Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 507: summary

An archaeological evaluation at 1 York Road, Earls Colne, Essex: March 2009
by Ben Holloway and Howard Brooks

Date report completed: June 2009
Location: 1 York Road, Earls Colne, Essex
Map reference(s): TL 8575 2888
File size: 212 kb
Project type: Evaluation
Significance of the results: *
Keywords: medieval, post-medieval, modern, gravel surface, pit

Summary. The site lies to the south of a possible Roman road, the projected course of which coincides with the modern High Street, and at the southern edge of the built-up area of medieval Earls Colne. A 10m-long evaluation trench was positioned in the centre of the site and within the footprint of the proposed extension. Six archaeological features were revealed - a medieval pit and compacted gravel surface, and four post-medieval or modern pits. The medieval and later pits probably represent domestic activity, ie rubbish-pit digging, in the back yards or gardens of properties fronting onto York Road and the High Street. The gravel surface, which was cut by a medieval pit and may itself be medieval in date, is probably located too far east to be the surface of a precursor of York Road. Instead, it may have been a domestic yard surface. There was no evidence of Roman roadside settlement. Nor were there any features (for instance, plot boundaries) relating to the medieval or post-medieval development of Earls Colne.