Landscape Character Assessment - Chelmsford Borough Council

16and have been found to have been either enclosed by small fairly shallow ditchers ofunenclosed. In addition the site excavated at Boreham Interchange contained small post-builtstructures, which appear to have been shrines.2.3.5 In addition to the evidence of bronze casting at Springfield Lyons, finds of Bronze Agemetalwork are widespread throughout the region. The raw materials for this all had to beimported, and the river valleys and estuaries, were crucial routes. Fenn Creek and the CrouchEstuary, which by this stage was fully tidal, provide evidence of the economic importance ofestuarine areas; the earliest saltern in Essex, of later Bronze Age date has been recorded here.Salt would have played a vital role as flavouring, preservative and valuable commodity fortrade.2.3.6 The Iron Age (800 BC – AD 45) brought an increased focus to settlement as the first ‘towns’or ‘Oppida’ began to develop. Hillforts, such as that established at Danbury whichcommands wide views to the south across the Crouch valley towards the distant Thames,were also an iconic monument of the time. In general there is more Iron Age settlementevidence from the boulder clay areas than other areas within the region. Rectilinear fields ofIron Age/Romano-British date exist within the landscape. Towards the end of the Iron Agecoinage was first introduced into Britain and recently a number of Iron Age gold coin hoardshave been recovered.2.3.7 Examples of prehistoric sites in this area include: Slight univallate hillfort, in Brentwood, dating between the late Bronze Age and early IronAge, at the crest of a ridge of sands. Ring Hill Camp in the parish of Littlebury, Uttlesford. An oval hillfort on a summit of thehill overlooking the River Cam.2.3.8 Roman settlement (c.43 to 410 AD) was generally built along the Roman roads from thecoast and into Colchester, or other economic centres. In addition to Colchester other smalltowns or significant settlements include Chelmsford, Heybridge, Wickford, Braintree andGreat Dunmow. Forts within the region may have been established after AD60 in theaftermath of the Boudican rebellion. The rural hinterland was densely settled, with some IronAge settlements being formalised, such as at Little Waltham. Villas, bathhouses, Temples,administrative centres and also supporting farming systems have all been recorded within theregion. Environmental evidence recovered from alluvium and peat in the intertidal zone ofthe Crouch estuary near Fenn Creek has also revealed largely freshwater sedimentationperhaps the result of constriction of the tidal flow by bridges at Hullbridge and/or Fambridge.2.3.9 Examples of Roman sites in the area include: Roman barrow, in the Parish of Elmdon Langley, Uttlesford. Circular in plan and 50m indiameter. Ploughing over the years has reduced the mound, but there is still a significantamount left to make it a prominent landmark. Roman Villa, in Rivenhall, Braintree. This site comprises of the remains of at least fourmajor Roman building and associated characteristics including Roman burials that havebeen built on a previous Iron Age settlement.2.3.10 As the Saxons settled in the Study Area they reused earlier settlements but also created newones. Settlement also tends to lie around, but at a distance from, the former Roman towns,which is probably not an accident. It seems to be an acknowledgement of the strategicimportance of river confluences and the significance of the former Roman town, togetherwith a desire to keep at a distance from them. Pollen evidence from peat deposits recorded inthe valley of the Chelmer and Sandon Brook in advance of construction of the A12 bypass,Section 2.0 – Overview of the Study Area11100101R Final LCAs_09-06