Nine Hundred Years of Architecture. Lectures at Great Braxted Church. 31 October 2015

ESAH160: Nine Hundred Years of Architecture. Lectures at Gr...: Four local historians, many of them members of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History, will be giving a series of lectures at Great Braxted Church. Follow link for more

Saving A Century: Colchester Central Library. 3 November to 2 December 2015

'Saving A Century' is a free photographic exhibition at Colchester Central Library celebrating the work of the Victorian Society. On the poster is Birch Church, long time redundant and under threat of demolition.  The Essex Society for Archaeology and History has in its archives two volumes of church photographs taken between c.1880 and c.1910.  There are two depicting the church in better days.  The quality of these photograph of photographs is not good but hopefully will be of interest to readers.  

The Society has its Archive Open Day at Hollytrees, between 10.15am and 1pm on Saturday 7 November 2015. Members welcome.

Essex Police - Heritage Crime Meetings Launched

Historic meeting to protect our counties valuable heritage assets

The first meeting of the Essex Heritage Crime Strategy Group took place on Wednesday 7^th October at the Corporation of London Epping Forest Rangers base at Loughton. The group consists of Essex Police, Essex County Council Place Services, Historic England and other heritage professionals representing the different facets of our heritage for instance: visitor attractions and museums, archaeology, church buildings, listed building owners, the insurance sector and history groups.  The Essex Heritage Crime Strategy Group were a guiding body for the formation of Heritage Watch, the meeting included an update on its progress and will continue to support Heritage Watch. One of the objectives of the group is to understand and reduce crimes threatening our heritage assets such as metal thefts and the recently publicised theft of historic masonry. As well as discussing current threats and risks to each aspect of our counties heritage there were presentations from William Brown – National Security Adviser to the Arts Council and John Minary of Trace-in Metal Ltd.

Stephen Armson-Smith - Essex Police heritage crime prevention lead said “Heritage assets within our county are many, varied, and valuable and in most cases they are simply irreplaceable, it’s important that we are proactive in protecting them. This group brings together the people with the knowledge from the wide variety of heritage fields to help keep our heritage safe for this and future generations to enjoy”.  

Stephen Armson-Smith 74324

Crime Prevention Tactical Advisor

Architectural Liaison Officer

Braintree and Uttlesford Districts

Heritage Crime Prevention Lead

Telephone 101 extension 407110

Mobile 07525 409720

Essex Police

The Police Station,

Blyths Meadow,

Braintree,

Essex CM7 3DJ

stephen.armson-smith[at]essex.pnn.police.uk

Stephen Armson-Smith visited stallholders to raise awareness of Heritage Crime at the Essex Industrial Heritage Fair at Braintree on 10 October 2015, an event organised by the Essex Industrial Heritage Group and Essex Society for Archaeology and History.

Next Event. Archives Open Day. Hollytrees, Colchester: Saturday 7 November 2015.

ESAH160: Next Event. Archives Open Day. Hollytrees, Colches...: Essex Society for Archaeology and History Archives Open Days Saturday 7 November 2015 10.15am to 1.00pm . A further opportunity for members to view our records and the research of others.

Mother and Son: Bessie Blount and Henry Fitzroy, of Blackmore

Two books closely related to the history of Blackmore have recently been purchased for the Library of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History. ‘Bessie Blount, Mistress of Henry VIII’ (told in the title of the book by Elizabeth Norton), a lady in the retinue of Catherine of Aragon, was sent in confinement to Blackmore Priory in 1519 where in the neighbouring house she bore his child, Henry Fitzroy (told in ‘Bastard Prince. Henry VIII’s Lost Son’ by Beverley A. Murphy).

This note unravels the research and establishes whether Henry VIII may have really “gone to Jericho”.

According to Beverley Murphy, the King’s affair with Elizabeth may have been brief and began following the pregnancy of Catherine in April 1518. “It is a sad irony that Katherine’s happy condition was probably the impetus for her husband to seek solace in the arms of Elizabeth Blount” (Murphy, 27).  Elizabeth Norton disagrees, because as early as autumn 1514 Bessie had met the King: “without the birth of Henry Fitzroy, Bessie’s own affair would have probably gone unrecorded” (Norton, 119).  The birth date of Henry Fitzroy is unclear other than he was six years of age in June 1525.  About the time that Bessie was to become visibly pregnant Thomas Wolsey discreetly dispatched her to Jericho House in Blackmore, the home of the prior Thomas Goodwyn (Murphy, 30).  “Bessie made her final appearance at court early in October 1518” (Norton, 131). 

