Building record MCC9202 - Roman street at 38-40 Crouch Street, Colchester

Summary

At least one Roman building (Colchester Building 213) lay on the south side of the metalled Roman road (MCC9199), aligned parallel to it (NE to SW). The building was defined during a watching brief and excavation in advance of redevelopment at 38-42 Crouch Street, Colchester, on the site of the (later) medieval Crouched Friars friary, sealed by the medieval burials and the dark soil L2 and only encountered at the lower levels of the contractors’ excavations during the watching brief and at the base of the excavation area. In addition, there were a small number of other features of probable late Roman date. All of these features share the approximate alignment of the Roman street. All contained pottery which can be dated to the mid 3rd-4th century. A small ditch or Gully, F40, was located just to the north-east of F54 is probably of late Roman date. This feature was mostly recorded in plan, but the alignment is similar to that of F54/F58 (features F54 and F58 could represent a small ditch on the south side of this street, or the foundations of a Roman building fronting onto its south side).

Location

Grid reference Not recorded
Map sheet Not recorded
County ESSEX
Non Parish Area COLCHESTER, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Map

No mapped location recorded.

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

On the central area of the site was Part of the wall foundation (F32) of a building, probably of late Roman date, was defined in the central part of the excavation area. This feature was uncovered during machine-clearing around the medieval wall foundation F17 which sealed it. The foundation F32 consisted of a shallow trench which contained unmortared lumps of septaria and occasional pieces of yellow-brown mortar. Immediately to the east side of the foundation F32, there was a small feature (F23) that consisted of unmortared septaria lumps with some ragstone pieces. Although only a very small area of this feature remained, it was similar to F32 and its shape suggests a linear feature set at right-angles to F32. It appears F32 and probably F23 represent wall foundations of a late Roman building on the south side of the Roman street. <1>

Sources/Archives (1)

  • <1> EXCAV REPORT: Benfield, S. and Brooks, H.. 2007. Crouched Friars: the medieval church structure and its associated cemetery. 38-40 Crouch Street, Colchester: January-April 2007. CAT Report 434.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

Dec 8 2015 9:17AM

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