Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 825: summary

Archaeological excavation at St Helena School, Sheepen Road, Colchester: October-November 2014
by Pip Parmenter and Ben Holloway (with contributions from Stephen Benfield, Nina Crummy, Val Fryer)

Date report completed: June 2015
Location: St Helena School, Sheepen Road, Colchester
Map reference(s): TL 9878 2582
File size: 5,041 kb
Project type: Archaeological excavation
Significance of the results: ***
Keywords: Roman, temple, precinct, coins, hoard, brooch, altar

Summary. An archaeological excavation was carried out at St Helena School, Sheepen Road, Colchester. The school is situated within the Roman enclosed oppidum of Camulodunum (specifically the area of the trading depot at Sheepen), and is within a scheduled monument. The school grounds contain the remains of two Romano-British temples, and the site was within the precinct or temenos of a large post-Boudiccan temple dedicated to Jupiter (Colchester’s Temple 2). The excavation revealed Roman activity comprising nine pits, one of which contained 26 low- denomination 1st-century AD coins. Also revealed were patches of the gravelled surface of the temple precinct and the cobble and mortar wall foundations of a small internal altar or similar structure.