Wolsey was charged with taking an active interest in Henry’s illegitimate child: Blackmore was “sufficiently quiet not to rouse unwelcome gossip” (Norton, 133). Henry VIII is alleged to have been a frequent visitor to Jericho House and is said to have given orders not to be disturbed hence the expression used in Court, “He has gone to Jericho”. This has entered into local folklore fuelled by Philip Morant who used these words in his ‘History of Essex’ (1768) adding that the Priory was one of the King’s “Houses of Pleasure”.  Subsequently historians have suggested that Blackmore Priory was dissolved in 1527 because of its immoral goings-on. From “the records of the dissolution … it does appear that the prior was somewhat more worldly than he should have been” (Norton, 134): its debts ran to one third of the annual income.  But then if a future King lived there perhaps the debts were with some justification? 

Henry VIII may have visited Elizabeth at Blackmore, contrary to the view expressed by Murphy. Bessie certainly did not resume her duties following the birth of Fitzroy (Murphy, 31) and there is no record of the King staying overnight (Norton, 134). But this should not suggest the King had nothing further to do with Bessie.  Blackmore is relatively close to Newhall, Chelmsford, which was renamed Beaulieu in 1523, from where the King “set out to visit her. This is once again evidence that Bessie’s departure from court was not the end of the affair between her and the King” (Norton, 134). It is possible that she later had a daughter by the King around 1520 (Norton, 139) perhaps conceived in Blackmore (Norton, 151). Fitzroy’s biographer disagrees (Murphy, 32).  

The King was delighted with the news of the birth of a son and whilst in Essex that summer might have held a formal celebration at the manor of Havering-atte-Bower (Murphy, 31).  Cardinal Wolsey was named the child’s godparent, as he had been for his half-sister Mary, the only surviving child born of Queen Catherine, some three and a half years earlier. Although no christening records survive Wolsey’s absence from Court from 19 June to 29 June 1519 may have been due to his attendance at Fitzroy’s baptism probably at Blackmore.  Could the font have been the place where the ceremony quietly took place?

Bessie Blount was married off to Gilbert Tailbois (or Tailboys), who hailed from a rich Lincolnshire family.  This may not have happened as quickly as historians have suggested: the first record of marriage is recorded in June 1522 (Murphy, 33; Norton, 139). They may have married in April 1522 because “the king began to be conspicuously generous to Gilbert Tailboys” (Norton, 141).

Historians are again divided as to whether Bessie had any involvement in Fitzroy’s upbringing. Her biographer suggests “it seems probable that she would have retained custody of her son … perhaps playing a part in raising both Henry Fitzroy and Elizabeth Tailboys until her marriage in 1522” (Norton, 151).

Much admired and spoilt by Henry VIII, Henry Fitzroy was, by the age of six, created Duke of Richmond with the titles Earl of Nottingham and Duke of Somerset. This placed Henry Fitzroy in an honoured position because the title held precedence over all other Dukes except potential legitimate sons of the King. By doing so, Henry VIII had elevated his son’s position in society such that he would be a more eligible bachelor. By the age of eight Henry Fitzroy was Admiral of England, Ireland and Normandy but died in 1536, aged seventeen of tuberculosis. He was buried at Thetford Priory.  Had he survived the course of English history could have changed and Fitzroy crowned Henry IX.

Andrew Smith

Principal Sources:

Murphy, Beverley. A.. Bastard Prince. Henry VIII’s Lost Son (Sutton Publishing, 2001)

Norton, Elizabeth. Bessie Blount. Mistress to Henry VIII (Amberley, 2011)

High Country History Group: 'Anglo Saxon Life' - 22 October 2015

High Country History Group: 'Anglo Saxon Life' of theme of next talk - 22 Octo...: Just a quick note to remind you that our autumn season begins next Thursday, 22 October, with a talk by Peter Jennings on ‘Anglo Saxon Life'. Visitors £3, Members of High Country History Group: £1.

You Caxton Publications

Not exactly Essex - but of interest perhaps to members of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History.

