Site Event/Activity record ECC2537 - Trial trenched evaluation at Area C1X and Area C2X of the Garrison Urban Village, Colchester, 2004

Location

Location Colchester Garrison, Colchester
Grid reference Centred TL 99676 24503 (151m by 180m)
Map sheet TL92SE
County ESSEX
Non Parish Area COLCHESTER, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Technique(s)

Organisation

Colchester Archaeological Trust Ltd

Date

May 2004

Map

Description

Archaeological trial-trenched evaluation was carried out in May 2004 of Area C1X and Area C2X of the planned urban village at Colchester Garrison, Colchester. The work was carried out by Colchester Archaeological Trust as part of a programme of archaeological evaluation of areas of alienated land, acquired by Taylor Woodrow for residential development. Three trenches were excavated in each area totalling 178m of trenching. In total, 57 features were excavated or exposed (plus four natural features), including remains of regional archaeological significance. Nearly half of the features (26) were Roman in date. The next largest group of features were modern (11) and there was a large proportion of undated features (11). There were four probable Bronze Age features, four probable medieval features and one post-medieval feature. In Area C1X, a cluster of Bronze Age features, consisting of three pits and a possible Bronze Age ditch, may represent the remains of a settlement or could be associated with a burial site. A robbed Roman wall, a Roman or later demolished wall using or re-using Roman building material, and Roman pits, ditches and spreads of Roman material indicate activity here in this period which has yet to be understood fully. Two unstratified silver Roman coins may be part of a dispersed coin hoard. In Area C2X there was clear evidence that this site is well within the area of the Roman cemetery to the south of the walled town. Cremation and inhumation burials including a lead coffin and a possible mausoleum were investigated. Various Roman walls and ditches are interpreted as being associated with the cemetery. Outside the previously built-up areas, the disturbance to buried remains has not been severe and therefore the potential for further survival of remains is considered to be high. <1>

Sources/Archives (1)

  • <1> Evaluation Report: Orr, Kate (CAT). 2004. An archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching at Area C1X and Area C2X of the Garrison Urban Village, Colchester, Essex. CAT Report 271.

Related Monuments/Buildings (20)

  • Medieval robber trench of Roman Circus wall, Area C1, Garrison Urban Village, Colchester (Element)
  • Medieval robber trench of Roman Circus wall, Area C1, Garrison Urban Village, Colchester (Element)
  • Possible Bronze Age ditch, Area C1X, Garrison Urban Village, Colchester (Element)
  • Possible Roman inhumation burial, Area C2X, Garrison Urban Village, Colchester (Element Group)
  • Roman ?mausoleum (Monument)
  • Roman Circus, Colchester (Monument)
  • Roman cremation (Element)
  • Roman ditch (Element)
  • Roman inhumation burial, Area C2X, Garrison Urban Village, Colchester (Element)
  • Roman inhumation with lead coffin liner (Element)
  • Roman pit or ditch, Area C1X, Garrison Urban Village, Colchester (Element)
  • Roman pit, Area C1X, Garrison Urban Village, Colchester (Element)
  • Roman road, Area C1, Garrison Urban Village, Colchester (Monument)
  • Roman urned cremation (Element)
  • Roman urned cremation (Element)
  • Roman urned cremation (Element)
  • Roman urned cremation (Element)
  • Roman wall (Element)
  • Three mid to late Neolithic pits, Area C1X, Garrison Urban Village, Colchester (Element Group)
  • Two silver Roman coins, Area C1X, Garrison Urban Village, Colchester (Find Spot)

Parent/preceding Site Events/Activities (1)

  • Evaluation of Garrison Redevelopment Project, Colchester, 2006 (Ref: ECC2659)

Record last edited

Apr 6 2016 9:08AM

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