Heritage Gateway

Essex HER

Name:	Springfield Lyons
SMR Number:	5788
Type of record:	Monument

Grid Reference:	TL 733 082
Map Sheet:	TL70NW
Parish:	SPRINGFIELD, CHELMSFORD, ESSEX

Summary

Circular cropmark enclosure, excavated in 1981 when at least 4 causeways were revealed.

Full description

Circular cropmark enclosure, c60m in diameter, c75% of ditch circuit excavated in 1981 when at least 4 causeways were revealed. The ditch was c5.5m wide and c1.5m deep. The primary silts produced late bronze age pottery and metalworking moulds. Bronze age pits were found within enclosure <1> Excavation of the enclosure was continued in 1982. It was apparently of single phase construction, with a U-shaped ditch (c5m wide x 1.5m deep), 5 causeways being located. Within, pits and post holes from 2 or more circular structures were found. Finds included: pottery, perforated clay 'slabs', worked flint and an important collection of clay metal working moulds from the primary ditch fills <2> Excavation of the enclosure was completed in 1984. The external diameter was confirmed as c65 with 6 causeways. 2 concentric post hole rings marked the extent of an inner bank. A double line of posts suggested an entrance structure, aligned on the porch of a central round house. Further metal working moulds were found in the primary ditch silts. Radiocarbon dates for the enclosure were 830 + - 90bc, 420 + - 80bc <3> A late bronze age date is indicated by pottery from the primary silts of the enclosure ditches and from pits and post holes within the interior and by the 2 radiocarbon dates already mentioned. The main features of this period comprised: the enclosure ditch, the double ring of post holes for a concentric double line of supports for an internal rampart, the gate structure at the east entrance, a large central and 2 smaller round houses. Further post holes and pits were undifferentiated. The enclosure ditch was apparently single phase, silting up naturally. The double row of post holes would have contained timbers for an inner revetment and walkway. The other 5 causeways did not provide indications of an entrance structure. The main find from late bronze age contexts was pottery, large amounts coming from the enclosure ditch and internal features. Perforated clay 'slabs' and much waste worked flint was also found in the ditch and pits. The enclosure ditch's primary silts produced 2 collections of clay mould fragments for metal working. 'These represent one of the largest collections of such moulds yet recovered from a British late Bronze Age site.' An iron sword and scabbard came from upper silts of a pit within the enclosure. The late bronze age settlement is of importance as few sites of this period have been extensively excavated. It does belong to an emerging class of such sites within the lower Thames valley, including 2 at Mucking. 'Total excavation of the Springfield enclosure makes a considerable contribution to our understanding of late Bronze Age settlement' <4>
Other refs: <6> <7><8><9> AP. <5> <24>

Further excavations around the original site (in advance of development) have located further features associated with the LBA settlement. To the north of Plot K, within Chelmsford Business Park, a ditch found in Trench 4 of Plot G/H, and subsequently investigated in a larger excavation area, was judged to be Late Bronze Age and speculated to be part of a field system to the east of the enclosed settlement. Located east of the enclosure pits were a group of nine post-holes and three stake-holes forming a small, slightly squat, roundhouse of probable Late Bronze Age date. The structure had a porch on its south side and a north-south radius of 5m; the western side of the structure had been removed by a later ditch. The roundhouse was located c.70m north-east of the enclosed Late Bronze Age ettlement.<25>

Site Assessment:
Important site as few settlements of this period have been excavated. Also important for large collection of metal working moulds <4>

<1> Hedges, JD and Buckley, DG in Priddy, DA, 1982, Excavations in Essex, 1981, Vol 14, p142 (DESC TEXT). SEX19637.

<2> Hedges, JD and Buckley, DG in Priddy, DA, 1983, Excavations in Essex, 1982, Vol 15, p168 (DESC TEXT). SEX19646.

<3> Priddy, DA, 1986, Excavations in Essex 1983-4, p134, Buckley, DG (DESC TEXT). SEX19647.

<4> Buckley, DG, 1985, Springfield Lyons Excavations-General Background (EXCAV REPORT). SEX19648.

<5> unknown, 1992, 410/3 (AP). SEX52279.

<6> unknown, 1985, Chelmer-Blackwater Valley Aerial Survey Project 1985 (DESC TEXT). SEX54165.

<7> ECC, 1981 ?, Springfield Chelmer Valley Project Progress Report (DESC TEXT). SEX54167.

<8> Hedges, John D, 1981 ?, Archaeological Potential of the Springfield Development Area (DESC TEXT). SEX54168.

<9> Buckley, D and Tyler, S, 1987, Springfield Lyons Excavation: The Anglo-Saxon Periods (DESC TEXT). SEX19656.

<9> Tyler, S and Major, H, 1987, The Early Anglo-Saxon cemetery and later Saxon settlement at Springfield Lyons, Essex (DESC TEXT). SEX68888.

<10> Tyler, Sue, 1986, 86-2b/2frames (AP). SEX64678.

<11> Strachan, David, 1997, CP/97/23/14 (AP). SEX57848.

<12> Saunders, Helen, 2005, CP/05/14/14-14/15 CP/05/15-01-15/05, 7 Pics (AP). SEX65453.

<13> unknown, 1987, 22 frames (AP). SEX64679.

<14> unknown, 1988, 85a-6,8,9/3 frames (AP). SEX64680.

<15> Wallis, S, 1993, SWC2-35,36/2 frames (AP). SEX64681.

