#ThrowbackThursday – East Rd, W. Mersea

For #ThrowbackThursday this week, we are remembering an evaluation we conducted on East Road in West Mersea.

Back in 2021 we visited this site as it lies to the south of the Mersea Barrow, and close to numerous cropmarks, including a potential ring-ditch

Our evaluation included eleven trial-trenches that were 30m long by 1.8m wide. They identified twelve features including five pits and four ditches. Of particular interest was a Bronze Age pit and a Roman ditch or gully. Finds from the site included a variety of pottery from different periods, three prehistoric worked flints of possible Mesolithic or Neolithic date, post-medieval glass bottles and metal-working debris

A previous evaluation was undertaken in 2019, which had similarly revealed Bronze Age features, as well as a considerable Roman remains which suggested that the site of a Roman villa may lie in the area. However, in contrast to the 2019 work, our 2021 evaluation revealed evidence of medieval activity at the site as several ditches and pits yielded medieval pottery. This might suggest domestic occupation in the area

To learn more, feel free to read CAT Report 1626: https://cat.essex.ac.uk/