Monument record MCC1576 - Roman building, Telephone Exchange Site, West Stockwell Street, Colchester

Summary

Roman building discovered during excavations at the Telephone Exchange Site in 1966.

Location

Grid reference TL 99511 25335 (point)
Map sheet TL92NE
County ESSEX
Non Parish Area COLCHESTER, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

During excavations at the Telephone Exchange Site in 1966 (ECC658), the remains of a post-Boudican Roman building of several phases were discovered. The building line from the western side of the earlier pre-Boudican building (MCC1573) was maintained. The new building had foundation trenches filled with compacted clay and gravel which presumably supported a timber-framed superstructure. Only one wall was represented by a robber-trench suggesting a masonry foundation and wall. This may have been for an external wall whilst the others were internal. The former existence of at least three rooms was suggested, one of which contained a small hearth. In its initial form the building had plain clay floors. These were later replaced with opus signinum and gravel surfaces. The hearth was also replaced by an oven. The earlier gravel foundations were sealed by the make-up of the new floors suggesting that the building underwent a major re-build. This re-build included the digging of new foundation trenches and the construction of a new masonry wall. Final alterations to the building took place after a considerable period of time and saw the removal of internal walls and some re-building including the construction of a footway (MCC1577) between the house and street (MCC760). The buildings masonry walls were robbed at some point after it went out of use.<1>

Sources/Archives (1)

  • <1> Article in serial: Dunnett, B.R.K.. 1971. Excavations in Colchester, 1964-8. Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society Vol. 3, Part 1. pp.12-13.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

Dec 8 2016 2:27PM

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