Mitigation excavation prior to the extension of the Mercury Theatre took place across three areas - Area A to the south of the theatre, Area B to the east, and Area C to the north. Excavations took place in Areas A and B to the level of the uppermost in situ Roman remains. A GPR survey followed, to identify any further archaeological remains buried beneath. The development was then piled, with small trial holes (circa 0.7m x 0.7m) excavated around most of the 46 pile locations. The work provided a narrow window into early Roman layers, notably a number of military plinths from the early Roman fortress. Due to the excavation strategy, a considerably better picture of the mid to later Roman period was revealed, with 19 rooms from one, but probably two Roman town houses uncovered, twelve with tesselated floors. A medieval cultivation soil, and, ultimately, the remains of 13th-14th century beaten clay floors and hearths overlay the Roman remains.