Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 847: summary

Archaeological excavations at Dale Hall Farm, Lawford, Essex, CO11 2LA: January and February 2015
by Dr Pip Parmenter (with contributions from Stephen Benfield, Julie Curl, Val Fryer, Adam Wightman)

Date report completed: May 2017
Location: Dale Hall Farm, Lawford, Essex, CO11 2LA
Map reference(s): TQ 093 314 (c)
File size: 10,451 kb
Project type: Archaeological excavations
Significance of the results: **
Keywords: Roman, enclosure ditch, cremation burial, inhumation burial, agricultural landscape

Summary. Archaeological excavations were carried out by CAT at Dale Hall Farm, Lawford, Essex. The excavations were conducted in three separate areas of a large development site; Areas A and C revealed evidence of an agricultural landscape dating from the Late Iron Age to the mid-late Roman period. The evidence largely comprised Late Iron Age/early Roman field boundaries, trackways and enclosures, many of which appear to have been maintained, extended or re-dug over a period of time. Some evidence for structural activity was also present, and this may have been related to the agricultural activity. Excavation of Area A also revealed the remains of a late 3rd- to 4th- century Roman kiln and associated kiln debris. Evidence of activity in Area B comprised an early/middle Roman enclosure ditch which encircled what seemed to be a small cemetery containing eight cremation burials and at least one inhumation burial.