"We have recently published Medieval Weymouth, Growth and Decline by James Crump, Was it Yesterday by A. M. Bown, and George Butterworth, Memorial Volume edited by Wayne Smith. We continue to specialise in well-researched books by self-published authors and have several further titles on hand for later in the year. We would be very interested to hear from any members of Essex Society for Archaeology & History who have projects of this nature in hand.

"Medieval Weymouth, Growth and Decline examines the parallel histories of the twin towns of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis from the eleventh century to the end of the sixteenth, charting their rise and subsequent decline.

www.youcaxton.co.uk/medieval-weymouth/

"Was it Yesterday is a fictionalised first-hand account of the author’s experiences during World War I. A. M. Bown, an Oxford scholar and then an artillery subaltern, was twice wounded and won the Military Cross for bravery. His account was first reviewed in the Times Literary Supplement and this is a new edition.

http://www.youcaxton.co.uk/wasityesterday/  

"George Butterworth, Memorial Volume is the first publication of a book of recollections compiled and circulated by Butterworth’s father in 1918. It contains tributes by Vaughan Williams among others. Butterworth was killed at the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

www.youcaxton.co.uk/george-butterworth/

We would welcome any enquiries by members of your association.

Best regards,

Bob Fowke

Editor

YouCaxton Publications

Magna Carta Anniversary. Braintree Museum. Saturday 24 October 2015

Day of Medieval Marvels at Braintree District Museum

  

As part of our Magna Carta anniversary programme Braintree District Museum is pleased to be hosting a special Medieval event day on Saturday 24 October 2015 between 10am and 3pm.

The day has something for all ages, and we are very pleased to be welcoming Happening History, who will be bringing the medieval period to life with interactive armour and weaponry demonstrations.

Happening History Demonstrations

11:00am Arming the Knight

Watch our knight Sir Thomas prepare for battle. Learn more about the history and design of each piece of armour as his squire dresses Sir Thomas. After the demonstration visitors will have a unique opportunity to try on the armour – adult and children’s sizes are available so no one will miss out!

1:30pm Weaponry Demonstration

The Happening History experts will talk us through a range of medieval weaponry, and afterwards visitors will be given the chance to handle the replica items.

There will also be drop-in activities throughout the day including:

·         Medieval herb stall and workshop. Rebecca Ashbey from Cressing Temple will be exploring the herbs grown in medieval times and what they were

used for, and visitors can make their own free pomander perfumed ball to take home.

·         Historical timeline activity for children

·         Book signing with Andrew Summers and John Debenham, authors of ‘Magna

Carta in Essex’. Their new publication looks at the impact of the Essex barons on the events surrounding Magna Carta, and of the baronial war on the Essex landscape.

·         Information on the 13th Century local woolen industry with David Morgans from the University of Essex

·         Reconstruction artist Frank Gardiner will be on hand to sign prints of his stunning reconstruction painting of Castle Hedingham in 1215.

·         Magna Carta exhibition - The day also offers a great opportunity to visit our Magna Carta anniversary exhibition, which looks at the role of local baron Robert de Vere in the events of 1215 and explores the local area in the medieval period. A children’s trail is available for the exhibition, guiding young visitors round the interactive stations including a pottery handling area.

Staff will be on hand to provide more information about the exhibition, and will be getting dressed up in medieval costume - visitors are invited to come dressed up too if they wish!

Tickets for the day are £5 per child, or £15 as part of the Museum’s half term Kid’s Club, and £2.50 for adults. For further information or to book tickets please call 01376 328868 or email info @braintreemuseum.co.uk

About Braintree Museum

Braintree District Museum conserves and celebrates the history of Braintree and its surrounding areas, focusing on the District’s industrial and cultural achievements and its many notable personalities. The Museum’s main galleries chart the history of the town from the prehistoric era up to the 21st century, focusing on Braintree’s archaeology, industry and craftsmanship. Exhibits include artifacts discovered in the local area a dedicated area for Crittall Windows and exhibits that focus on the importance of both the Courtauld and Warner textile firms. For more information visit braintreemuseum.co.uk and follow us @museumbraintree on Twitter and on Facebook.

Chelmsford Museum announces ....

The Essex Society for Archaeology and History is delighted with this news to update the older part of Chelmsford Museum, the "join" of which can easily seen since the 'Bright Sparks' gallery opened a few years ago.  

"We are pleased to announce that Chelmsford Museum has received initial support from the National Lottery via the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for its £2m ‘Chelmsford City Centred’ project.

