Archaeological monitoring and excavation at Birch Pit, Stage 5 western extension, Maldon Road, Birch, Colchester, Essex – August-September 2012

Archaeological monitoring and excavation was carried out at Birch Pit in 2012 on behalf of Hanson Aggregates. The archaeological monitoring covered topsoil-stripping of an extraction area associated with the Stage 5 western extension of the quarry and was undertaken adjacent to areas excavated in 2007 and 2008.
Only two features were recorded during the course of the work, a post-hole containing pottery sherds dated to the Late Bronze Age or early Iron Age and a ditch dating to the post-medieval or modern period. The majority of the stripped area was disturbed by activity associated with the construction and subsequent removal of a
World War II airbase.