Monument record MCC1825 - Roman street between Insula 23 & 31, Colchester

Summary

Roman street, aligned E to W between Insula 23 & 31.

Location

Grid reference Centred TL 9998 2523 (74m by 1m) (2 map features)
Map sheet TL92NE
County ESSEX
Non Parish Area COLCHESTER, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

East-west Roman street situated between Insulas 23 & 31.

The 'cobbled' surface of a Roman street was discovered during an excavation (ECC766) on the south side of the High Street opposite Winsley's House and east of the gate of the Minories garden. The trench was 19ft. from the south building line.<1><2>

P.G. Laver records in his diary ' An excavation on the south side of High Street opposite Winsley's House and east of the gate of the Minories garden, exposed part of the cobbled surface of the Roman Street. The trench cut was 19ft from the south building line. The cobbles were well-placed, close and very hard to get out. The bed on which they were set seemed lime, on top of old mortar and other filling, very hard rammed, containing a few large septaria stones and broken Roman tiles. Below this was hard rammed gravel and under this clayey loam, also well rammed. Undisturbed sand was reached at 6ft...It is not unusual, in fact I have not seen before, the paved surface of our Roman High Street, the side wall bounding the street was looked for (but, not apparently found) that on the N is 5ft 8" from the houses...(thus) the street must have been at least 31ft wide'.<3><4><5>

A plan published in the 1971 Transactions shows a wall at 3 Queen Street and metalling at the corner of Queen Street and High Street, apparently observed by Museum Archaeologist Rosalind Dunnett. However, there is no further information. They are both almost certainly Roman remains given the context.<1> The plan copies remains marked on the Museum copy of the OS 1:1250 map (not located).<6>

Sources/Archives (6)

  • <1> DIARY: Laver, P. G.. 1916-1940. P.G. Laver's Diary. 21/11/1892.
  • <2> Monograph: Hull, M.R.. 1958. Roman Colchester: Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London. No. XX. p.65.
  • <3> DIARY: Laver, P. G.. 1916-1940. P.G. Laver's Diary. 21/11/1922.
  • <4> DIARY: Laver, P. G.. 1916-1940. P.G. Laver's Diary. 21/11/1922.
  • <5> Monograph: Hull, M.R.. 1958. Roman Colchester: Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London. No. XX. p.65.
  • <6> Article in serial: Crummy, Philip. 1971. Insula 30. Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society Vol. 3, Part 1, 107-111. pp.108-109, No. 4.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (3)

Record last edited

Dec 12 2016 10:46AM

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