Essex Archaeological News,
Spring 1973 (No 42)
MALDON
During 1971/2 an excavation
was undertaken to investigate a site which was cleared to build a Supermarket.
This was opposite to St. Peter's Church and alongside Chequers Lane (formerly
Friars Lane) leading to the Priory.
The excavation followed trial
trenching by Warwick Rodwell, and was undertaken for the E.A.S. Fieldwork and
Research Committee by Steven Bassett.
The excavation extended over
the November to January period, and considerable difficulty was experienced
from heavy rain and frozen ground. It says much for the fortitude and
determination of the digging team that they continued under these conditions
fighting time and weather to extract a continuous story of the site.
There proved to have been a
continuous succession of structures, fronting the High Street, and dating back
to the tenth century. Four entirely separate structures were located, of which
the latest had clearly defined periods of build.
The first structure proved to
be a Saxon Hall, almost ten metres frontage by six metres depth. The plan lay
entirely within the site excavated, and coincided with that of its robbed
successor. No Structural remains were found.
The evidence for the plan lay
in the beam slots and a well laid gravel floor. A charcoal filled layer of
occupational debris on this floor contained much St. Neots ware and at least
two sherds of Stamford ware.
The succeeding building dates
from the mid to late eleventh century, and was an aisled hall of six metres
depth and eleven in length. To the rear was a well maintained courtyard
surrounded by a detached group of buildings.
The structure was devoid of
flooring, although some thin sandstone slabs may have been the paving for the
floor. These slabs were found as part fill of later filled trenches. The
flooring must have been removed during the life of the building, allowing an
accumulation of occupation debris on the unfloored surface. During the twelfth
century a series of rooms was added which formed wings at the rear of the Hall.
On the Western side these incorporated a previous kitchen into the main
structure, and a new rear entrance was made, with a pathway, to a smaller
courtyard.
The subsequent buildings show
a decline in the general standard of construction. A comparatively flimsy
timbered structure was erected, based on thin strips of ground laid clay, and
floored by poorly maintained spreads of gravel. The plan was that of a single
cross winged hall-house, with front to rear passage between the cross wing and
the central chamber. After a changing history of alterations this building was
destroyed by fire, and was replaced by a new and superior single cross winged
house, part of the frame of which may have survived until destruction in 1970.
The late sixteenth century saw
a fine brick cellar added, and a second brick cellar under the cross wing.
These later phases were
floored by timber planking set first on a thick clay bedding, and later on
joists.
Latterly the structure was
divided into three parts, the main hall being divided into two.
This was a most detailed
analysis, under exposed and severe conditions, and represents an ideal town
site report. Thanks are recorded to all the numerous local townspeople who
helped in many ways.
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