In the Iron Age a substantial village or small town developed belonging to the Catevellauni tribe which was important enough to be the burial place of chieftains. The town was probably just a sprawling collection of farmsteads and enclosures linked by trackways with associated industrial and burial areas.
The Icknield Way remained an important east – west route but other major tracks had developed leading towards Colchester via Braughing and Verulamium / St Albans so defining the local centres of influence and trade.