Land at the Former Three Suns Nursery, Wycke Hill, Maldon, Essex

In June 2012 Oxford Archaeology East (OA East) were commissioned by Galliford Try Partnership on behalf of Linden Homes to undertake a desk-based assessment for a c.2.4ha site at the former Three Suns Nursery, Wycke Hill, Maldon. The aim of this report is to assess the presence, nature and extent of any heritage assets likely to be affected by the proposed development.
The proposed development site comprises an irregularly-shaped area located to the immediate south-west of the urban expansion of Maldon within a semi industrial/rural setting. It is bounded to the immediate north-west by the A414 Wycke Hill / Spital Road and the B1018 is located to the northeast, the land to the immediate south is all undeveloped.
Cartographic sources indicate that there has been no obvious activity on the site until the construction of most of the current buildings within the last 30 years. Before this time maps show the site was used as arable land.
Assessment of the distribution of known finds, listed buildings and archaeological investigations in the vicinity of the site indicates that the site has a moderate level of archaeological potential. There is low potential for deposits of prehistoric date but more moderate-to-high likelihood of encountering Late Iron Age / Roman deposits given the proximity of the site to the Roman town of Maldon, a known Roman Road as well as a evidence from archaeological investigations just over half a kilometre to the east. The medieval period has a low-moderate potential for surviving remains with archaeological evidence as well as significant buildings from the period including a moated site at Maldon Hall and St Giles Hospital site, both within 1km radius.