Site Event/Activity record ECC1732 - Watching brief at Queen Street, Colchester, 1973

Location

Location Queen Street, Colchester
Grid reference Centred TL 9996 2514 (35m by 38m)
Map sheet TL92NE
Non Parish Area COLCHESTER, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Technique(s)

Organisation

Colchester Excavation Committee

Date

July to November 1973

Map

Description

A watching brief was held during the construction of a supermarket along Queen Street. Work was undertaken in two stages. Following demolition of the existing buildings, the surface of the site was quickly cleared and sections drawn which were obtained by the removal of a petrol tank. Later, after the contractors had dug their foundation trenches, further discoveries were added. The plan is a composite of both these operations but there is some uncertainty over the precise positions of the features recorded on the field plans. The site revealed metalling of a north-south road which overlay a substantial accumulation of material including floors. Metalling in the south-west corner of the site overlay a gully and layer of mortar, both of which were probably associated with a building. Other structural remains noted in contractor’s trenches included two exposures of opus signinum, a substantial area of plain red tessellated pavement, and part of a daub wall. These were probably all sealed by unrecorded metalling from an east-west street. <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.790-792.

Related Monuments/Buildings (5)

  • Roman floors and gully, Queen Street, Colchester (Element Group)
  • Roman street between Insula 30 and 31, Colchester (Monument)
  • Roman street between Insula 38-39, Queen Street, Colchester (Monument)
  • Roman tessellated pavement, Queen Street, Colchester (Element)
  • Roman wall, Queen Street, Colchester (Element)

Record last edited

Mar 22 2016 1:41PM

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