An archaeological watching brief carried out by Colchester Archaeological Trust in April and May 2001, during the construction of an extension to St Botolph’s Church. The size of the extension, including the areas dug for services, was approximately 14m x 11.5m. The depth of the ground-beams was between 450mm and 600mm. The width of the drain trench varied from 600mm to 800mm and the depth from 650mm to 800mm. The sections and bottom of these trenches were checked for features and finds. The watching brief did not record any finds or features of archaeological significance. Brick footings of the Britannia Engineering Works were recorded in the southern part of the site. Culverts and old services crossing the site will have caused some disturbance to buried remains. The deeper holes for the test-pits and soakaway may have impacted medieval layers, eg the layer of oyster shells recorded at 800mm below ground-level. The piling is likely to have impacted deeper layers, but it was not possible to look down the pile holes and therefore any deposits or features will have been missed. The ground-beams and drain trenches were not deep enough to impact anything of archaeological significance. <1>