoyne (unpublished) and
Archaeological Evaluation by Trial Trenching
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Rippon (2000). In view of this, only a summary of the most pertinent information is presented here.
Essex holds an abundance of archaeological evidence for the exploitation of its coastal marshland from the Mesolithic, now buried under many metres of alluvium, to present day. During the Neolithic the coastal regions of Essex began to approximate the present days, and environmental evidence suggests that the upper dryland slopes started to be cleared of the dominating lime and oak (Hunter 1999). Further archaeological remains suggesting activity beyond this initial stage of landscape management have not yet been exposed.
During the Bronze and Iron Ages, geological and environmental evidence suggests the inter- tidal zone was unsuitable for permanent settlement. Archaeological evidence consists of wooden structures comprising platforms of brushwood and timber together with hurdle bridges and lengths of trackway, all of which may now be present below the current water levels. By the latter stages of the Bronze Age tangible archaeological remains indicate settlement and agriculture expanding along the higher ground of creeks and estuarine terraces, making use of the surrounding resources for grazing, predominantly of sheep, and cultivation of salt tolerant crops such as camelina (oil-seed), barley, flax or oats.
The transition between the Iron Age and Roman periods bought with it an expansion of settlement activity and the extensive production of salt, a marshland industry that has its origins in the middle Bronze Age (Fawn et al 1990). Features known as Red Hills are believed to represent the remains of salt production. Salt production seems to centre on the Blackwater and Colne estuaries of North East Essex (Rippon 2000), further Red Hills survive along a significant portion of Thames estuary and the quiet waters of its creeks though due to coastal erosion or rise in sea levels these are less frequent.
Reclamation of the marsh does not seem to have taken place during the Roman period and salt production seems to have virtually disappeared by the mid to late Roman period, moving inland as sea levels rise and alternative processes and resources become available (Rippon 2000, p.142-143)
The Saxon period sees evidence for seaborne activity along the Thames estuary together with a cluster of Minster, royal vill and burh sites, though this activity has as uncertain but potentially substantial influence on the marshland. The middle Saxon sees numerous fish traps constructed in the Blackwater estuary, a feature that was also likely present around the Thames. By the late Saxon period the coastal marshes appear to have principally been used for sheep-pasturage and known occupational remains beyond the major settlement at
Archaeological Evaluation by Trial Trenching
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Mucking are currently scarce. The location and extent of Medieval settlement is equally difficult to establish. There are two potential settlement indicative place names associated with the Essex marshes �cote�and �wick�. Wicks were dairies, cheese-making sheds or shepherds huts from which Vange Wick may derive. Vange Wick Farm no longer survives but 1st to 4th Edition Ordinance Survey maps indicate it was located south of the proposed works. The surrounding landscape would likely have been utilised by the farm for related material requirements. These structures along with further evidence of occupation post dating the Roman period often lay on top of Red Hill deposits (Fawn et al 1990).
The Doomsday book (Rumble 1983) records flocks of sheep raised on the marshland pastures supplying wool for the surrounding towns but does not indicate whether the marshes began to be reclaimed or embankments put in place. The construction of sea defences and reclamation of the marsh is thought not to occur until between the 12th and 14th centuries, though precise dating is difficult until the 16th century when documentary evidence begins to appear. However, extensive areas of saltmarsh remained un-banked and used as sheep pasture until the whole area was embanked certainly by the post-medieval period, c.1777. The marshland seems to have been predominantly used for grazing sheep throughout antiquity, though economic factors have occasionally bought about a rise in favour towards cattle in the 17th century. At times areas have been given over to cultivation, specifically during the 19th and 20th centuries.
London was extremely influential over the marshes in recent times and documentary evidence shows the city received the produce of the farmland, marshland pastures, fisheries, decoy ponds and oyster beds situated along this estuarine system. In return, barges brought manure to fertilise the fields. This indicates that widely-established and varying activity would once have existed associated with these industries, though as with many periods of antiquity on the marsh known/ recorded evidence is as yet limited.
3.0 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Generally, the aim of the work was to determine the location, extent, date, character, condition, significance and quality of any surviving archaeological remains within the reservoir area.
The specific aims of the investigation were to:
� establish a date for the surface drainage features which cross the field.
Archaeological Evaluation by Trial Trenching
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establish a date for the reclamation of the marsh in the area of proposed works.
establish if sealed horizons of archaeological potential will be impacted by the proposed works.
4.0 METHODS
The investigation consisted of eleven, 2 x 30 metre, trial trenches placed within the extent of
the proposed 1.62 ha reservoir (Fig 1). This comprised a 4 % sample of the area with a further 1% as a contingency in order to examine areas in more detail where necessary.
