In May and June 2019 Archaeological Solutions carried out a trial-trenched evaluation at Brierley Paddocks, West Mersea, in advance of proposed residential development (c.9.25ha. In total area) - a 3% sample, resulting in 1,533m of trenching at 1.80m wide with 37 trenches opened.<1> A further phase of trial-trenching (an additional 18 trenches) was undertaken in July 2020, to clarify the extent of archaeological remains in advance (and to establish the extent) of mitigation excavation.<4> In 2019, 127 archaeological features were defined, comprising mainly ditches, pits and hollows (eight trenches were without any features: T1, T3, T4, T6, T10, T11, T13 and T28). The majority of the features were located in the southern and eastern sections of the site. Dating evidence was recovered from a large number of features, and the prehistoric, Roman, and post-medieval periods were represented. The earliest archaeological evidence comprised residual Neolithic struck flint within Roman features (7 fragments in total). The majority of datable features present on the site, however, were of Roman date (59). The limited number of post-medieval features were primarily located in the northern section of the site and contained modest deposits of pottery, ceramic building material (CBM) and glass. Nine features contained dating evidence from the Bronze Age (Fabric F1, 109 sherds weighing 780g). A single diagnostic sherd (Pit F1195 in T30) suggested a middle to late Bronze Age date. There were also 29 sherds (257g) of sand-tempered fabric (Q1), possibly late Iron Age or early Roman in date. Roman activity on the site had clearly commenced by the mid/late 1st century AD, probably around the Conquest period, and continued until the mid/late 2nd century when it appeared to intensify and increase, potentially peaking in the mid/late 3rd century. There was little conclusive evidence for any later activity. Many of the features were ditches but there appeared to be evidence of trampled / pebble surfaces within Hollows F1110 (T33); F1176 (T20) and F1120 (T21). In total, 1915 sherds (24.5kg) of pottery were recovered from the evaluation. The Roman pottery assemblage (1775 sherds weighing 23.4kg) comprised both imported and local fabrics and was dominated by those produced at Colchester; similarly the coarse wares and mortaria were almost entirely local. The evaluation also recovered a substantial quantity of Roman CBM (405 fragments weighing c.50kg); the range and quantity is consistent with the presence of a substantive structure in the close vicinity. The assemblage included substantial quantities of bessalis brick, with diagnostic (flanged) edges of tegula roof tile relatively rare. Box flue tile and imbrex were also present, and much of the ‘plain’ flat tile could be derived from box flue tile. A ditch and a kiln/oven (M1266 in T30) contained a relatively small quantity of fired clay in association with deposits of CBM. Many of the Roman features also contained animal bone (3kg in total was recovered); in terms of frequency and number of elements, the bone is derived from the butchering and meat waste from cattle and perhaps indicates that the processing of large skins took place. A whale thoracic vertebra (1570g) was recovered from Pit F1247 (also recorded in the report as a ditch) in T27. Small finds included worked stone (a whetstone fragment from Pit F1259 in T26), iron nails/fragments, a length of lead strip (Hollow F1110 in T33), a copper alloy ring (Pit F1116 in T33) and part of a bracelet (Pit F1031 in T14) as well as a fragment of Roman vessel glass (Hollow F1110). 0.6kg of molluscs, consisting of 403 elements, was recovered; the majority of shell was oyster but there were several whelks and a scallop. All of the shell was recovered from linear features (plough scars?) in T8: F1030, F1068 and F1069. Ditch F1007 (T2) contained two small sherds of post-medieval glazed red earthen ware, probably produced in the 17th to 18th centuries, but (the report suggests) likely re-deposited through agricultural processes ending up in a field boundary or drainage ditch. The trial-trenching formed part of a pre-determination evaluation and followed a systematic fieldwalking/metal detecting survey and geophysical survey.<2><3>