Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 416: summary

Archaeological investigation report: the playground, Upper Castle Park, Colchester, Essex (January 2007)
by Orr, K

Date report completed: 01/03/2007
Location: Colchester town centre, Essex
Map reference(s):
File size: 85KB kb
Project type: Evaluation
Significance of the results: Neg
Keywords: Scheduled Ancient Monument, insulae, water works, Roman pottery, peg-tile, Roman tile, tesserae, greensand stone, slag, iron object

Summary. Scheduled Monument Consent was obtained by Colchester Borough Council for a trench to be dug in the southern end of the playground, in order to ascertain the depth below ground level of the archaeological deposits. The trench measured approximately 1.5m x 1m. The highest layer consisted of 100mm of wood chippings and 150mm of modern overburden. This sealed a modern geotextile membrane. The membrane was removed to expose a mixed mid-brown soil with patches of sand. This layer contained Roman brick and tile fragments but did not appear to be ‘dark earth’. It is more likely to be topsoil. It was decided to excavate the eastern side of the trench down to natural. The mid- brown soil continued until natural sand was encountered at approximately 500mm below ground level. There did not appear to be an intervening layer between the topsoil and the natural. Two ditch or pit-like features cut the natural at approximately 500mm below ground level.