A trial trenched evaluation, comprising two trenches each 10m long x 1.8m, was undertaken in November 2017 in advance of the erection of two new dwellings (Colchester Borough Council planning application 170880). Excavation occurred through three layers. Modern topsoil/turf (L1, c.0.04-0.19m thick) sealed subsoil (L2, c.0.19-0.29m thick), which in turn sealed naturally-deposited soils (L3, encountered at a depth of 0.28-0.38m bcgl). A modern pit F1 (containing ten blank cordite Mk V (5) cartridges) and two areas of disturbance were encountered in T1. An undated pit F4, 0.54m wide x 0.21m deep, was defined in T2 (either natural or possibly a tree throw).<1>