Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 354: summary

Watching brief report: St John's Street and Crouch Street, Colchester, Essex - gas main replacement trenches
by Orr, K

Date report completed: 03/03/2006
Location: Colchester town centre, Essex
Map reference(s): TL99322496
File size: 523 kb
Project type: Watching brief
Significance of the results: Neg
Keywords: metalled surface, Roman pottery, ceramic building materials, medieval

Summary. Two trenches were excavated during gas-main replacements along Crouch Street, and St John’s Street. One approximately 360m-long and 600mm-wide trench was excavated; the other, shorter trench (5m long and over 1m wide) was dug outside the old Odeon cinema on Crouch Street. The only feature observed was a section of cobbled surface 900mm below ground level, seen outside 26a St John's Street. This is assumed to be the old (possibly medieval) road surface of St John's Street. Below the cobbles was a soil layer containing peg-tile, which extended to the base of the trench. The trench outside the Odeon was 1.7m deep. Beneath the modern deposits, a dark brown clay silt with brick and tile fragments sealed a metalled/cobbled surface. Like the cobbled surface recorded in St John's Street, this may be a remnant of a medieval road surface.