"The project aims to renovate older displays at the museum in Oaklands Park and provide a café for museum and park users. Development funding of £76,500 has been awarded as part of the initial support to help the museum progress its plans and for us to apply for a full grant later in 2016.

"With National Lottery support, we hope that we can provide a superb new café facility. This will benefit museum visitors and the whole of our local community, at no extra ongoing cost to the Council, ensuring the museum will become an even greater asset for the City. This grant will also allow us to employ people such as a museum designer to build our case. We hope to restore a ‘toastrack’ railway carriage which used to run along Southend Pier, for display in a special outdoors glazed building at the museum. The Pier railway scheme was devised by Colonel Crompton who was Chelmsford’s foremost electrical engineer at the turn of the 19th and 20th century."

Essex Industrial Heritage Fair. Braintree Museum. Saturday 10 October 2015

ESAH160: Essex Industrial Heritage Fair. Braintree Museum. ...: Final details of this special event are now available.  This promises to be an interesting day. Organised by the ESSEX INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP

Pleshey Castle Excavations 1959-1963 (5)

Pleshey Castle Excavations 1959-1963

Archive document ref.:  S/SEC/7/8

Transcription of papers

  

ESSEX ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

(Supplement to 1962 Newsletters

Pleshey 1962

Interim report on the excavation.

The 1962 season took place in three weeks of August under the direction of P.A. Rahtz and Major J.J.S. Brinson.  44 volunteers took part, contributing 1062 man hours; special thanks are due for the regular help of John and Elizabeth Sellers, Peter Ling, Malcolm Forbes, John Payne, and Rosamund Bassett, and Mrs. M.H. Rahtz, and for the organisation and hospitality of Major and Mrs. Brinson.

The 20 feet square in the lower platform of the bailey was further excavated. What was thought to be a well-shaft proved to be an earlier excavation - the spoil had been replaced in the hole within a few weeks of being taken out; the natural clay in which the hole was dug was cracked but there was no silt. This is probably an abortive part of the excavations earlier in this century. Examination of the levels around this hole has however been informative; there is an intense occupation level and a gully of 15th century date, and it is clear that the Norman moat edge was some 15-20 ft. further back than it is now.

The chapel which had been excavated to floor level in 1960 was stripped to natural except for the main wall foundation. Below the floors were several layers, representing parts of three earlier structures. The lowest of these in the Norman layer, consisted of two adjacent curving foundations of clay, chalk and flints. They may be part of a tower or series of towers in a clover-leaf plan, built into the rampart as part of the defences of the Upper Bailey. The super-structure was of bricks, clay and timber. It was burnt down and its destruction level spread over a wide area. Contemporary with this was a massive timber foundation trench and a post-hole. Above these Norman structures were found parts of two buildings of the thirteenth century. Of the lower of these were found three rammed clay piers on an E.W. alignment; they may be part of the earliest wooden chapel. Above these were timber slots and post-holes of what is probably the chapel of the mid thirteenth century. It was built later than 1208, certainly, as a coin of 1208-20 was found in the layer below. Its plan is of a building some 35 x 12ft divided into three parts possibly the nave chancel and sanctuary. It was burnt down, and in its destruction level were many pieces of thick daub (with impressions of wooden battens), burnt window-glass and lead, and burnt grain.

Notable finds from the 1962 season include a pottery chimney, a finely carved bone pin, a roman brooch, a silver finger-ring, a silver-gilt fitting, a rushlight holder, and a quern-stone of lava, and some interesting groups of pottery.

It is hoped to uncover the Norman foundations in the 1963 season.

P. A. RAHTZ

September 1962

ESSEX ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

(Supplement to 1962 Newsletters)

EXCAVATIONS AT PLESHEY CASTLE 1963

Hon.  Organiser: Major J.G.S. Brinson

Director: Philip A.Rahtz.

July 27th to August 24th

Further excavations will be carried out at Pleshey in 1963 with the aim of discovering the nature of the curving foundations found below the north-west corner of the chapel at the end of the 1962 season.

This will involve the removal of a number of layers of 13th-16th century date with a total possible depth of 12 feet; as the Society is not in a financial position to employ paid labour a large number of digging helpers will be needed.

