An Archaeological Evaluation at Land off Kiln Road, Thundersley, Essex

Oxford Archaeology East carried out an archaeological evaluation consisting of 23 trial trenches at land off Kiln Road, Thundersley in two phases over April and June 2013. The site lies within an area where Mesolithic and Neolithic worked flints have been recorded, although not from the site itself. In the Medieval period the site formed part of a deer park. No worked flints were found and there was no definite evidence of the Medieval deer park or any related activities. The only feature which may possibly be deer park-related is a depression which had been filled with gravel. A scatter of late 17th century or 18th century peg-tile was found at the northern end of the site which indicates a Post-Medieval building nearby. Deliberate tree planting was in evidence in three of the trenches. These appear to line up with field boundaries showing on the OS 2nd edition map of 1898. Several ditches and other pits were recorded in the evaluation, either undated or Post-Medieval or modern in date. Modern rubbish pits were revealed at the rear of houses on Wensley Road and Kiln Road.