Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 418: summary

An archaeological excavation at the Chelmsford park and ride phase II site, Sandon, Essex: June-July 2006
by Brooks, H; Holloway, B (with contributions from Crummy, N; Lavender, N.J; Martingell, H; Boghi, F; Fryer, V)

Date report completed: 01/03/2007
Location: Sandon, Essex
Map reference(s): TQ697870 (centre)
File size: 2,089 kb
Project type: Evaluation
Significance of the results: *
Keywords: Bronze Age, domestic, cremation, prehistoric field ditches, radiocarbon, Iron Age, animal bone, loomweight, lithics, slag, daub, plant macrofossils, worked flint

Summary. Excavation of an 0.8 hectare site to the north of the Chelmsford Park and Ride site at Sandon uncovered evidence of activity in the Late Bronze Age. This took the form of an area of post holes, which may include elements of domestic structures. Finds of spindle whorls and oven debris suggest a domestic occupation and a local economy which must have included an element of pastoral farming. In addition to the settlement occupation, two groups of cremation burials suggest a cemetery area separated from the domestic focus. C14 dating of the cremations suggests they are contemporary with the pottery-dated domestic activity. A series of later field ditches suggest that the site was later converted to pastoral farming (still in the LBA), and later pits show that there was some undefined activity here in the Middle Iron Age.