| Abstract: |
The evaluation comprised the excavation of 239no. trenches, each measuring 30m
long by 1.8m wide, in the locations shown on Figure 2. The trenches were located
to test geophysical anomalies, cropmarks, areas of known archaeological potential
and to provide a sample of the remainder of the site through the targeted trenching
of the location of solar farm infrastructure including road, inverter stations etc.
Trenches were set out on OS National Grid co-ordinates using Leica GPS and
scanned for live services by trained CA staff using CAT and genny equipment, in
accordance with the CA Safe System of Work for avoiding underground services.
Overburden was stripped from the trenches by a mechanical excavator fitted with a
toothless grading bucket. All machining was conducted under archaeological
supervision to the top of the natural substrate, which was the level at which
archaeological features were first encountered.
Archaeological features/deposits were investigated, planned and recorded in
accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual.
Deposits were assessed for their palaeoenvironmental potential, and samples were
taken in accordance with CA Technical Manual 2: The Taking and Processing of
Environmental and Other Samples from Archaeological Sites. In addition to
standard bulk soil samples taken from feature fills, two monolith sequences were
also recovered, at the request of Richard Havis of EPS, from deep deposit
sequences encountered at the southern end of Area C.
Artefacts were processed in accordance with CA Technical Manual 3: Treatment of
Finds Immediately after Excavation.
CA will make arrangements with Thurrock Museum for the deposition of the project
archive and, subject to agreement with the legal landowner(s), the artefact
collection. A digital archive will also be prepared and deposited with the
Archaeology Data Service (ADS). The archives (museum and digital) will be
prepared and deposited in accordance with Thurrock Museum guidelines and the
Standard and guidance for the creation, compilation, transfer and deposition of
archaeological archives (CIfA 2014; updated October 2020).
A summary of information from this project, as set out in Appendix D, will be
entered onto the OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain. Between May and June 2022, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an
archaeological evaluation of land at Fen Lane and Medebridge
Road, South Ockendon, Essex, at the request of Planet Planning,
acting on behalf of Medebridge Solar Ltd. A total of 239no.
trenches were excavated across the 72ha development site,
comprising areas A to C.
The results of the trial trenching partially confirmed those of a
preceding geophysical survey, which identified a number of post-medieval and modern former boundary ditches in Areas A and C. A
modern drain system of plastic drainage pipes covered by layers of
fired clay pellets was also identified in Area B, matching a regularly
spaced set of geophysical anomalies along the eastern edge of the
Mardyke.
In the north-eastern portion of Area A, a number of parallel-running
small, roughly east/west aligned ditches were identified, likely
representative of agricultural strip fields of Late Iron Age/Romano British date.
The few features encountered in Area B remained undated and did
not correspond with any of the geophysical anomalies, while the
geophysical anomalies that were mapped in this area in turn did
not correspond with any sub-surface features.
In Area C, a cluster of small pits and ditches was encountered in
Trenches 233-235, partially overlain by deep deposit sequences
suggestive of extensive seasonal flooding from the nearby
Mardyke. |