Machine stripping was carried out to ECC FAU standards under archaeological supervision using a mechanical excavator fitted with a toothless bucket. All spoil heaps were examined for archaeological material. A full photographic record documented the investigation and plans and sections were drawn at the appropriate scale to provide interpretive evidence.
The progressive submergence and re-emergence of low-lying land associated with the rise
and fall of the sea levels means early archaeological sites can be sealed by sediments of peat, mud and clay. This can lead to the remains surviving at depth and within various horizons of the estuarine clays.
A geo-archaeological survey was undertaken in conjunction with the trial trenching to identify potential archaeological remains surviving at depth and to access depositional horizons pertaining to the development the estuarine system and the surrounding marsh land. Hand augering was carried out centrally within each trench with samples recovered at intervals of c.0.5 m to a depth of c.3 m. Where significant deposits were encountered, additional auger holes were undertaken to establish their extents.
Standard ECC FAU recording and excavation methods were used. All fieldwork methods and recording conformed to the codes of practice and guidance issued by the IFA (1999) and adhered to regional guidelines (Gurney 2003).
5.0 RESULTS
5.1 Trial trenching
Trench depth ranged between 0.40 to 0.52m consisting of a rich friable topsoil 0.08-0.12m thick overlying an average of 0.26m of subsoil. In several of the trenches, there was
Archaeological Evaluation by Trial Trenching
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evidence of plough disturbance that comprised the uppermost 0.08m of the subsoil. Subsoil was principally of a sterile nature but chalk fleck inclusions provided evidence that it had been imported and likely dates to the reclamation of the marsh. However, no artefacts to date the deposit were recovered. Estuarine clays defined the limit of each trench c.1.56m OD.
Trial trenching exposed two post-medieval ditches; 404 within Trench 4 and 606 in Trench 6. These were aligned north-south and east-west respectively. Ploughing has removed all surface remains of the boundaries. It seems these ditches denote a previous layout of several smaller fields that have been recently been amalgamated to form one large grazing area.
The preceding archaeological desk-top and walkover survey (Medlycott and Gascoyne, unpublished) identified a series of dark green crop marks and slight depressions in the grass suggesting surface drains spaced roughly 20m apart. These linear features ran north-west/ south east towards the creek and the trial trenching targeted several of them. The investigation was unable to dispute or confirm their function as surface drainage. The features survived as no more than shallow depressions within the topsoil, an average of 0.30 m in width, softened by grazing activity and potentially by ploughing. Further sub-surface archaeological features associated with past land use were not present.
5.2 Geo-archaeological survey
A total of thirteen auger holes were made, the results of which are summarised below. The investigation predominantly identified the build-up of estuarine deposits overlying London clays enabling correlations between samples and a model to be generated (Fig 2). A full gazetteer of auger hole results can be found in Appendix 1
Ground surface heights ranged from between 1.86 and 2.33m OD with topsoil averaging depths of between 0.08 and 0.19m. Below this survived subsoil of which the upper 0.12m had been disturbed by modern intrusive ploughing, leaving between 0.10 and 0.21m of undisturbed subsoil overlying the uppermost estuarine clay deposits at 1.56m OD. The upper clay was a mixed mid brown-grey material with orange and blue/grey mottling from rooting throughout. Below was darker grey brown clay at an average of -0.46m OD that sealed moist, firm London Clay at -0.80m OD.
Archaeological Evaluation by Trial Trenching
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The only visible organic remains were localised and comprised carbonised plant fragments within a dark organic silty clay band > 0.05m in thickness sandwiched between the London Clay and estuarine clays. The augering results suggest this material survives in a natural hollow within the clays (Fig 2). The deposit was observed within the central and northern auger hole undertaken within Trench 3 at a depth of c.-0.80mOD or 2.36m below the ground surface. A further auger hole at the southern end of the trench established that the deposit did not continue. It seems likely that throughout the area similar pockets of organic material may survive where hollows have been created in the clays. These likely represent low potential for archaeological remains of significance. No further pockets of this organic deposit were identified within the evaluated area.
Archaeological Evaluation by Trial Trenching
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6.0 FINDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL MATERIAL
By Joyce Compton
Small groups of finds were recovered from a total of three contexts, across two of the excavated trenches. All of the material has been recorded by count and weight, in grams, by context. Full details can be found in Appendix 2. The few datable finds are post-medieval. The assemblage is described by category below.
Pottery
Two small sherds of pottery were recovered. A body sherd from a post-medieval or modern flowerpot was retrieved from the fill of ditch 404 in Trench 4. The rim sherd from a press- moulded platter or dish was found in the fill of ditch 606 in Trench 6. The vessel rim has a scalloped edge and internal yellow slip with brown feathered decoration. This type of vessel was most common during the 18th and early 19th centuries.
