Well-preserved Roman deposits were recorded at a depth of 0.95-1.1m below the modern ground-level during the evaluation in 2004. Two intact early Roman urned cremation burials were discovered, one in each trench. Two possible inhumation burials were exposed but not fully excavated. Pottery from one of these burials was later 3rd century in date which corresponds with the date of most Roman inhumation burials found in Colchester. There was, however, no evidence for the backfilled trenches of the Victorian antiquarian John Taylor.

The watching brief and limited excavation located four of five further cremation burials, a spread of Roman material and a burnt feature. It was not possible to excavate the burnt feature, and therefore its function is open to speculation. There is the likelihood – given its location within a cremation cemetery – that it is a ‘bustum’, but no cremated bone was recovered (a bustum is a type of pyre with the burial in situ). Substantial quantities of animal bone, oyster shell, Roman pottery and tile were recorded in certain areas.

The results confirm that the site is within the known Roman cemetery area, in use from the 1st or early 2nd century to the late 3rd or 4th century. The findings are similar to those from 1 Queens Road (Handford House) and 21 West Lodge Road (ECC2867 and ECC2638). After the 4th century, the site probably went out of use or was used for agricultural purposes allowing a deep layer of post-Roman topsoil or ‘dark earth’ to form. The few finds from the post-Roman period were a small amount of possibly 13th century pottery, peg-tile and some post-medieval clay pipe.<1>

The dark earth was also encountered during monitoring and recording in 2018 (ECC4116).<2>