Colchester Archaeological Trust
CAT Report 916: summary
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An archaeological watching brief at St Helena School, Sheepen Road, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3LE: August-September 2015
by Laura Pooley
(with contributions from Stephen Benfield)
Date report completed: February 2016
Location: St Helena School, Sheepen Road, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3LE
Map reference(s): TL 989 258 (c)
File size: 2,673 kb
Project type: Archaeological watching brief
Significance of the results: **
Keywords: Sheepen, Romano-British, 'Temple 2', precinct wall foundation, precinct, gravel surface
Summary.
St Helena School, Sheepen Road, Colchester, Essex 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 site of two Romano-British temples.
Groundworks included the clearance of ground slabs (covering 690mē) and the excavation of 222m of service-trenches (for gas, electricity and drainage) around the perimeter of the existing school buildings. Part of the foundation of the northern side of the outer precinct wall of 'Temple 2' was revealed along with patches of a gravel surface within the precinct. