On Monday, 2nd September 1996, three members of Colchester Archaeological Trust visited St Clare Road to observe the cutting of foundations for an extension to a house and the construction of an underground garage. On arrival, it was noted that a foundation trench had been cut along the whole of the east side of the site, which had had a concrete footing for a wall laid inside it. The northern half of the excavations, which consisted of stripping the topsoil from the floor area of the extension had also been completed, and the topsoil had also been removed from the area over the sunken garage. A small burnt area was recorded in plan, though it appeared to be of very recent date, as wood in it which had not been carbonised was still surviving. The subsoil also appeared to be of recent date, finds including white glazed pottery, white and brown “feathered” pottery and a teapot lid. Sample sections 2 and 3 were drawn to record the depth of topsoil over the site. Section number 1 was drawn when stripping had reached the natural gravel. The removal of the material for construction of the garage was the only area in which the natural gravel was reached. During removal of this material a large Roman tile was seen, which had come from a pit cut into the natural. This pit was first seen in section, as it was at the end of the strip being machined and was obscured in plan by the spoil dragged back by the machine. The section was rapidly made vertical and recorded in a sketch and in a photograph. Finds were recovered from both halves of this pit, the second half being taken out roughly stratigraphic(ly?) Finds included a lot of pottery, mostly grey ware, though some samian (?) was recovered, along with a piece of slag and a nail. <1>