<16> Wallis, S, unknown, SWC8-14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21/ 8 frames (AP). SEX64683.

<17> CUCAP, 1975, BVA 27 (AP). SEX64684.

<18> NMR, 1976, TL7308/3/46 (AP). SEX64685.

<19> ECC, 1990, ECC 90-210/08/6132 (AP). SEX64686.

<20> RAF, 1947, CPE-UK 2361-5090 (AP). SEX64687.

<21> unknown, 1994, Aerial Photograph showing enclosure ditches filled with water (AP). SEX64682.

<22> Buckley, DG, 1986, Springfield Lyons Excavation: The Prehistoric Periods (DESC TEXT). SEX54169.

<23> Ingle, CJ, Strachan, D, Tyler, S and Saunders, H, 1993-2012, NMP Cropmark Plot - 1:10,000, TL70NW (Map). SEX22419.

<24> Saunders, Helen, 2006, CP/06/08/08 - 11, 4 frames, 12/7/2006 (AP). SEX66138.

<25> Ennis, T, 2012, Plot K, Chelmsford Business Park, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex (DESC TEXT). SEX70872.

<26> Brown, N and Medlycott, M, 2012, The Neolithic and Bronze Age Enclosures at Springfield Lyons, Essex, Excavations 1981-1991 (DESC TEXT). SEX70875.

Monument Types

CIRCULAR ENCLOSURE (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
DITCH (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
FORTIFICATION (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
GATE (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
HOUSE (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
PIT (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
POST HOLE (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
SETTLEMENT (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Finds

GATE (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
MOULD (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
PERFORATED OBJECT (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
SCABBARD (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
SWORD (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
VESSEL (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Events

SALV EXCAV by Hedges, JD and Buckley, DG, 1981-1986 (Ref: ?)
SALV EXCAV by Buckley, DG, (Ref: ?)

Protected Status

Historic Environment Character Area: Chelmsford 2
Historic Environment Character Zone: Chelmsford 2.15
Historic Environment Character Zone: Chelmsford 2.14

Sources and further reading

<1>	DESC TEXT: Hedges, JD and Buckley, DG in Priddy, DA. 1982. Excavations in Essex, 1981. Vol 14, p142.
<2>	DESC TEXT: Hedges, JD and Buckley, DG in Priddy, DA. 1983. Excavations in Essex, 1982. Vol 15, p168.
<3>	DESC TEXT: Priddy, DA. 1986. Excavations in Essex 1983-4. p134, Buckley, DG.
<4>	EXCAV REPORT: Buckley, DG. 1985. Springfield Lyons Excavations-General Background.
<5>	AP: unknown. 1992. 410/3.
<6>	DESC TEXT: unknown. 1985. Chelmer-Blackwater Valley Aerial Survey Project 1985.
<7>	DESC TEXT: ECC. 1981 ?. Springfield Chelmer Valley Project Progress Report.
<8>	DESC TEXT: Hedges, John D. 1981 ?. Archaeological Potential of the Springfield Development Area.
<9>	DESC TEXT: Buckley, D and Tyler, S. 1987. Springfield Lyons Excavation: The Anglo-Saxon Periods.
<9>	DESC TEXT: Tyler, S and Major, H. 1987. The Early Anglo-Saxon cemetery and later Saxon settlement at Springfield Lyons, Essex.
<10>	AP: Tyler, Sue. 1986. 86-2b/2frames.
<11>	AP: Strachan, David. 1997. CP/97/23/14.
<12>	AP: Saunders, Helen. 2005. CP/05/14/14-14/15 CP/05/15-01-15/05. 7 Pics.
<13>	AP: unknown. 1987. 22 frames.
<14>	AP: unknown. 1988. 85a-6,8,9/3 frames.
<15>	AP: Wallis, S. 1993. SWC2-35,36/2 frames.
<16>	AP: Wallis, S. unknown. SWC8-14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21/ 8 frames.
<17>	AP: CUCAP. 1975. BVA 27.
<18>	AP: NMR. 1976. TL7308/3/46.
<19>	AP: ECC. 1990. ECC 90-210/08/6132.
<20>	AP: RAF. 1947. CPE-UK 2361-5090.
<21>	AP: unknown. 1994. Aerial Photograph showing enclosure ditches filled with water.
<22>	DESC TEXT: Buckley, DG. 1986. Springfield Lyons Excavation: The Prehistoric Periods.
<23>	Map: Ingle, CJ, Strachan, D, Tyler, S and Saunders, H. 1993-2012. NMP Cropmark Plot - 1:10,000. paper. 1:10,000. TL70NW.
<24>	AP: Saunders, Helen. 2006. CP/06/08/08 - 11. 4 frames, 12/7/2006.
<25>	DESC TEXT: Ennis, T. 2012. Plot K, Chelmsford Business Park, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex.
<26>	DESC TEXT: Brown, N and Medlycott, M. 2012. The Neolithic and Bronze Age Enclosures at Springfield Lyons, Essex, Excavations 1981-1991.

Related records

6179	Parent of: Boreham-Plantation Road 72 (Find Spot)
5783	Part of: Springfield Cursus-Eastern End (Find Spot)
5782	Part of: Springfield Cursus-West Terminal (Find Spot)
5780	Part of: Springfield Cursus-West Terminal (Monument)
5781	Part of: Springfield Cursus-West Terminal (Monument)
5790	Part of: Springfield Lyons (Monument)
48077	Related to: Plot K, Chelmsford Business Park, Springfield (Monument)

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