Fordham, Chappel Road (FHAW98) <1><2>
Archaeological features were recorded over a 50m length of the pipeline route, but only limited excavation was possible. Despite the fragmentary nature of the evidence this site represents a medieval settlement south of Chappel Road on the western outskirts of Fordham, dated to the 12th-14th centuries. The earliest phase of settlement is represented by a timber building (the south-west corner of a timber building was recorded, in the form of wall trench [7], 1.0m wide and 0.3m deep, with near-vertical sides and a flat base) and one side of a palisaded and ditched enclosure which presumably extended for 120m back from Chappel Road. The disuse of this settlement phase is dated to c.1200 by the well-dated pottery group in the fill of post-pit [21]. A later phase loosely dated to the 13th-14th centuries is represented by plough-disturbed surfaces and boundary ditch [14], which appears to have replaced the original enclosure. The high-status Rouen and Colchester ware pottery recovered from the site, and the substantial form of the palisaded enclosure, suggest that this could be the original manorial site of Archendines, situated 200m to the east of the present-day Archendine’s Farm. Although the manor was first documented in the 13th century, the archaeological evidence suggests it originated in the 12th century.
Eleven sherds of Roman pottery was also recoved from the topsoil.