Monument record MCC800 - Roman building (CAT Building 94), within Insula 34, Culver Street, Colchester

Summary

Roman building within Insula 34 recorded during excavations at Culver Street between 1981-2 and 1984-5.

Location

Grid reference TL 99492 25089 (point)
Map sheet TL92NE
1848 Parish THE HOLY TRINITY
Non Parish Area COLCHESTER, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Map

Type and Period (5)

Full Description

During excavations at Culver Street between 1981-2 and 1984-5 (ECC337), a Roman building was discovered situated in the north-east corner of Insula 34, west of the former via principalis (MCC760) and south of the east-west street (MCC812). A contemporary building was located to the west (MCC793) and the earlier east-west street to the south (MCC762) was re-used although the building encroached on it slightly.

The building was square and probably consisted of six rooms of varying sizes. Although the building was clearly one structure it was possible that it may have been more than one property. The slots for all the walls (both internal and load-bearing) were of the same size; about 0.25m wide and 0.2m deep. Theses slots would have held ground-plates some of which survived as decayed timbers. The walls had been almost completely dismantled, but part of a stud-and-daub block wall survived to a height of 0.4m. Elsewhere the lower part of a wall survived almost intact and was important because it represented unique evidence of a stud wall infilled with blocks of sandy clay.

Internal features included sandy clay floors, postholes, gullies, pits (one of which was wattle-lined), a mortar floor, hearths, and stake holes.
To the west of the main part of the building was a yard containing a sequence of drainage gullies which led to a large soak away. Also within this area were a large rubbish pit, a gully containing a dog burial, a second dog burial and some midden and dump material which had accumulated prior to resurfacing early in the 2nd century AD (see MCC773).

The building was partially demolished during which pits appear to have been dug to remove upright timbers. However continuity in the plan of the building which succeeded it suggests that certain elements of the structure were maintained (see MCC890) and the yard certainly continued in use during this later period.<1>

Sources/Archives (1)

  • <1> Monograph: Crummy, Philip. 1992. CAR 6: Excavations at Culver Street, the Gilberd School, and other sites in Colchester 1971-85. 6. pp.67-68.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

Jan 23 2017 11:40AM

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