Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 905: summary

An archaeological excavation and watching brief at St Helena School, Sheepen Road, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3LE: October 2015-January 2016
by Laura Pooley (with contributions from Stephen Benfield)

Date report completed: January 2016
Location: St Helena School, Sheepen Road, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3LE
Map reference(s): TL 989 258 (c)
File size: 2,746 kb
Project type: Archaeological excavation and watching brief
Significance of the results: **
Keywords: Sheepen, 'Temple 2'

Summary. St Helena School lies on the eastern side of the nationally important Late Iron Age and early Roman site of Sheepen, which is the northern focus of the oppidum of Camulodunum. It is also the location of two Romano-British temples. Groundworks associated with the construction of football pitches, a pavilion and services took place at several locations across the school site. The excavation of a cable-trench revealed part of the foundation of the north side of the outer precinct wall of ‘Temple 2’, along with an external buttress and gravel surface. Other groundworks to the north-east of the site of 'Temple 2' revealed a Roman agricultural/drainage ditch and demolition layer. It is difficult to say if they were associated with the temple complex or other industrial or domestic activity occurring nearby.