Brick and tile
Two pieces of roof tile and two small fragments of brick, weighing a total of 82g, were recovered from Trench 4. The brick and one laminated piece of roof tile were found in the topsoil. The fill of ditch 404 produced a second larger piece of roof tile. All of the fragments are post-medieval.
Animal bone
The topsoil in Trench 4 produced a tibia shaft from a large mammal. Numerous elements from the skeleton of a single juvenile sheep/goat were recovered from the fill of ditch 606 in Trench 6. Most regions of the skeleton are represented. Few of the bones had fused and there were a number of loose epiphyses present. The remains suggest the burial, or more likely, the accidental death, of a very young animal.
Since the finds recovered are all likely to be relatively recent, no further work is required and nothing needs to be retained.
Archaeological Evaluation by Trial Trenching
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7.0 CONCLUSIONS
Trial Trenching
The archaeological evaluation supports historical evidence of post-medieval activity on the marsh but has identified no significant archaeological remains of greater antiquity. The subsoil remains undated but provides evidence for the importation of soils to facilitate a stage in reclamation of the marshland. This probably post-dates the construction of the sea wall embankment thought to occur in the 18th century. The two post-medieval field boundary ditches exposed within Trenches 4 and 6 represent sub-division of the landscape opposing the current field layout. Neither appear on the earliest available detailed tithe map of 1841 (D/CT374B) or subsequent editions of OS maps. Documentary evidence cannot confirm when they were construction but both seem to have been backfilled at similar times prior to 1841. Survival of sheep remains from one of these ditches suggests that at this time they were still being grazed on the land. Backfilling and modern ploughing has removed all surface signs of these features.
After 1841, several fields seem to have been merged to create larger expanses of land, probably for cattle or cultivation. Cultivation of the land is more likely as there is evidence of ploughing and no animal bones were recovered beyond those found in the backfilled ditch.
No further archaeological evidence was present to substantiate earlier development or reclamation of the marshland in this area. Features that were visible on the surface seem to represent relatively recent drainage attempts and do not survive as more than shallow depressions within the topsoil.
Augering identified that estuarine clays, deposited due to rising and falling sea levels around coastal Essex overlay London clay, which was present at an average depth of - 0.80 m OD, c.2.76 m below the ground surface. Organic remains were recovered from a localised area around Trench 3 at a depth of c.2.36 m below the current ground surface and beyond the impact depth of the proposed works. The deposit likely occupied a hollow within the clays, an interpretation supported by development of the deposit model (Fig 2).
Archaeological Evaluation by Trial Trenching
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8.0 ASSESSMENT OF RESULTS
Documentary evidence suggests that Vange Wick farm was constructed after 1777. The name implies that it was linked to the dairy industry, likely producing the hard cheese from sheep�s milk that Essex was renowned for. Archaeological evidence suggests that management of the land during the early stages of the farm comprised establishment of small fields coupled with the construction of several small stock management enclosures, two of which still survive as earthworks in the corners of adjacent fields. Sheep grazed in the fields until a date approaching 1841 and the farm resisted the rise in favour of cattle and cultivation seen from the 17th century onwards. However, prior to 1841 the farm may either have expanded operations or more likely reverted to growth of salt resistant crops, a product that would require open areas of land. Cultivation may have continued into the latter part of the 19th century when a rise in grain prices could have meant the farm fell on hard times and the area left fallow for a period. Finally, the agricultural depression in the early 20th century likely signalled the end of Vange Wick Farm at a time when small farms were being amalgamated and much of the marsh land reverted to pasture. Now there are no above ground physical remains of Vange Wick Farm or associated occupation. However, It is likely that approaching the farm the frequency of archaeological features and deposits will increase and help further define the development of the area.
Unfortunately the investigation was unable to further the current understanding or provide a date for any stage of reclamation of the marsh land and no archaeological remains of greater antiquity were exposed relating to prehistoric salt production and associated features or deposits.
Augering uncovered no palaeosols, buried land surfaces, cut features or peat deposits at depths that would be impacted by the proposed works. Similar pockets of the organic remains identified may survive throughout the area but only a basic survey was undertaken and hand augering provided insufficient information to confirm wider archaeological or historical potential or significance.
The investigation did not establish the presence of sealed ancient channels or a previous course of Vange Creek. There is potential for an appropriate sedimentological and pedological study, but further archaeological work is unnecessary as evidence suggests low potential for archaeological remains in the immediate vicinity.
