| Summary : A multiperiod site initially identified from cropmarks, and the scene of large-scale excavations between 1965 and 1978, largely prompted by the threat of destruction by gravel extraction. In total some 45 acres (18.2 hectares) were excavated. The site itself lay on a terrace overlooking the Thames. A protracted post-excavation phase still continues. The finds and archive are held by the British Museum. A detailed site atlas (Clark 1993) has been published, accompanied by an account of the excavations, plus some general and specialist reports. Few sites have been published in full, but those that have include the Late Bronze Age North Ring enclosure (Bond 1988) and the Anglo-Saxon settlement (Hamerow 1993). In sumamry, a few Mesolithic finds represent the earliest material found, although non was in situ. A few items have been tentatively suggested as Palaeolithic. The Neolithic is better represented, with pottery and lithic assemblages plus pits, some of this material appearing in discrete concentrations. The earlier Bronze Age is represented again by pottery and lithics, plus several ring ditches (probably barrows) and burials. The Middle Bronze Age is less well-represented, but the Late Bronze Age is marked by the appearance of the "South Rings" enclosure and, excavated separately, the aforementioned "North Rings". Associated field boundaries are also present, as well as an abundance of artefactual material. The Iron Age again features enclosures, fields, round houses and artefactula material and an unenclosed cremation cemetery. The Roman period is again well-represented by settlement and burial evidence, though it is not uniformly represented throughout the whole period. The Anglo-Saxon settlement and associated cemeteries are particularly noteworthy features. Subsequent periods are dominated by evidence of field systems and associated buildings and other structures. See associated monuments for details about particular sites. |
More information : Area centred TQ 674806. A palimpsest of crop marks
at Mucking (see plan), representing occupation from the
Neolithic to Anglo-Saxon period was first recorded on air
photography taken by J K St Joseph in 1959. The site, which
lay on the 100 ft river terrace close to the natural crossing
point of the Thames was extensively excavated, in advance of
gravel extraction, between 1965 and 1978. The sequence of
occupation extended back to the Neolithic period which was
represented by isolated pits and graves; flints of Mesolithic
period were also discovered. A Middle Bronze Age barrow cemetery,
with traces of a related field system and other settlement
evidence, mostly pits, was also seen. Substantial evidence for
occupation did not begin, however, until the later Bronze Age
(circa 9th century BC) when the terrace was dominated by two
circular 'mini'-hillforts; the larger being bivallate and 83m
across, and the smaller measuring 48m across and overlooking
Mucking creek. Most of the round house sites of the Iron Age,
lying within penannular eavesdrip gullies, were in open ground
which suggested herding. A similar economy was sugested by a
complex of frequently renewed curved and rectangular ditches,
perhaps providing banks for sheepfolds. Cereal cultivation
was also attested by carbonised grain found in storage pits and
raised granaries which were represented by rectangular settings
of four, six and nine postholes. Prehistoric salt drying and metal
working was evidenced by fragmentary crucibles and copper ingots.
Romano-British occupation on the site was basically part of a
villa field system incorporating three existing rectangular
earthworks; (i) from the south, a single entrance paramilitary
double ditched enclosure; (ii) an early farmstead enclosure and
(iii) a late Iron Age earthwork. Two Romano-British cemeteries
lay within these fields, and two in the outfield, a probable
4th century stone coffin containing a male burial encased in
plaster was also discovered. The domestic buildings of the villa
lay outside the cropmark area but their character was indicated
by roof and flue tiles, patterned wall daub and window glass
found as refuse in ditches and wells. Corn drier flues built
of tile, flint and chalk, clay-walled pottery kilns, and timber
and flint-lined well shafts were other villa features.
The Anglo-Saxon settlement area had no visible boundaries or
strategic earthworks, but was associated with two cemeteries.
Military belt fitting from both the settlement and cemetery
areas, and weapons from the graves suggested that the first
Saxon settlers were soldiers, possibly Germanic mercenaries
posted to warn Roman London of suspicious shipping in the Thames
estuary. The Saxon settlement which subsequently developed
contained the main house type (grubenhauser), of which more than
200 examples were discovered. These buildings had sunken floors
measuring between 3 and 6m wide by 3 to 8m long but no direct
evidence for walls; two gable postholes, however, indicated a
pitched roof. The ground level buildings which may have been
used partly to house stock were indicated by post holes
outlining an area usually of a double square, circa 12m by 6m.
Most of the Saxon settlement dating evidence came from the fills
of the sunken huts which included pottery of basically the
European Iron Age with several alien characteristics such as
'grass-tempering' of the clay and deliberate roughening or
schlicking. Annular loomweights of raw or fired clay and lead
and domestic refuse including animal bone, iron pins, shears,
knives, bronze brooches, fragments of glass vessels and beads
were also discovered. The long sequence of pottery found on the
site provided a reference series for south-east England. Recent
features discovered on the site were the cruciform foundations
of a Medieval post mill and field ditches. Some of the finds
from the site were on display at Thurrock Museum and the British
Museum (1). Further references mainly concerned with the
details of building construction on this settlement site (2) (3).
(See TQ 68 SE 14 for Linford quarry site which is effectively part
of this settlement).
Additional references. (4-11)
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