The Hon. Organiser would also like to have offers of help from members willing to clean and record finds, to soil tickets and talk to visitors or to make tea and, generally help to keep the dig running in a tidy efficient manner.

It will be of the greatest possible assistance to the organiser if members who intend to help will fill in the slip below and return it to J.E.Sellers Esq, 1 Chignall Road Chelmsford Essex

This is not compulsory and there is no latest date for sending it in; if you prefer, please, write a letter but if you require an answer, please send a stamped addressed envelope.

Members are reminded that this excavation is also intended to provide training of a kind which can only be obtained by attending a summer schools: little training was possible in 1962 as the labour force was barely sufficient to finish the planned excavation in the time available.

Pleshey is 7 miles north of Chelmsford; turn left off A130 half a mile north of Great Waltham church.. Eastern National bus service No. 52 from Chelmsford stops 100 yards from the site.

Camping will be allowed in the bailey. 

BATA Heritage Centre Open Day, Wednesday 14 October 2015

The Essex Society has received news of the Bata Heritage Centre Open Day which may interest members of the Essex Industrial Archaeology Group. 

Mike Tarbard writes: "I am writing to let you know that our next Open Day will be on Wednesday 14 October at East Tilbury library.   Details of how to find the library are on our website (http://www.batamemories.org.uk/MAIN/ENG/00-EN-Pages/18-Contact.html).  Our opening hours for this event will be from 11.00am to 2.00pm and then from 4.00pm to 7.00pm.   I do hope that many of you will be able to come along to one or both of these sessions and catch up with 'old friends' and see what we are doing to try and continue to raise the profile of the Bata name and this organisation.   We are expecting a small number of the Year 6 children from East Tilbury Primary School to come and visit during the morning session.   We are also expecting a small group of students from the Bartlett School of Architecture (connected with University College in London).

"We held the Special General Meeting in August and agreed to change our name to the Bata Heritage Centre.  We intend using this Open Day to officially launch and announce this change.

"The new email address of brrcatbatamemories [at] hotmail.com seems to be working well.   In addition Paul Addington, our Treasurer, is working on a new website.  This will take a while before we can launch it." 

Best wishes

Mike Tarbard

Chairman - Bata Heritage Centre (formerly The Bata Reminiscence & Resource Centre)"

Next Event. Archives Open Day. Hollytrees, Colchester. 3 October 2015

Essex Society for Archaeology and History

Archives Open Days

Saturday 3 October & Saturday 7 November 2015

10.15am to 1.00pm

Education Room, Hollytrees, Colchester

Come and see the archives of our Society dating back to 1852.

No charge.

Admission to our pop up search room on production of valid membership card or similar. 

Search room rules apply – pencil use only etc.  Bring your own laptop, digital camera.

Our records include Minute Books and research by members over many years.

Come and see the tableware for the Society’s Centenary Medieval Feast in 1953, the photographs and newspaper cuttings.

See notes on the Pleshey Castle excavations in the 1960s.

Discover the original plans for Stansted Airport expansion in the late 1960s through newspaper cuttings and correspondence from this Society.

View two albums of church photographs taken c.1880 to 1910.

Also Sperling’s six volumes of notes on churches dating from the late-nineteenth to early-twentieth century and his many notebooks.

View the latest draft catalogue online at www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/esaha.html

See more information published on our blog.

For further information or to pre-order documents contact via www.esah160.blogspot.co.uk

Pleshey Castle Excavations 1959-1963 (4)

Pleshey Castle Excavations 1959-1963

Archive document ref.:  S/SEC/7/8

Transcription of papers

INTERIM REPORT ON THE EXCAVATION OF PLESHEY CASTLE, 1959.

(a) SUMMARY OF WORK ACCOMPLISHED.

The 1959 season of five weeks excavation was an exploratory one, with the aim of recovering a chronological sequence of the occupations between the 12th and 16th centuries A.D., and their relationship to the present topography. The area chosen was the west end of the Bailey, which was cut by a trench 115 feet x 10 feet and up to 13 feet deep.

