Archaeological excavations (across an area of 5.2ha.) were carried out at Fiveways Fruit Farm, Stanway, by Colchester Archaeological Trust in 2015. The excavations were conducted in advance of development of the site for mineral extraction, as an extension to the Stanway Quarry operated by Lafarge Tarmac (and monitored by ECC Place Services for the Minerals Authority). The excavations revealed an extensive Middle Iron Age settlement (mid 4th to late 1st century BC) comprising two interlinked enclosed farmsteads and associated field system with stock control enclosures. Small-scale Neolithic, Bronze Age and Early Iron Age activity was evident in the form of worked flints and pottery sherds recovered from tree-throws and pits. Field boundary ditches, pits and tree-throws representing medieval, post-medieval and modern agricultural activity were also found across the site.<1> Early Neolithic flint blades were found in two tree-throws F277 and F488, and two Neolithic pottery sherds came from tree-throw F569 along with two sherds of Neolithic/Bronze Age pottery from pit/tree-throw F600. Pit F506 contained burnt stone (68 pieces, 4506g), flint (6 pieces) and 33 sherds (2008g) from a large Ardleigh-style urn of Middle Bronze Age date. Two adjacent features, pit F443 and tree-throw F526, contained pottery sherds dating to the Bronze Age/Iron Age and Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age respectively. Sherds of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age were also found in tree-throw F673 to the north, and pits F351 and F591 in the centre of the site produced pottery sherds of Bronze Age and Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age date respectively. Finds of 'prehistoric' date were also found in eleven pits (F4, F273, F288, F414, F415, F468, F471, F494, F510, F524, F590). These may pre-date the main phase of Middle Iron Age activity or be contemporary with it. In addition to the five tree-throws containing Neolithic or Bronze Age finds, a further 373 tree-throws or pits/tree-throws were present on the excavation site. Dating evidence from these features varied considerably: 302 contained no datable finds; 41 produced evidence that could only be dated as prehistoric; 13 were Middle Iron Age; one Late Iron Age; three Late Iron Age/Early Romano-British; five Romano-British; two medieval; and six post-medieval/modern. Some of the undated and prehistoric tree-throws were also cut by features of a Middle Iron Age date, suggesting that the vast majority of these features are likely to represent land clearance in advance of the main phase of Middle Iron Age activity. Middle Iron Age activity was by far the most dominant on site with the construction of two ‘farmsteads’ and associated agricultural activity. These farmsteads comprised two sub-square and ditched enclosures (Enclosures A and B) with a small c-shaped enclosure in between (Enclosure C), joined together by a series of boundary ditches. Enclosures A (to the north) and B (to the south) were surrounded by wide ditches (between 2.5 and 3m) with symmetrical V-shaped profiles. Enclosure A measured c.55m by 58m, giving it an internal area of 2,900sq m (0.29ha). Enclosure B extended beyond the southern boundary of the site but appeared to be of a similar size. The enclosures were situated 64m apart but were joined by a narrow ditch extending from the southeast corner of Enclosure A to the northeast corner of Enclosure B. The enclosures contained postholes, some that might be indicative of buildings, and pits. A penannular gully (F43) 12.8m in diameter, indicative of a roundhouse was found in the northwest corner of Enclosure B. Six ditches were part of a field system aligned with the enclosures, though seemingly focussed to the west. In addition, a small curved enclosure was visible extending from the western side of Enclosure A. Evidence of Roman activity on the site was almost exclusively limited to the recovery of Late Iron Age and Roman material from the (mainly upper) fills of the enclosure ditches and the associated field system boundary ditches (F32, F33, F80/F219, F408, F651, F660). Twelve features contained material of Late Iron Age and/or Roman date, they include two postholes, three pits, one pit/tree-throw and seven tree-throws. There were 45 post-medieval and modern features identified. These were all the result of agricultural use of the site that continued until immediately prior to these excavations. Three radiocarbon dates were obtained from charred samples. A sample of charred grain from the lower fill of pit F896 within the Enclosure A provided a date of 180–40 cal BC (SUERC-77424; 2078 ± 23; 95% confidence). Another sample of charred grain from the lower fill of pit F409, outside of Enclosure C, produced a date of 390–200 cal BC (SUERC-77426; 2240 ± 23; 95% confidence). The third feature sampled for radiocarbon dating was pit/posthole F42, part of the roundhouse within the Enclosure B. Wood charcoal (Prunus sp.) from the fill was dated to 390–200 cal BC (SUERC-77425; 2225 ± 24; 95% confidence). The excavation followed a trial-trenched evaluation by Colchester Archaeological Trust in 2008 (ECC3560).<2>