Archaeological Evaluation by Trial Trenching
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9.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The ECC Field Archaeology Unit thanks the RSPB for funding of the project. The cooperation of Miss Muriel Clarke is acknowledged. Pat Connell and Richard Havis of ECC HEM monitored the investigation on behalf of the local planning authority. Patrick Allen managed the project. Matthew Pocock carried out the fieldwork with assistance from Dave Smith, Adrian Turner, and Chris Down. Andrew Lewsey produced the digital illustrations. All finds were processed by Phil McMichael and assessed by Joyce Compton.
10.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bedwin, Owen. et al 1996 The Archaeology of Essex � Proceedings of the Writtle Conference. Essex County Council Planning
Brown, N. & Glazebrook, J. 2000 Research and Archaeology: a Framework for the Eastern Counties, 2. research agenda and strategy, East Anglian Archaeol. Occ. Paper 8
Connell, P. 2005 Archaeological evaluation: Vange Wick, Essex, ECC HEM brief
ECC FAU 2001 Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Evaluation. Vange Wick (East) Reservoir, Essex.
Gurney, D. 2003 Standards for Field Archaeology in the East of England, East Anglian Archaeol. Occ. Paper 14
Hunter, J. 1999 The Essex Landscape � A study of its form and history. Essex record office publications, Chelmsford.
IFA 1999 Standards and Guidelines for Archaeological evaluation (revised).
Medlycott, M. & Gascoyne, 2005 A Contemplation Of Things Wide And Infinite: an archaeological desk-top and walkover survey of the proposed new RSPB reserves in south Essex. ECC HEB report
A.
Rippon,S. 2000 The Transformation of Coastal Wetlands, Oxford University Press
Rumble, A. 1983 Domesday Book; Essex, Phillimore, Chichester
APPENDIX 1: FIELDWORK DATA
Table of archaeological contexts;
Trench Number Context Number Type Description Level (m OD) Depth (m)
4 404 Cut Ditch 1.85 0.30
4 405 Deposit Fill of 404
6 606 Cut Ditch 1.83 0.36
6 607 Deposit Fill of 606
Within each trench topsoil and subsoil were respectively assigned a context number of 01 or 02 together with the trench number as a prefix code, i.e. in Trench 2, topsoil would have been 201 and subsoil 202. While essentially archaeological contexts, these have been omitted from the table above. Depths can be calculated using the augerhole results below. Both were of consistent nature across the site and descriptions are within the results section of the report.
Concise augerhole results;
Trench Number Auger Position Topsoil (Ground surface) Subsoil Orange/ Brown Clay Grey/ Brown Clay Blue/ Grey Clay
X axis Y axis
(m OD)
(m OD) (m OD) (m OD) (m OD)
1 573114.7 185809.4 2.08 1.89 1.68 -0.25
2 573123 185757 1.86 1.74 1.53 -0.04
3 573148 185775.5 1.92 1.8 1.64 -0.44 -1.44
4 573162.5 185745 2.02 1.92 1.74 -0.76
5 573198 185769 2.06 1.94 1.82 -0.39
6 573203 185742 2.07 1.95 1.72 -0.76 -1.26
7 573247.5 185746 1.94 1.86 1.64 0.1
8 573202 185710 2.05 1.95 1.78 -0.41 -0.91
9
573234
185702
1.97
1.88
1.71
-0.47
10
573197
185682
1.87
1.78
0.47
-0.53
11
573219.9
185664.4
1.89
1.76
1.59
-0.41
N.B.
The deposit model has be produced using Surfer for Windows Version 6
Contour and surface plots were produced from irregularly spaced data by using the geostatistical gridding method of Kriging: this is a combination of three types of mathematical modelling the variogram model, the drift type and the nugget effect.
Trench co-ordinates;
Trench 1 X= 573106.3 Y= 185820.1
X= 573126.0 Y= 185797.5
Trench 2 X= 573122.4 Y= 185772.6
X= 573122.4 Y= 185742.6
Trench 3 X= 573148.6 Y= 185793.7
X= 573148.6 Y= 185763.7
Trench 4 X= 573148.5 Y= 185745.4
X= 573178.5 Y= 185745.4
Trench 5 X= 573183.7 Y= 185769.3
X= 573213.7 Y= 185769.3
Trench 6 X= 573203.8 Y= 185758.5
X= 573203.8 Y= 185728.5
Trench 7 X= 573233.2 Y= 185746.5
X= 573263.2 Y= 185746.5
Trench 8 X= 573187.8 Y= 185710.7
X= 573217.8 Y= 185710.7
Trench 9 X= 573234.7 Y= 185718.8
X= 573234.7 Y= 185688.8
Trench 10 X= 573197.3 Y= 185697.3
X= 573197.3 Y= 185667.3
Trench 11 X= 573231.3 Y= 185675.0
X= 573209.3 Y= 185654.6
APPENDIX 2: FINDS DATA
Finds by context
Context Feature Count Weight Description Date
401 Topsoil 1 78 Animal bone; tibia shaft, large mammal -
3 20 Brick and tile fragments Post med.
