Archaeological excavation on Phase 2 land at Westrope Haulage Yard, Sturmer Road, Birdbrook, Essex, CO9 4BB: March 2017

An archaeological excavation was carried out on land at Westrope Haulage Yard, Sturmer Road, Birdbrook, Essex in advance of the construction of new offices/light industrial units as part of ‘Phase 2’ development work. Located close to the sites of a Roman cemetery and of Wixoe small Roman town on the other side of the River Stour, the excavation targeted an area 60m² where a Roman pit and oven were revealed during archaeological evaluation in 2016. Three further Roman features (a possible well or gravel-pit, pit and ditch) and an undated pit were excavated. This small but significant cluster of Roman features and finds is indicative of Roman domestic/
settlement activity within the hinterland of the Roman town.