Slight evidence was found of Roman and earlier occupation, but the first intensive use of this part of the site was in late Norman times, probably that following the construction of the earthwork. The Norman layer consisted of occupation and building debris, and is dated by sherds to the late 12th-13th centuries A.D. Traces of two buildings of this period were found, in timber and brick construction, the bricks being among the earliest examples found in Essex. The area was made up with several feet of clay in the later 15th century, and on this new higher level were buildings of stone, tile and timber construction of the 14th-16th centuries A.D. The principal building encountered had very substantial foundations, and is clearly one of major importance; other buildings are likely to be minor ones such as gate-house and stabling. The site fell into disuse in the 16th century, and very little evidence was found of any occupation later than about 1580. Finds have been numerous, and include a useful series of pottery, painted window glass, glazed tiles, bronze and iron objects, and coins.

(b) THE TRAINING.

A total of 98 people took part in the excavation, excluding paid labour and directorial staff. They worked a total of 399 man-days over a period of 5 weeks, of which the last week was mainly occupied with filling-in. The 98 people were ell given some experience in digging under supervision, and in seeing how an excavation was organised. Over half of these (55) were however only very occasional helpers, for 2 or 3 days or half-days, usually at weekends, and useful training was limited to the remaining 43. Of these, 34 attended for periods ranging from 3 to 9 days, and in addition to being taught how to use tools in an archaeological manner, were initiated by the grid supervisors into methods of digging and recording, followed the progress of the dig, and were able to handle different kinds of pottery and finds. All attended the daily site lecture and the discussion that followed.

The remaining 9 received full training as grid supervisors. 5 attended for 3-4 weeks, 2  for 2 weeks and 2 for 1-2 weeks. These were each given control of a unit of excavation, in this case a 10-foot square grid, and were required to excavate the layers encountered, record each layer in plan and section, record the position of all finds, and finally to write a seminary of the sequence of events in each grid. Each was provided with a box containing notebook, measuring tape, pen, ink, labels, bags, etc. Paid and volunteer labour was allocated to each according to the needs of the grid at any particular stage. Direct instruction was given in the course of this work by Major Brinson and myself, and each afternoon a lecture was given on the site, which dealt with problems arising, the progress of the excavation, and various aspects of archaeology ranging from first principles to the type of medieval pottery found in the excavation. It was attended by all people digging on that day, and often by visitors, who numbered about 1,000 during the course of the dig.

The success of the training was dependent on many factors, the principal one being of course the intelligence and natural gratitude on the part of the trainee. Of the 11 given full training, only 2 may be considered as successful inasmuch as they would now be capable of doing further work on their own initiative under only limited control, 7 never fully mastered the problems arising in their own unit of excavation, but would certainly be an asset to any excavation in which they might later participate. The other 2 might be written off as untrainable. It must be pointed out that this assessment is a critical one and that the stratification and problems encountered were more complex than would be normal, even on medieval sites. On a straightforward Roman excavation, all would have been able to cope adequately with e limited area of excavation, except for a general difficulty encountered in precise but meaningful drawing, end in thinking three-dimensionally.

The main difficulty encountered in the 1959 excavation has been the lack of continuity in attendance of volunteers, resulting in much tedious repetition, but this seems to be inevitable when the excavation is being run for local people with limited time. Nor is it satisfactory to have a labour force ranging from a dozen or so on many weekdays to over 30 at weekends; but, again this seems an insurmountable difficulty if the excavation is to cater both for the serious students and for the casual helpers who form the active backbone of the organising Society.

In the 1959 season we were exceptionally fortunate in the weather, and we did not find it necessary to fall back on indoor instruction in the form of lantern lectures, for which the village hall was available. In a wet season the background of this indirect training would have been much wider.

P.A. RAHTZ

November, 1959.

Pleshey Castle Excavations 1959-1963 (3)

Pleshey Castle Excavations 1959-1963

Archive document ref.:  S/SEC/7/8

Transcription of papers

ESSEX ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Hon. Secretary: John S. Appleby, F.R.Met.S.,

Tel:- Wivenhoe 472.

Dear Member of the Council,

Cranford House,

Elmstead,

Colchester.

Essex.

2nd January, 1960

The reports on the 1959 Pleshey excavation are attached.

Please bring these to the Meeting of the Council on Tuesday next, 5th January, 1960, at 2.30 p.m. at Holly Trees, Colchester, when they will be discussed in the course of the business.

May I take this opportunity of wishing you a Happy New Year.

Yours truly,

John S. Appleby.

Hon. Secretary, E.A.S.

P.S. Subscriptions are due from 1st January, 1960.

Have you set a good example by paying yours?

Forms of Covenant may be obtained from The Hon. Treasurer, M.L.Bennett, B.Sc.

