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Archaeology

Concern for our heritage is not just about our visible historic buildings and areas. Hidden features below ground, in our landscapes and in some of our historic buildings hold evidence of our past and how our own society has developed. It is important that such evidence is protected and investigated wherever possible, and that comprehensive archaeological records are maintained. 

Scheduled Ancient Monuments

The most important archaeological sites are designated Scheduled Ancient Monuments by the government's  Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), on the advice of English Heritage. These are protected under the Ancient Monuments & Archaeological Areas Act, 1979. Ancient Monument Consent is needed from the DCMS for any works or activities, such as metal detecting, digging and ploughing, that will affect the site. (Other forms of consent such as planning permission or listed buillding consent may also be necessary.)

Southend has six such sites:

Prittlewell Camp

At the rear of the Waitrose supermarket in Eastern Avenue, this is a late Bronze Age or early Iron Age (8th to 5th century BC) circular univallate hill fort with extensive views across the Roach valley. This type of hill fort is rare and surviving examples are of national importance. The purpose of this particular example is not yet known. But there is likely to be good evidence surviving below ground. 

The "Danish Camp"

Sections of ancient ramparts remain at the former Shoebury Garrison. They form part of the defences of a prehistoric settlement on the edge of the shore. Recent excavations have indicated that the main period of settlement was in the middle Iron Age (300 to 100 BC) and have shown the position of round houses and other structures. There is also evidence of later occupation in Roman times and the possibility of a Roman building east of Ness Road. The site had originally been thought to have been a 9th century Danish encampment, but no evidence of this has been found.

Prittlewell Priory
The Priory was established by the Cluniac monks of Lewes Priory in the early 12th century. It was suppressed by Henry VIII in 1536, and now only part of the refectory and the Prior's chamber remain.  But the ruins of some of its buildings can still be seen and the Priory's fish ponds still survive. The scheduled area  covers the grounds of the Priory, including the fish ponds. It also includes an area east of Prittle Brook believed to contain part of a 6th-7th century Anglo-Saxon cemetery. The surviving buildings are not part of the scheduled area but are protected as Listed Buildings (see the Listed Buildings leaflet). 

Southchurch Hall
Southchurch Hall was built as a manor house in the early 14th century, on a raised island surrounded by a moat. Although the building has been modified many times, it was restored to something like its original appearance in the 1920s and is now used as a museum within a small park. The area of the original moat is likely to contain much archaeological evidence of its history. A gatehouse  existed close to the present bridge. The scheduled area covers the whole of the park but excludes the buildings above ground. These are protected as Listed Buildings.

Cold War Defence Boom

A defence boom was built across the Thames Estuary from Shoeburyness to Sheerness to control shipping movement in the early years of the Cold War. It replaced a similar World War II defence boom. The surviving sections of the Boom extend seawards for about 2 km from the beach just to the north of Shoebury East Beach to the mean low water mark. It comprises two parallel lines of concrete posts linked by angle iron straps.  Originally, the boom extended to the deep water shipping channel and continued on the other side of the channel to the Sheerness coastline. In an emergency, the channel would have been blocked by moored ships. Rapid advances in technology, however, soon made the boom redundant and all but the surviving sections was demolished. It is the only known example of this form of Cold War defence.

World War II Caisson (Mulberry Harbour)

This is a ‘Phoenix’ caisson, its back broken, lying on the West Knock sandbank about 1.8 km off Thorpe Bay. The caisson is a section of temporary ‘Mulberry Harbour’ intended to be used in the Normandy landings following D Day, for the rapid re-supply of troops. The Mulberry Harbours were planned to extend 3.5 km along the coast and extend 1.75 km out to sea. The Mulberry Harbour formed at Arromanches played a crucial role in on the success of the landings. This caisson was being towed from Immingham, on the Humber, to Southsea in the run up to D Day, when it sprang a leak and was brought into the Thames estuary and allowed to sink.

