Palaeolithic 500000–10000 BCE
Most of region was covered with ice for much of this era. As some flint hand-axes have been found, there may well have been some inhabitants in the area during the intermittently warmer periods. There is no evidence of sustained activity.
Mesolithic 10000–4000 BCE
As flints, including narrow blades and microliths (stone flakes 1–3 cm in size which were hafted into wood or bone handles) have been found in the Bradwell Brook valley, Bradwell might have been where people hunted small animals.
Neolithic 4000–2200 BCE
There is some evidence that, in and around the settlements in Secklow, Heelands and Bancroft and Stacey Bushes, people reared animals, made pottery, cleared trees and cultivated cereals. There is scatter of flints have been found along the east side of Bradwell Brook.
Bronze Age c2300–c700 BCE
In 1849 during the construction of the (now closed) County Arms, New Bradwell, a sword, two spearheads a palstave and a dozen socketed axes were found and dated as made in the Bronze Age. In 1879 a bronze founder’s hoard of 16 worn-out bronze age implements was discovered in New Bradwell. The largest Bronze Age Round House yet to have been found in Britain was on the site of Blue Bridge. It features on the information plaque at the Roman remains there. While there is no evidence of people living in the area, people are likely to have passed through what is now Bradwell.
Iron Age c800 BCE–43 CE
Pottery sherds excavated in 1971 along with evidence of a palisade indicate that Bradwell was occupied during this period. During the construction of Dansteed Way, about 500 m to the east, an Iron Age settlement site was found.