Manea Colony Investigations Excavation Report No. 3

Abstract

During September 2016 the Cambridge Archaeological Unit in partnership with Octavia Hill Birthplace House undertook survey and trial excavation of Manea Fen Colony. Established in 1838, this was a Utopian socialist community inspired by the principles of the Owenite movement, most notably fostering a cooperative ethos. Documentary sources illustrate that a substantial built environment was constructed by the Colonists, where only a cottage and barn were previously standing. The Colony – named after its founder, William Hodson, as the Hodsonian Community – was of mixed success and only short duration, disbanding in February 1841, just 25- months beyond its beginnings. Following after this Utopian experiment, the site continued to be occupied until 1961 when the last remaining buildings were demolished and the site returned to arable farmland. The project’s aim was to characterise the site’s archaeological potential for (i) addressing questions concerning the nature and development of nineteenth century socialism, (ii) mapping the distribution of buildings and other features of the settlement’s original and changing outline plan, and (iii) to determine the local legacy of Utopia. The project was undertaken with a team of volunteers as part of the Ouse Washes Landscape Partnership in the scheme’s third and final year of a Heritage Lottery Grant. The project’s fieldwork included surface collection of artefacts, magnetic and earth resistance geophysical surveys, test pitting and trial trenching (totalling 522.5m2). A total of 11,553 finds were recorded, weighing 289.459kg.