His address is "Sharon", 15 The Commons, Colchester.

PLESHEY CASTLE, 1959. Interim Report on Excavation. 

The excavation took place during five weeks of September and October, 1959 of which most of the last week was directed towards filling-in. Work proceeded every day, with paid labour and volunteers, in excellent weather, only an hour or two being lost through rain in the whole period. Three men were employed and an average of twelve volunteers attended daily, a total of ninety eight taking part at one time or another.

The dig, which it is hoped will be the first of several seasons' work, was organised by Major J. Brinson and on behalf of the Essex Archaeological Society (the first to be undertaken by that body for half a century) and was directed as a training excavation for the Society by P. A. Rahtz. The work was financed by donations from several individuals and organisations, and was carried out with the help and encouragement of the owner, Mr. J. J. Tufnell.

The site had not until previously been excavated scientifically: some buildings were cleared in 1907 by the then owner: the work was undertaken principally to relieve unemployment: several buildings were cleared, and "several hundred" glazed decorated floor tiles were removed to Langleys, and later buried *Footnote. No record of this digging was published, but one of the buildings, on the motte, was cleared, and a plan of its foundations published, by the Morant Club in 1921-2. Recently Mr. Tufnell has cleared the trees from the sites which has made it possible to study the earthworks with clarity: in the course of this work, some structures were uncovered by tree roots: restoration work was also done on the magnificent 15th century brick bridge which connects the motte to the Upper Bailey. The site consists of a large and elliptical mooted motte of 80ft. maximum, height with a kidney-shaped bailey on the south side, defended by an 18-ft. high bank and outer moat. On the north side is the town enclosure delineated by a bank and ditch which encompasses the whole of the modern village. Within this, adjacent to the motte on its north side, Major Brinson has found traces of what is apparently another cresentic bailey, which has however been largely destroyed in antiquity: it may be the original bailey, and have been disused when the town enclosure was made, at the same time as the kidney-shaped bailey was made. The destroyed bailey is at a lower level than the extant one, and it is proposed to call them the Lower and Upper Bailey respectively.

Access to the Upper Bailey is now by a gap in its outer rampart, but it is believed that the Norman entrance was at the east end of the bailey, whore there is an "island" in the moat, which may be an emplacement for the centre of a double draw-bridge. Nearby is a cut-away area in the inner moat edge, which may have been connected with the abutment of the bridge connecting motto to bailey, and later replaced by the brick bridge. The documentary evidence extends from the mid-12th to the later 16th century A.D. The Norman castle may have been built c. 1145 and was "fortified" c.1180. The castle passed into the Bohun family and thence to Thomas Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, who lived there in regal state until his execution in 1397. The castle then became Crown Property, and was the home of Queen Margaret in the 15th century, when some brick-building was done, including probably the bridge. The site lapsed alter this, and was in decay and being robbed by 1589.

The excavation was an exploratory one, designed to find out the sequence of occupation on the site and to relate it to the stratification at the western end of the Upper Bailey and to that of the western rampart. Such an excavation in depth is a necessary preliminary to area excavation, but it is inevitably dangerous and destructive of any structures encountered, particularly those associated with medieval timber buildings, which cannot be understood except by horizontal excavation. We compromised in this respect by making a cutting wide enough (10 ft.) to have at least some appreciation of the horizontal aspect of the stratification, and by meticulous recording of all layers and features encountered: future area 'excavation would thus not suffer in information, but only in area photography. The excavation in depth was limited to a trench 118 x 10 ft., divided up into 10-ft. square grids, both to obtain cross sections, and also for convenience in training. The deepest of these had to be dug to a depth of 13 feet to reach undisturbed ground, and gave some indications of the problems to be faced in area excavation.

The stratification was complex, variable, and not well-defined in details, as is to be expected on medieval sites. There are some traces of Roman and earlier occupation, in the lower part of the "old ground surface" but the first intensive settlement was in Norman times. It is represented by burnt buildings, debris (including bricks 13" x 9" x 1¼“), and domestic remains: those include much pottery which cannot be closely dated, but on general grounds is unlikely to be earlier than the mid-late 12th century, extending into the 13 th century. The occupation represented is associated with the rampart and is more likely to be that following the "fortification" of c.1180 A.D., than that of c.1145 A.D.  A few similar shards and brick fragments were found on the original ground surface under the rampart tail. The Norman building were located, represented by post-holes and a timber-slot, associated with a drainage ditch.

