An archaeological excavation was carried out by Colchester Archaeological Trust between January and March 2017 on Area A of the Colchester North development (to the east of Nayland Road), Colchester, in advance of the construction of residential development.<1> The excavated features were split into two main categories: ditches and features connected with the production of pottery - pits containing pottery and wasters and a tile-built kiln (phased to Period 3). Although the site was productive of finds, the features were generally quite shallow, and there was very little significant stratigraphy. Four phases of occupation were defined: Period 1: earliest pottery production (12th to 13th century) Period 2: later pottery production (14th century) Period 3: latest pottery production and tile-built kiln (15th to 16th century) Period 4: field ditches (17th to 20th century). A rectangular kiln F64 was defined in the south-central part of the site, set in a recess/pit 0.50m deep from the stripped surface and with a stoke/rake-out pit F115 on the north side. The only sign of any superstructure was a fragment of vitrified clay (probably a part of the kiln structure). The tile built structure had a double flue and is of a form typically associated with the manufacture of tiles & bricks. The report, however, is slightly contradictory about the function of the kiln. It states, 'the view taken here is that the NGAUE kiln was too slightly-built to have been a tile or brick kiln. The structure, with its outer walls and single central spine, would not have taken the weight of a load of brick or tile. The conclusion must therefore be that it was a pottery kiln, and the kiln in which some or all of the Period 3 product here was fired. Having said that, it cannot be ruled out that occasional non-pottery loads were fired (there are peg-tile wasters here, which must have been produced somewhere)(p.17). It is also stated, the peg-tile wasters suggests peg-tiles were made (p.72). The summary states, 'despite the usual convention that rectangular kilns produced tile or brick, it may be the case that this kiln had a dual purpose of firing Colchester-type ware pots, and also larger ceramic objects such as floor bricks, and peg-tiles.' Pottery associated with the backfill of the kiln and stoke pit comprised at least 130 individual pots and represents broken waster material thrown back in after the kiln was abandoned. The most significant of the finds are the large quantities of medieval pottery and ceramic building material (CBM), notably peg-tiles, floor tiles and bricks, together with a collection of ceramic objects. The CBM was primarily associated with the kiln F64 and much of the assemblage probably derived from the kiln structure itself rather than tile and brick making. The total weight of medieval and later pottery (i.e. kiln produce) from the site was 530kg; the pottery types recovered suggesting production from the late 12th century to the late 15th/early 16th century. The pottery assemblage can be broadly divided between three chronological groups relating to different areas of the site and to particular types of contexts. The pottery included a significant number of wasters and misfired pots (the result of pottery production), some of which had been thrown into open pits which may have originally been clay quarries. The earliest phase of potting produced early medieval sandy ware (fabric 13) in the 12th or 13th centuries. The second produced medieval sandy grey ware (fabric 20) in the 13th -14th centuries. The third produced Colchester-type ware (Fabric 21a) in the 15th and 16th centuries. The range of pottery products was wide - apart from the usual pots, jugs and bowls, there were also pitchers, dripping pans, pipkins, sprinklers or bottles, and louvers. The earliest closely dated pottery (Period 1 Early medieval sandy wares and greywares) is associated with ditch F83 and an elongated feature F109 which either cuts it or is a late part of the ditch fill, both located on the west part of the site. In total, just over 5kg of pottery was recovered from the four sections cut into F83 while a much larger quantity, just over 14kg was recovered from part excavation of F109. The pottery from these two features spans the period of the 12th-13th century, with an emphasis on the late 12th - early 13th century. A number of pits in the centre of the site contained very large quantities of pottery: F21 (165kg), F22 (21.5kg), F25 (63kg) & F31 (10kg but only half-sectioned). Taken as pit groups the majority of pottery from these pits broadly dates to the late 14th-15th/early 16th century (Period 2). There are some earlier dated sherds dated to the late 13th-14th century date, with the latest pottery (from pit F22) dated to c 15th/late 15th-early 16th century. Period 3 pottery (almost exclusively Fabric 21a) was associated with the kiln and there was a large quantity of pottery from the kiln F64 and stoke pit F115. Just over 124kg came from the kiln and 36kg coming from the stoke pit. The nature of the pottery from the two features in terms of the fabric and the types of vessels was the same and almost exclusively of sherds of Late Colchester-type ware (Fabric 21a), both oxidised and reduced broadly dated to the 15th-early 16th century (CAR 7, 108-109). The presence of a frilled base from a Raeren mug from the stoke pit indicates the deposit dates no earlier than c.1475. A proportion of the pottery has white ‘Late style’ slip painted decoration dating to after c.1450. The slip painting appears mostly associated with jugs, and the large proportion of plain sherds present might indicate that much of this pottery dates toward the end of the industry, c.1525-1550, when slip painting appears to decrease in popularity. In addition to the medieval occupation, nine pieces (2.9kg) of Roman brick and tile were recovered from F20, F41, F74, F79, F100 & F102. There was a slight grouping of these fragments on the western side of the site (four out of six pieces), with two from the centre of the site. A Roman pottery counter came from Period 2 quarry pit F16. Trial-trenched evaluation relating to this development was undertaken by Colchester Archaeological Trust in 2011 (ECC2994).<2>