Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 1789: summary

Archaeological evaluation at Hedingham Castle, Castle Hedingham, Essex, CO9 3DG: February 2022
by Sarah Veasey with Laura Pooley (with contributions from Dr Matthew Loughton and Adam Wightman)

Date report completed: April 2022
Location: Hedingham Castle, Castle Hedingham, Essex, CO9 3DG
Map reference(s): TL 78671 35819 (centre)
File size: 8102 kb
Project type: Evaluation
Significance of the results:
Keywords: Hedingham Castle

Summary. An archaeological evaluation was carried out at Hedingham Castle, Castle Hedingham, Essex.

The evaluation consisted of three test-pits located to the south-west of the Norman keep. Two were positioned alongside the standing remains of turrets from a Tudor tower, and the third alongside a later wall built over the foundations of the tower. The aim of the evaluation was to expose the buried remains associated with these structures to allow a programme of Historic Building Record and Photogrammetry to take place to better assess the remains of the Tudor tower.

All three of the test-pits successfully exposed the buried remains. Test-pits 1 and 3 revealed that the turrets of the Tudor tower had substantial foundations 1.8-1.9m deep, and a possible construction cut for the western turret was also identified in the base of test-pit 1. The later wall in test-pit 2 was equally substantial, extending 1.35m below ground level. The excavation of test-pit 2 also revealed the remains of an earlier brick wall, aligned north/south, that is in all likelihood an internal wall within the tower.