Monument record MCC5470 - Colchester Garrison Project, Colchester

Summary

Features relating to the Civil War and later wars were uncovered on this site.

Location

Grid reference TL 989 229 (point)
Map sheet TL92SE
Non Parish Area COLCHESTER, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Map

Type and Period (10)

Full Description

Evaluation of Areas A, B, D, GJ, H, J, N, V and YP at the Colchester Garrison PFI site by trial-trenching. Revealed built-up nature of large parts of the northern Garrison area. Anglo-Saxon and medieval pottery and post-medieval finds were found. <14>

Areas C1, C2, E, J1, O, Q and S1 of the Alienated Land at Colchester Garrison were excavated. Medieval and post-medieval features were found, as well as some post-medieval pottery.<17>

Trial-trenching evaluation of Alienated Land P1 at Colchester Garrison. Some post-medieval pottery was found.<18>

Archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching at Area J1 of the Garrison Urban Village, Colchester.
17 trenches were excavated and 61 features recorded. Some medieval and post-medieval pottery was found. <23>

Archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching at Area E of the Garrison Urban Village, Colchester.
4 trenches were dug and 25 features recorded. Some post-medieval pottery was found. A post-medieval ditch was interpreted as being part of the 1648 Civil War seigeworks <24>

Archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching on Area C at Colchester Garrison PFI site.
18 trenches were excavated, and a total of 136 archaeological contexts were excavated or examined. Some medieval pottery was found. <29>

Archaeological evaluation by fieldwalking and geophysical survey at Colchester Garrison PFI site.
No finds. <30>

A survey of World War II air-raid shelters at area C2.<10>
Four trenches revealed twelve linear features interpreted as graves. No bones were exposed and further work would be needed to confirm this.<35>

Cavalry Barracks parade ground: a watching brief during construction of a prefabricated building. Part of the Garrison excavations.
No Roman cremations or any significant archaeological remains were noted, apart from brick footings for a demolished Victorian barrack block.<34>

Following an evaluation, four sites 0.5 ha in total were opened on the sports pitch. Finds from Mesolithic, Neolithic and early Bronze Age suggested early activity.<36>

Virtually no Saxon or medieval features recognised. Area F was indetified as Military training produced features included three pillboxes, one gun emplacement a tank trap ditch.<1>

Military training features included linear trenches and horse shoe trenches.<3>

Evaluation suggests the area was not used for any purpose other than agriculture in the Anglo-Saxon and medieval periods. Modern features relate to military trenches, services and pits. <4>

Seventeen boreholes and thirty test pits majority were hand dug and 80% were monitored. No features were revealed but the majority of finds were post medieval, but few medieval in date<7>

Watching brief in area C and F revealed WW1 military practise trenches, sappers ‘practice tunnels and a trench drainage feature.<9>
Survey of WWII air raid shelters in area C2<10>
A third field syytem was identified by post-medieval ditches<12>
Ditch F49 was undated but put as post Roman. A series of eight sub-rectangular pits were unexcavated but had clay pipe and peg tile in upper fills. There was also a unexcavated north-south ditch, dated as before. Modern activity was represented by a few pits and stakeholes.<13>

Sources/Archives (24)