The Norman level is sealed by a make-up of clay, in places 4-5 ft. thick, which was laid down sometime in the later 13th century to raise the level of the ground and to grade it so that storm water would run off easily, and thus avoid the somewhat dirty conditions evidenced in the Norman layer.

On the surface of this make-up several buildings have been found. On the tail of the rampart are three successive phase of minor buildings, mostly of timber, with numerous post-holes, timber-slots, metalled areas, and cesspits. These cover the period from the later 13th century to the 16th century, but in the absence of sealed levels only the latest phase may be satisfactorily dated except in general terms. On the level part of the bailey a major building has been found, with three main periods of constructions, which cannot however be definitely related to the three periods in the minor buildings. In the first phase of this major building the foundations were extremely substantial consisting of deeply-founded "rafts" of rammed gravel and clay on which were built substantial foundations of flint and later of brick and tile. The indentification of this building must remain at present uncertain: it might be the chapel. On its west side is a heavily metalled roadway with ruts leading towards an area by the side of the brick bridge: the lower levels of this road are partly sealed by the latest period of building. A 9 ft. deep cesspit, of the latest period of occupation, was excavated in this area.

Finds have been numerous, and include a sequence of pottery of 12th-16th century date, (of which the earliest group is completely sealed), many finds of bronze, iron, glass, lead, and stone; and a few coins and jettons, none of which is in a very helpful context.

The 1959 season has given a good idea of what stratification and materials may be expected in any area excavation. It is proposed, if funds are available to have a second season in September-October, 1960, also to be run as a training school for Essex Archaeological students. An area excavation of the major building found in 1959 is contemplated, together with exploratory cuttings in the area of the destroyed bank of the Lower Bailey or of the Norman bridge abutments, if sufficient resources are available.

Historical Association, Essex Branch. Programme 2015/16

Historical Association, Essex Branch

Programme 2015-16

Talks on Saturdays, 2.30pm, Trinity Methodist Church, Rainsford Road, Chelmsford, CM1 2XB (except 31 Oct)

Free parking at the Church or in the County Council car-park opposite

Visitors and prospective members warmly welcomed

 -  £3 donation requested

Saturday 26 September 2015:

Short AGM followed by Dr Rachel Duffett, Teaching Fellow in the Department of Sociology, University of Essex: A Taste of Army Life: Food and Soldiers of the Great War.

                                                

Saturday 31 October 2015:  

Conference on the Battle of Agincourt, a joint event with the Essex Record Office, held  at the Essex Record Office. 11am for 11.30am-3.30pm (Part of the Chelmsford Ideas Festival) 

Anne Curry, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Professor of Medieval History,  University of Southampton, Agincourt 1415 – 2015.

Dr James Ross, Senior Lecturer in Late Medieval History, University of Winchester, Conflict in Context: Henry V and the Renewal of the Hundred Years War.

Members £7: book clem.moir [at] btinternet.com.  Non-members £15: book on 033301 32500.  Includes refreshments and lunch

                                                 

Saturday 5 December 2015:

Nigel Saul, Professor of Medieval History, Royal Holloway College, University of London, Magna Carta: Was It Worth It?

Saturday 9 January 2016:

David Stevenson, Professor of International History, London School of Economics and Political Science, The Origins of the Cold War.

Saturday 6 February 2016:

Roger Richardson, Research Professor Emeritus and Director of International Relations (USA), Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Winchester, Servant Life in Elite Households in the Seventeenth and early Eighteenth Centuries.

Saturday 5 March 2016:                

Dr Helen McCarthy, Senior Lecturer in History, Queen Mary College, University of London, Double Lives: Working Mothers in Twentieth Century Britain.

Saturday 9 April 2016:

Charles Barr, Emeritus Professor in the School of Art, Media and American Studies, University of East Anglia, Ealing Studios 1930-55: presenting Britain and the British Character on Film.

Saturday 7 May 2016:

Dr Fiona Haarer, Lecturer in the Classics Department, King’s College, University of London. The Empress Theodora: from Courtesan to Queen.

For further information: email essexha1 [at] btinternet.com or www.history.org.uk and  essexbranchha.blogspot.com

The Essex Society for Archaeology and History is pleased to advertise these events.