Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 414: summary

An archaeological evaluation at St Helena School, Sheepen Road, Colchester, Essex: February 2007
by Pooley, L (with contributions from Benfield, S; Crummy, N)

Date report completed: 01/03/2007
Location: Sheepen, Colchester, Essex
Map reference(s): TL98982578
File size: 4,347 kb
Project type: Evaluation
Significance of the results:
Keywords: Bronze Age, post-medieval, Roman wall foundation, coins, briquetage, prehistoric pottery, Roman pottery, post-Roman pottery

Summary. Six evaluation trenches (totalling 87m by 1.6m) were located within the St Helena School site in advance of plans to extend the school car-park. A total of 18 features were recorded: 10 Roman (seven pits, one wall foundation, one ditch and one metalled surface); one mid/late Bronze Age pit; one post-Medieval ditch; six undated features (four pits and two ditches); and one natural feature. Significantly, the Roman wall foundation appears to have been part of the precinct wall for the late 1st century Roman temple known to have been located on the site. A large quantity of Roman finds were also recorded including two coins which belong to the postconquest pre-Boudican occupation of Sheepen, a brooch fragment and briquetage which may also date to before AD 60/1, and a number of pottery sherds dating primarily from the 1st to the early 2nd century.