Trial-trenched evaluation by Colchester Archaeological Trust in 2001 identified four pits containing charcoal rich fills in Trial Trench 20 (T20) at the west end of Axial Way. None of the pits contained any dating evidence and no further investigation of these was undertaken in advance of the construction of the road.<1>

The report records:

F2001
A small shallow circular pit with a very high charcoal content in the silty clay lower fill. In places, the sides of the pit displayed brownish-red discolouration.
F2002
A small circular pit with a very high charcoal content in the silty clay lower fill. The sides of the pit displayed slight brownish-red discolouration.
F2003
A shallow pit containing silt loam with a high charcoal content.
F2004
A pit with a silty clay loam fill dominated by charcoal. The natural subsoil at the pit bottom was burnt red.

A further four pits containing charcoal-rich fills were identified in T18, 150m to the west (MCC9326).

In 2014, investigations in advance of the construction of the Park and Ride, to the north of the A12, defined a wide scatter of 30 pits that exhibited in situ burning and charcoal-rich fills - apparently similar in character (MCC9325). Two contained datable artefacts -substantial portions of jars of 1st century AD date. Two different charcoal taxa samples from one undated pit were radiocarbon dated, producing results of Cal. 50 BC-AD 65 and 170 BC-AD 5. Broad contemporaneity with the pottery-dated examples is probable, and a broadly 1st century AD date straddling the Roman conquest likely for the pit group as a whole. These pits were scattered across the excavation and monitoring areas, with no patterning or associated remains evident. The function of these ‘fire pits’ remains unclear. It is conjectured that these were part of the same extensive scatter of such features and that collectively they extend across an area in excess of 70ha. Their function is undetermined, but firepits/hearth at casual encampments or some heathland exploitation activity is suggested.<2>