Various observations were made during the construction of a new road between the Middleborough roundabout and North Station Road, the most important of these being to part of the work which involved the diversion of the River Colne under the new road. A new river channel was dug to direct the River Colne slightly further south than its existing course. The river was to pass under the new road in two metal prefabricated 'tunnels' set like huge pipes in a deeply dug pit. The digging of these pits was watched and the sections cleaned and drawn in four soil on the south bank of the river was noted by workmen. In view of the pre- Flavian pottery subsequently found on the site it seems likely that this was a kiln. Although it was not seen by any member of the Trust it was possible to plot its position approximately. The sections of the pit provided much information about the previous courses of the river and the charactor of the various silts. One section showed the silts of the river in Roman and presumably later times. The lowest Roman silt layers contained substantial quantities of broken, unrolled, pre-Flavian pottery including wasters and unfired sherds. This indicated that the material derived from a pottery kiln contemporary with the activities of the nearby Sheepen site. Perhaps the material derived from the possible kiln observed by workmen. No dating evidence was found in the gravel and sand silt above the lowest levels, although fragments of rolled tile suggest that these layers may all be Roman. <2><3>

Site Assessment = During the contractor's excavations, an area of extensively burnt places.