Element Group record MCC3058 - Roman ditches and pits, High Trees, St Clare Drive, Colchester

Summary

Four north/south ditches and one east/west ditch recorded by excavation in 2016, primarily of an early Roman date. Another two north/south ditches were identified by evaluation in 2013 (T3, F19 and T4, F2), although F19 could not be traced by excavation. A number of Roman pits/rubbish pits were excavated, indicative of occupation, with finds from the site forming a moderately wealthy assemblage.

Location

Grid reference TL 9739 2513 (point)
Map sheet TL92NE
County ESSEX
Non Parish Area COLCHESTER, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Map

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Four north/south ditches (F26/F58, F31, F36/F47 and F46) and one east/west ditch (F55) were recorded on the site. Another two north/south ditches were identified during the evaluation phase in T3, F19 and T4, F2, although F19 could not be traced within excavation plot 3. Primarily of an early Roman date, and with all the north/south ditches running parallel to Lexden Dyke, the report suggests these are probably either field boundary ditches or relate to a nearby settlement. No structural features were recorded on the site and CBM was not present in any quantity to suggest the existence of a significant brick and tile structure. However, a number of Roman pits/rubbish pits were excavated and are indicative of occupation, with finds from the site forming a moderately wealthy assemblage.<1>

In Plot 2, three pits were excavated to the west of ditch F36 (F44, F45, F50) and five pits to the east of ditch F26 (F23, F25, F28, F34, F35). In Plot 3, Five small Roman pits (F61, F69, F70, F72 and F76) were excavated and a large pit/group of pits (F75) is probably also Roman.

There was a considerable quantity of pottery (although much of it was residual in post-medieval quarry pits) dating to the Late Iron Age (LIA) and Roman period (600 sherds weighing 9.6kg), typical of the late 1st century BC/early 1st century AD to the 3rd century. Mid 1st to early 3rd century pit F34 (Plot 2)
contained a hobnail of Manning type 10 (SF1), a small bent piece of lead with large amounts of white surface corrosion (SF3), an irregularly shaped spindle whorl in Fabic HZ (SF10), with a drilled central perforation made after firing and broken edges, and an iron strip which seemed to have been bent into a triangular shape which, under x-ray, appears to have another iron ring within it (SF13).

Sources/Archives (2)

  • <1> EXCAV REPORT: Pooley, Laura. 2017. Archaeological excavation, monitoring and building recording at 'High Trees', St Clare Drive, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3TA. CAT Report 1008.
  • <2> Evaluation Report: Holloway, Ben (CAT). 2013. A Roman cemetery east of Lexden Dyke: archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching at ‘High Trees’, St Clare Road, Colchester, Essex. CAT Report 745.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (2)

Record last edited

Jan 9 2017 3:04PM

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