Find Spot record MCC10056 - Finds from evaluation at 20-21 Middleborough, Colchester

Summary

A small trial-trenched evaluation in 2016 produced small quantities of Roman, medieval and post-medieval finds in the river silts. The report suggests these were probably derived from centuries of dumping rubbish on the river edge. The trench revealed modern soils (L1, 0-1.05m), post-medieval dump (L2, 1.05-1.31m), medieval/post-medieval river silts and gravels (L3-L5, 1.31m-2.24m, starting at 5.45m AOD), and Roman river silts (L6, starting at 2.24m deep, 4.5m AOD).

Location

Grid reference TL 9933 2560 (point)
Map sheet TL92NE
County ESSEX
Non Parish Area COLCHESTER, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Map

Type and Period (0)

Full Description

The earliest dated find was a reused flint core, residual in L5 (which produced almost exclusively Roman finds), broadly dated as Neolithic/Late Neolithic-Bronze Age.<1>

Layers L3-L4 contained finds of medieval and post-medieval date. Among these, there were a few preserved organic finds consisting of pieces of wood and two small pieces of leather (L4 (3<S>)). There was also a small quantity of slag and possibly kiln/furnace lining.

Dried waterlogged plant remains dominated the assemblages for each environmental sample. Plants of disturbed ground, damp ground and aquatic plants were represented. Possible food plants were present as one grape (Vitis vinifera L) seed in sample <4> (Roman river silts and gravels), one fragment of marrow/cucumber (Cucurbita/Cucumis sp.) seed in sample <2> (post-medieval river silts) and possible caraway (?Carum carvi L.) seeds in samples <1> and <2> (both post-medieval river silts).

Sources/Archives (1)

  • <1> Evaluation Report: Pooley, Laura. 2016. Archaeological evaluation at 20-21 Middleborough, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1QX. CAT Report 1025.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

Nov 11 2016 10:33AM

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