Colchester Archaeological Trust undertook a watching brief in July 2010 on land (formerly garden) to the south of 'Serenity', 6 High Street, West Mersea. The site work comprised the construction of a new detached dwelling with an access drive and a garage. Prior to the first site visit, the new access road had been already excavated, a terrace had been excavated into the slope, the piles for the new building had been installed and the eastern half of the foundation trenches had been excavated. The stratigraphy of the northern edge of the terrace was recorded and examined for finds. It was suggested that Layer 3, a deposit c.1m in thickness, could be an early soil accumulation or, more probably, imported soil to landscape the slope down to the estuary from the area of the church. Nine fragments of Roman brick/tile and a fragment of peg-tile were recovered from L2/L3 and from L3 (in the area of terracing). A CAT archaeologist made four visits whilst the western half of the foundation trenches for the new building were being excavated. Further Roman brick and tile was recovered, as well as two fragments of Roman pottery and two fragments of medieval pottery, from the upcast spoil. It was uncertain whether the finds were incorporated in the imported soil of the slope or whether they originated from activity on the slope. <1>