Archaeological excavation on land west of Clacton Road, Elmstead Market, Essex, CO7 7DF: March 2025

An archaeological excavation was carried out on land west of Clacton Road, Elmstead Market, Essex,
in advance of a new residential development. Numerous archaeological investigations surrounding the
development site have revealed a Late Bronze Age ceremonial landscape, a Late Iron Age/early
Roman enclosure, and 2nd-3rd century Roman farmstead consisting of enclosures, field systems,
droveways and evidence for both pottery production and a possible villa.
Excavations at the current site revealed 36 features: 21 pits/tree-throws, eight pits/post-holes, five pits,
one ditch and a natural feature. Sparse prehistoric remains consisted of four worked flints and three
pottery sherds, with three pit/tree-throws either of prehistoric date or producing residual finds in
otherwise undated later features.
The remaining datable features are all associated with the 2nd to 3rd century farmstead previously
identified on land adjacent to the site. A ditch is unquestionably related to the enclosure and field
system, with pits/tree-throws probably representing land clearance in advance of the establishment of
the farmstead. A row of eight pit/post-holes at a right-angle to the ditch perhaps represent a fence line
or similar boundary within the enclosure.
Four pits produced a substantial quantity of pottery along with some CBM, fired clay/daub, iron nails,
animal bone and included fragments of metalwork, a coin and piece of vessel glass. The pottery
assemblages are significant given the quantity of the material recovered, with noteworthy pottery
forms including the rare and unusual ceramic paterae and tazze. The discovery of these vessels could
provide further evidence for the presence of a high-status villa nearby or they could represent ritual
activity on the site.