Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 952: summary

Archaeological monitoring and recording at New Hall School, The Avenue, Boreham, Chelmsford, Essex, CM3 3HS: February 2016
by Laura Pooley (with contributions from Stephen Benfield, Emma Holloway, Chris Lister, Robin Mathieson)

Date report completed: May 2016
Location: New Hall School, The Avenue, Boreham, Chelmsford, Essex, CM3 3HS
Map reference(s): TL 7343 1038
File size: kb
Project type: Monitoring
Significance of the results:
Keywords:

Summary. Archaeological monitoring and recording took place at New Hall School, Boreham, Essex in advance of the construction of a covered play area and school offices in the north quad courtyard. New Hall School is located on the site of a medieval manor and later Tudor palace (Beaulieu) built by Henry VIII in 1517. Part of the palace survives and is still used by the school (Grade I listed, NHLE no. 1000207) with the surviving north wing located immediately to the south of the development site. Five postmedieval brick walls and a brick floor were identified, all probably associated with the Tudor palace. Two walls and the floor dated from the 15th to the early 17th century. One wall was possibly part of a boundary. The other wall and associated floor were probably part of a previously unknown room or set of rooms to the north of the surviving north wing. A third wall dating from the 17th to the early 18th century, along with two other later post-medieval walls, may represent later additions or repairs.