Site Event/Activity record ECC3880 - Trial-trenched evaluation at Colchester Holiday Park, Colchester, 2016

Location

Location Colchester Holiday Park, Cymbeline Way, Colchester, CO3 4AG
Grid reference Centred TL 9665 2563 (263m by 117m)
Map sheet TL92NE
County ESSEX
Non Parish Area COLCHESTER, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Technique(s)

Organisation

Colchester Archaeological Trust Ltd

Date

September 2016

Map

Description

A trial-trenched evaluation was undertaken in September 2016, relating to extensions to Colchester Holiday Park, comprising 42 static caravans (in total), along with associated roadways, parking and other infrastructure (CBC planning applications 136183 and 160672). Nine trenches were machine-excavated under archaeological supervision. The tenth trench (as proposed in the WSI) could not be excavated as the caravan plot was still occupied. Each trench measured 20m long by 1.8m wide (totalling 324m²). All of the trenches were excavated through modern topsoil (L1, c.200-300mm deep) onto a medium grey/brown silty subsoil (L2, c.100-400mm deep). Beneath L2 was a natural orange/brown silt with gravel patches (L3).<1> Archaeological features were defined in all but two (T5 and T7) of the trenches. Roman ditches, pits and post-holes were excavated, interpreted as being associated with agriculture or settlement. However, large quantities of Roman ceramic building material were recorded and may suggest the presence of a structure with tiled roof and hypocaust somewhere nearby; 104 fragments (28,5kg) were excavated from ten features and subsoil L2. A small quantity of pottery (22 sherds weighing 544g) was recovered from the evaluation, from features F1 (T3), F10 (T8), F18 (T9), F19 (T9) & F20 (T2) and from soil layer L2 in T2 and T9. Most of the pottery is closely datable to the Late Iron Age (LIA) and Roman period. There were also 4 fragments of probable building stone, two of septaria, one greensand and one ragstone (2,1kg). A fragment of Mayen lava quern was recorded from ditch F1(2). In addition was a single later prehistoric retouched flint flake (L2) and piece of burnt flint (F10). The evaluation was followed by monitoring and recording in 2017 (ECC3930).<2>

Sources/Archives (2)

  • <1> Evaluation Report: Pooley, Laura. 2016. Archaeological evaluation at the Colchester Holiday Park, Cymbeline Way, Colchester, Essex, CO3 4AG. CAT Report 1024.
  • <2> Watching Brief Report: Pooley, Laura. 2017. Archaeological monitoring and recording at Colchester Holiday Park, Cymbeline Way, Colchester, Essex, CO3 4AG. CAT Report 1180.

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

  • Roman occupation features, Colchester Holiday Park, Cymbeline Way, Colchester (Element Group)

Record last edited

Nov 14 2017 3:43PM

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