Iron Age, Roman and Post-Medieval Remains at Site 8, Beaulieu, Chelmsford

An archaeological excavation was carried out within Zone E at Beaulieu, Chelmsford (TL 7291 1008). The fieldwork took place between the 19th July and 22nd September 2014.
Two separate areas totalling 0.337ha and 0.575ha (areas E1 and E2) encountered part of a Late Bronze Age open settlement, comprising up to seven four poster structures and other associated occupational features. One further area (E2) revealed a single undated feature.
The main excavation area (Site 8) and the three adjacent swale trenches (E4, E5, E6), which encompassed an area of 1.875ha, contained multi period remains. The earliest occupation on this site consisted of a small nucleated later Iron Age settlement, comprising a roundhouse, enclosure ditch, occupation features and two cremation burials.
A larger sub-rectangular enclosed settlement was subsequently established in the Late Iron Age/Early Roman period. Internal settlement features included a roundhouse, midden deposits and associated pits and postholes. A small, enclosed cemetery was established at this time to the north-east of the enclosure.
In the Early Roman period the enclosure was remodelled and a new roundhouse was constructed in the eastern part of the enclosure. The western part of the enclosure contained a large number of pits and postholes, with evidence for spelt crop processing. This nucleated settlement went out of use in the 2nd century and the land was given over to small fields on a north-east to south-west alignment shortly afterwards.
The next phase of occupation dates to the 17th century when a series of thirty-six pits were laid out in rows east to west. These pits were filled with brick rubble and may be part of a formal garden or large temporary structure. A brick wall dating to this period lay in the north-western part of the site. The site then reverted to agricultural land with several field boundaries present.