A watching brief was undertaken when 20m of trenching was cut to a depth of 1m behind No. 5 Lexden Road. Thin Roman deposits (layers of sandy clay and a layer of gravel) were observed at the base of the trenches. These are probably associated with the rears of buildings which fronted on to the main road out of the Balkerne Gate. No evidence of foundations or walls although timber would probably not be detectable. The driver dug out part of a Roman pit where it was cut by the trenches. It was about 0.4m deeper than the base of the trenches. The pit contained lots of oyster shell and some broken pottery according to the digger driver.<1> Philip Crummy also noted that 'there are various bits of what are presumably re-used stone incorporated in the base of the brick garden wall next to the trenches. The owner showed me three loose pieces which are lying about in his garden. Two look like sections of window or door embrasures. The third is a piece of trefoil tracery. Could be from the chapel of the Crouched Friars???' <1>