During excavations at Balkerne Lane in 1973-6 (ECC332), a Romano-Celtic temple was discovered. All that survived of the temple were the foundations of the cella and robber trenches for the foundations of the ambulatory. The foundations were both 0.8m wide x 1.15m deep.

The temple had been constructed over a series of dump layers, including layers of oyster shells which probably originated as kitchen waste (see MCC473). These served to level the ground surface which sloped steeply downwards to the north.

The remains of a rectangular plinth of mortared stone and building tile lay to the south of the temple and this may have been a base for an alter. The plinth was surrounded by layers of oyster shell and gravel which had accumulated on a gravel yard between the temple and the main Colchester to London street (MCC475) to the south. The yard probably formed the temenos of the temple although no trace of an enclosure wall was found.

During the 4th century AD the ambulatory was demolished and its foundations were robbed out completely perhaps in order to convert the building 'to suit Christian use in the mid 4th century or later'.

A fragment of a copper-alloy figurine of Mercury was found in spoil from the Balkerne Lane site and may indicate a deity to which the Romano-Celtic temple or the possible shrine (MCC557) was dedicated.<1>