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Tuesday 17 December 2013

Maldon: Essex Archaeological News, Spring 1973

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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