  • <1> EXCAV REPORT: Brooks, H and Masefield, R. 2005. The Colchester Garrison PFI project, Colchester, essex - a report on the 2003 excavation of Areas 2, 6, 10: August-November 2003.. CAT 292.
  • <2> DESC TEXT: Crossan, C, Crummy,P, Holloway, B, Lister, C, Pooley, L and Masefield, R. 2005. Colchester Archaeological Trust- Garrison Reports. CAT CR-R.
  • <3> DESC TEXT: Brooks, H and Masefield, R. 2006. A watching brief at Colchester New Garrison (Phase 1) Colchester, Essex. February 2004-August 2005. CAT Report 357. CAT 357.
  • <4> DESC TEXT: Orr, Kate. 2004. An archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching at Area C1X and Area C2X of the Garrison Urban Village, Colchester, Essex;May 2004. CAT Report 271. CAT 271.
  • <7> DESC TEXT: Orr, Kate. 2001. An archaeological waching brief on geotechnical boreholes and test-pits (Phase 4) Colchester Garrison PFI site. CAT Report 154.
  • <9> DESC TEXT: Tyler, S and Brooks, H. 2003. An archaeological watching brief on munitions clearance at Colchester garrison, Essex. July-October 2002.. CAT 246.
  • <10> DESC TEXT: Lister, C and Orr, K. 2004. A survey of a group of air-raid shelters at Area C2 of the Garrison Urban Village, napier Road, Colchester, Essex. April-May 2004. CAT319.
  • <12> DESC TEXT: Brooks, H and Holloway, B. 2007. Stage 1b archaeological evaluation, Alienated Land Area S2(south), Colchester Garrison, Colchester, Essex. January 2007. CAT Report 404. CAT 404.
  • <13> EXCAV REPORT: Colchester Archaeological Trust. 2000. Archaeological excavations at the Garrison sports pitch, Circular Road North, Colchester, Essex (Abbey Field). CAT 138.
  • <14> DESC TEXT: Colchester Archaeological Trust. 2002. An archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching on Areas A,B,D,J,H,J,N,V and YP at Colchester Garrison PFI site, Colchester, Essex:. CAT 206.
  • <17> DESC TEXT: Colchester Archaeological Trust. 2006. Assessment report on the archaeological investigations carried out on Areas C1, C2, E, J1, O, Q, and S1 -. CAT 361.
  • <18> EXCAV REPORT: Brooks, H and Holloway, B. 2007. Stage 1b archaeological evaluation, Alienated Land Area P1 (off Berechurch Road), Colchester Garrison, Colchester, Essex.December 2006. CAT 403.
  • <20> DESC TEXT: Holloway, Ben. 2006. An archaeological evaluation for a new car park on the Abbey Field, south of Circular Road North, Colchester, Essex. CAT Report 358.
  • <23> DESC TEXT: Holloway, Ben and Brooks, H. 2004. An archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching at Area J1 of the Garrison Urban Village, Colchester, Essex -. CAT 288.
  • <24> DESC TEXT: Holloway, Ben. 2004. An archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching at Area E of the Garrison Urban Village, Colchester, Essex - CAT Report 274. CAT 274.
  • <27> DESC TEXT: Colchester Archaeological Trust. 2002. An archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching on Area KR at Colchester Garrison PFI site, Colchester, Essex -. CAT Report 205.
  • <28> DESC TEXT: Colchester Archaeological Trust. 2002. An archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching on Areas E and F at Colchester Garrison PFI site, Colchester, Essex -. CAT 203.
  • <29> DESC TEXT: Colchester Archaeological Trust. 2002. An archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching on Area C at Colchester Garrison PFI site -. CAT 197.
  • <30> DESC TEXT: Colchester Archaeological Trust. 2002. An archaeological evaluation by fieldwalking and geophysical survey at Colchester Garrison PFI site, Colchester, Essex -. CAT 184.
  • <32> DESC TEXT: Colchester Archaeological Trust. 2000. An archaeological desk-based assessment of the Colchester Garrison PFI site. CAT Report 97.
  • <33> DESC TEXT: Brooks, H and Holloway, B. 2007. Stage 1b archaeological evaluation, Alienated Land Area J2, Colchester Garrison, Colchester, Essex. October 2006 and August- September 2007. CAT Report 437.
  • <34> DESC TEXT: Colchester Archaeological Trust. 2001. An archaeological watching brief at Cavalry Barracks, Circular Road West, Colchester, Essex. CAT Report 153.
  • <35> DESC TEXT: Brooks, H and Holloway, B. 2007. An Archaeological evaluation at Colchester Garrison Church, Military Road, Colchester, Essex. April 2007. CAT Report 419.
  • <36> EXCAV REPORT: Brooks, H and Holloway, B; Masefield R. 2007. Interim assessment report on Stage 2 archaeological excavations, Alienated Land Area S2 (south), Colchester Garrison, Colchester,Essex. February-March 2007. CAT Report 428.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

Nov 3 2015 11:41AM

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