Sites and Monuments Record

A comprehensive database of Southend's known archaeological sites is in the Sites And Monuments Record (SMR). This is maintained by our Museums Service and includes information on sites where there has been previous archaeological investigation, sites where artifacts have been found and other sites of known interest. At present, about 500 sites are recorded in the SMR. They include, for example:

• the site of a wooden causeway in the marshes around the present Thorpe Hall Avenue, in use in Iron Age times (c.200BC ) and still in use in the Roman period;
  
• a double-ditched enclosure, probably Bronze Age (c.700BC), and early Iron Age buildings north of Southend's built-up area;
  
• the investigation of a medieval building in Prittlewell;
  
• extensive records of Southend's World War II defences. 

Records include information on archived material, such as evaluation reports, photographs and finds, and where they are kept. Southend Museum is the main repository of such archives.  

The SMR helps us to ensure that development proposals take adequate account of archaeology. All applications for planning permission are assessed in the light of the SMR and any permission granted will be subject to archaeological conditions, where appropriate. 

Archaeology and Proposed Development

The Government's Planning Policy Guidance Note 16 ("Archaeology and Planning") stresses that archaeological sites are a significant part of our heritage and should not be needlessly destroyed. There is a presumption in favour of preserving important archaeological sites and developers should show how archaeology is to be accommodated in their schemes. But if preservation in situ is not feasible, developers are expected to pay for the investigation and recording of the site before its development.

The Council's own policy is based on this guidance. Policy C1 of the Southend-on-Sea Borough Local Plan is:

Policy C1  Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites:

Where important archaeological sites and monuments, whether scheduled or not, and their settings are affected by a proposed development, there will be a presumption in favour of their preservation in situ. In situations where there are grounds for believing that the proposed development would affect important archaeological sites and monuments, developers will be required to arrange for an archaeological field evaluation to be carried out before the planning application is determined, thus enabling an informed and reasonable planning decision to be made. In circumstances where preservation in situ is not possible nor merited, development will not be permitted until a satisfactory provision has been made for a programme of archaeological investigation and recording prior to the commencement of the development.

For important sites affected by a significant development proposal, this means that an evaluation of the site's importance must first be carried out by an appropriate archaeologist appointed by the developer. If planning permission is subsequently given, it is likely to be conditional on:

• The developer complying with an archaeological brief, prepared by the Council;
  
• The approval by the Council of a specification of archaeological work, prepared by a field archaeology unit appointed by the developer;
  
• The implementation of the specified works before and during development, by the field archaeology unit;
  
• The recording of the investigation by the field archaeology unit.

The required archaeological work may include one or more of: 

• a "desk-top" study of the site which assesses existing records;
  
• a non-intrusive site evaluation such as a geo-physical survey;
  
• field walking over ploughed areas to assess the presence of pottery fragments, etc.
  
• excavations;
  
• monitoring during development.

At other sites with potential archaeological interest, planning permission is likely to be conditional on a "watching brief" during ground works. This will be either by our Museums Service or in the case of large scale development by an approved field archaeology unit appointed by the developer.

Archaeology Projects

Information from archaeological sites affected by proposed development can often add to our understanding of the past.

The Prince of Prittlewell

Southend has been making headlines all over the world following the discovery of a Saxon King's burial chamber, with its treasure still intact. This investigation was undertaken as part of the site investigation works at Priory Crescent. The occupant is known as the Prince of Prittlewell.

Council Projects

Another important way of doing so is for the Council itself to commission archaeological investigations as opportunities arise. In the two years since the Council has become responsible for archaeology, such projects have included:

• excavations at the "Danish Camp" at Shoebury Garrison and at Strand Wharf in Leigh Old Town;
  
• an extensive survey of World War II defences in the Borough, commissioned as part of a wider survey of the whole of Essex;
  
• the recording and evaluation of the medieval building at 255 Victoria Avenue.

Advice and Contacts

Developers should seek advice from us at an early stage. Officers are available to offer practical and technical advice on the need for consent and the archaeological implications of proposed development, advice can also be given on suitably qualified archaeologists and field archaeology units for any necessary archaeological work.

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