An archaeological strip, map and record excavation was carried out by Colchester Archaeological Trust in 2018 at Lodge Farm, Boxted Road, Great Horkesley, in advance of the erection of a new agricultural steel portal-framed grading building, a compost building, concrete yard area, attenuation tank and associated groundworks.<1> An area measuring 8714m² was stripped of modern ploughsoil (L1, c.0.36-0.47m thick) to reveal natural sands and gravels (L2). Forty-two charcoal-rich pits (i.e. pits containing charcoal-rich fills), ranging in date from the Early Iron Age to the post-medieval or modern periods (late 15th to 19th/20th century), were defined, as well as a Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pit, an Early Iron Age pit, a late medieval pit and a number of undated features. In addition, two medieval or post-medieval ditches were also revealed. The charcoal-rich pits were sub-round in shape, ranging in diameter from 0.32m to 1.71m, and also sub-oval, ranging from 0.2m to 1.97m. Their depth varied from between 0.02m and 0.43m. In general, they appeared to be scattered across the development site. Several of the charcoal-rich pits were scorched. Seven of the charcoal-rich pits contained datable finds. F18 contained a small piece of medieval or post-medieval possible CBM, while F29 contained 55 sherds of prehistoric (Early Iron Age / Middle Iron Age) pottery. 31 sherds of medieval (early 13th- to late 14th-century) pottery were recovered from charcoal-rich pit F31, and four sherds of medieval (early 13th- to late 14th-century) pottery from F39. F41 yielded 7 sherds of medieval (mid 12th- to late 14th-century) pottery. F42 produced an assemblage of Early Iron Age / Middle Iron Age pottery, comprising 170 sherds from an estimated eight vessels. This feature also contained moderate quantities of charred wheat and rye which provided a radiocarbon date of 380-204 cal BC (SUERC-84433; 2226 ± 24 BP; 95% probability), which is Middle Iron Age. F44 contained a single sherd of post-medieval (late 15th- to 19th-century) pottery. 297 sherds (3,357g) of pottery were recovered from the investigations. There were 238 sherds (c.2.5kg) of prehistoric pottery (the majority flint-tempered) from 8 vessels (rim EVREP/0.59 EVE). The bulk of this pottery came from charcoal-rich pit F42 (170 sherds weighing 2.3kg) with a smaller assemblage from charcoal-rich pit F29 (55 sherds weighing 124g) and 2 sherds (4g) from pit F49. A date spanning the late Early Iron Age and into the Middle Iron Age (6th-4th centuries BC), is likely for the prehistoric pottery from F29, F42, and F49 with the possibility of some earlier (Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age) material. There was a single small sherd of Roman pottery, recovered from the ploughsoil. This came from an imported Spanish Dressel 20 olive oil amphora. 52 sherds (220g) of medieval/post-medieval pottery was recovered from 5 features: F5 (ditch), F31, F39, F41 and F44 (all charcoal-rich pits). A fragment of fired clay (138g) was recovered from charcoal-rich pit F42. There was also a small collection of ceramic building material (5 sherds at 628g), all medieval/post-medieval in date, from the ditches F1 and F5, except for a small possible piece of CBM (?) from the base of charcoal-rich pit F18. Three sherds of post-Roman peg tile were recovered from F1 and F5. Heat-affected (burnt) stones (195 pieces weighing 6.8kg) were recovered from 5 contexts, two dated to the Early Iron Age / Middle Iron Age (charcoal-rich pits F29 and F42), one medieval charcoal-rich pit (F41) and two undated charcoal-rich pits (F33 and F56). The majority were fragments of sandstone/quartzite (34 pieces weighing 3kg) and flint (155 pieces weighing 3.36kg) with a very small quantity of quartz (4 pieces weighing 426g). In terms of charred remains, one Early Iron Age / Middle Iron Age pit, sample 12 (F42), contained moderate quantities of charred wheat (Triticum sp,) and rye (Secale cereale L.) grains. The work followed an evaluation by Britannia Archaeology in 2018 (ECC4211).<2>