Between January and March 2011, an excavation (in two Trenches A and B) was undertaken by Oxford Archaeology East - the central (4m-wide) easement of a water pipeline by Essex and Suffolk Water, 550m long to the west of Birch Hall.<1>

One sherd of Neolithic pottery was retrieved from the topsoil during the excavation. However, no features can be attributed to this period.

Possible Bronze Age activity was revealed to the north of the excavation, where the remains of two ditches 51 and 62 running north-east to south-west were excavated. These were located on higher ground, where there was little subsoil and a high level of truncation, therefore further corresponding ditches may have been lost. It is likely that these formed part of a larger enclosure system, possibly of a pastoral nature given its exposed location and slightly irregular shape. Aerial photographs from the surrounding area have revealed a small enclosure thought to date to the Bronze Age.

Two distinct concentrations of small pits / post-holes were evident within the excavation. The northern concentration 64, 66, 68, 70 and 72 was located on the south-facing slope. There is a slight alignment in the posts running north-west to south-east, although it is a little irregular. This may have formed an upstanding boundary such as a fence line. Further to the south, situated on a plateau, a further pit / post-hole cluster 8, 10, 45 and 47 was identified. These form no distinct associations but might indicate further domestic activity in the proximity. Both of these concentrations of post-holes were undated, so it is unclear what period these date from; given the nature of the cuts and fills, these could have been of Bronze Age.

During the later medieval period several tree throws and amorphous features 16, 26, 32, 36, 40, 58 and 77 were excavated throughout the excavation area, one of which contained post-medieval tile and metalwork. The current land is part of the Great Birch Park estate, which is recorded in 1605 as comprising a Manor house, orchards, plantations and an avenue. The tree throws present on site may have been part of a phase of tree clearance in order to lay out the estate fields.

Further evidence of post-medieval activity may be provided by two ditches 12 and 14 running east to west which would have formed part of a larger field system. These two ditches ran parallel to the bridleway, just to the north of the excavation. This bridleway is of an earlier date and would have formed a marker in the landscape at this time, where field systems were set at regular intervals on the same alignment. These ditches can be seen extending further east forming a rectilinear enclosure, which may be part of an agricultural field system. To the south of the excavation, located within a trough, was a large pond 79, which may have been created for use as a watering hole serving the livestock.