Essex Archaeol Hist 26

Evidence for agricultural activities on the periphery of a settlement of unknown size, a few kilometres away from North Shoebury (96/230). There was also a sunken-featured building of Early Saxon date. Specialist reports comprise `Prehistoric pottery' by N Brown (28--34), `Saxon pottery' by Susan Tyler (34--5), `Lithics' by L Austin (35--6), `Miscellaneous finds' by H Major (36--7), `Faunal remains' by O Bedwin (37) and `Environmental material' by V Fryer (37).

Two trenches across the defences (see also 96/218) allowed a provisional LIA date to be suggested for the original rampart and ditch. In the medieval (eleventh--twelfth centuries) and again in the post-medieval/modern periods the ditch was re-cut. Finally, there was evidence of the site's use as a military training ground in WWII. Other contributions are on `The Late Iron Age and Roman pottery' by T S Martin (61--2), `Medieval pottery' by Helen Walker (62--3), `Burnt clay' by Hilary Major (63), and `Worked flint' by Owen Bedwin (63--4).

Small-scale rescue excavation located parts of a robbed masonry structure and a timber building of the Roman period, which may have been part of a complex known from antiquarian records. The evidence for a large ditched enclosure in Roman Coggeshall (see 89/512) is reassessed: the new suggestion is that the various alignments of ditch represent a droveway, paddock and field boundaries, and a stretch of roadside ditch along Stane Street. There was some activity in the Early and Middle Saxon periods and portions of a post-medieval structure were also found. Louise Austin reports on `The flint' (92--3), W J Rodwell, B Dickinson & T S Martin on `The Roman pottery' (92--6), Susan Tyler on `The Saxon pottery' (96--7), Helen Walker on `The medieval and post-medieval pottery' (97--9), H Major on `The small finds' (99), D Williams on `The decorative stonework' (99) and H Major on `Roman brick and tile' (99--100).

Most of the Essex till landscape consists of scattered settlements with early field enclosures of the type traditionally described as `woodland' or `bocage', distinct from the open fields and nucleated settlements forms of the English Midlands. This paper considers the landscape of the parish of Cressing, certain similarities and comparisons in Writtle and Felsted, and the very different landscape of the Tabor Estate.

Notes on a number of watching briefs and chance finds, as well as final reports on a number of small excavations, followed by `Aerial survey 1994' by David Strachan (228--30), `Essex Mapping Project 1994' by Caroline Ingle & David Strachan (230--4) and `Industrial archaeology survey' by Shane Gould (234--6).

A small scrap hoard from west Essex, typical of the Ewart Park phase. The possibility that some objects may be miscast, and the presence of ingot fragments, may indicate a founder's hoard.Au(adp)

Sets out some disagreements with the preferred interpretation of this building (see 94/1501) as the principia of an Imperial Estate (a church has also been suggested) and puts forward an alternative interpretation as a building with a pagan religious purpose or a meeting-place.

One of a small group of middle- to late-fifth-century North German pieces known from Essex: a type rare in England.

Reports a measured survey of a timber barn possibly of the late thirteenth century.

A watching brief revealed a brick burial vault and remains of the Benedictine priory and the post-Dissolution mansion which replaced its cloisters.

Auger survey of peat deposits on the Rainham Marshes (cf 92/459) and watching brief discoveries.