Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 326: summary

An archaeological excavation and watching brief at Birch airfield compost site, Birch, Colchester, Essex: May-August 2005
by Crossan, C (with contributions from Benfield, S; Crummy, N; Curl, J.)

Date report completed: 02/02/2006
Location: Birch, Colchester, Essex
Map reference(s): TL911198, TL925192
File size: 3398 kb
Project type: Watching brief
Significance of the results: *
Keywords: Iron Age, prehistoric field ditches, Roman ditch, small finds, personal ornaments, animal bone, Roman pottery, trackway/droveway

Summary. A watching brief on drainage works and depth-limited soil-stripping within a large compost-production site at Birch airfield resulted in the discovery of linear features and pits dating from the Late Iron Age/early Roman period onward. The observations were too fragmentary to yield an integrated picture of the earlier activity, but the evidence includes ditches and gullies belonging to field systems, possibly with associated structures. The nature and distribution of finds suggest that a focus of Roman occupation lies within or in the immediate vicinity of the north-western region of the airfield.