405 404 1 62 Roof tile fragment Post med.
1 4 Pottery; body sherd, flowerpot Post med.
607 606 62 76 Animal bone; juvenile sheep/goat � skull, rib and vertebra fragments, scapula, glenoid cavity, -
humerus, tibia, metapodials x 4, astragalus and feet bones, molar, various epiphyses
1 4 Pottery; rim sherd, press-moulded dish, internal yellow slip with brown feathered decoration Post med.
APPENDIX 3: CONTENTS OF ARCHIVE
SITE NAME; Vange Wick (East) Reservoir, Essex
Index to the Archive
File containing:
1. Introduction
1.1 Brief for Evaluation
1.2 Specification for Evaluation
2. Research Archive
2.1 Published Report
2.2 Client Report
2.3 Analytical Reports 2.3.1 Finds Report
2.4 Catalogues 2.4.1
Context Finds Record
2.4.2 Finds Catalogue
2.4.3 Environmental Catalogue
2.5 Computer Disk
3. Site Archive
3.1 Context Index
3.2 Context Record Register
3.3 Original Context Records
3.4 Soil Sample Register
3.5 Soil Sample Record Sheets
3.6 Levels Register
3.7 Sample Register
3.8 Survey Data
3.9 Photographic Register 3.10 Site Photographic Record
3.11 Miscellaneous maps and plans
APPENDIX 4: EHER SUMMARY
Site name/Address: Vange Wick (East) Reservoir, Essex
Parish: Basildon
District: Basildon
NGR: TQ 732 858
Site Code: BAVW06
Type of Work: Archaeological evaluation by trial trenching
Site Director/Group: M.Pocock ECC FAU
Date of Work: 13th to the 20th of February
Size of Area Investigated: 11 trenches covering an area of 1.62 ha
Location of Finds/Curating Museum: Southend-on-Sea
Funding source: RSPB
Further Seasons Anticipated?: Uncertain
Related HCR Nos.: N/A
Final Report: Yes
Periods Represented: Post Medieval
SUMMARY OF FIELDWORK RESULTS:
Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit (ECC FAU) carried out the evaluation on behalf the RSPB prior to construction of a reservoir on land to the south of Vange Creek, on Vange Marshes, Essex.
Trial trenching identified archaeological remains comprising boundaries of several smaller post- medieval fields that were utilised by Vange Wick Farm for the grazing sheep until the 19th century. These have been incorporated into a larger area for cultivation by 1841 and are no longer visible on the surface as they have been levelled and ploughed. Drainage channels identified within an earlier walkover survey conducted by the ECC Historic Environment Branch survived as shallow depressions within the topsoil, c.0.30 m wide. These likely constitute more modern drainage attempts that may also have been softened by plough action. No further archaeological evidence was present to substantiate earlier development of the marshland in this area.
Hand augering, undertaken in conjunction with the trial trenching identified estuarine deposits overlying London Clay at c.2.76 m below current ground level. No palaeosols (old-soil), buried land surfaces, cut features or peat deposits indicative of archaeological horizons survived at depths that would be impacted by the reservoir. A minor deposit containing carbonised plant remains was observed in a localised area of the investigation and likely formed organic material sealed within a hollow of the London Clay c.2.76 m below the ground surface.
The results of this evaluation indicate that the current proposals for the RSPB reservoir will not impact upon significant archaeological remains.
Previous Summaries/Reports: N/A
Author of Summary: Matthew Pocock Date of Summary: March 2006
Basildon
ESSEX 1 3
A
Basildon
SITE
Vange Marshes
A
TQ73086,
85827 Tr1
N
Tr3
Tr5
Tr2
Tr4 Tr7
Tr6
Proposed Reservoir 404
606
Evaluation trench Tr8
Tr9
Tr10
Drains
Key
Auger hole T11
Modern ditch A TQ73241,
85666
0
50m
1:1,250
Mapping reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the controller of HMSO. Crown copyright. Licence no.LA100019602.
Fig.1 Trench locations
N
Topsoil
Subsoil c.-0.8 m O.D.
Estuarine clay
= Isolated organic remains = Auger holes Estuarine clay
Fig 2. Deposit model based on auger results
London clay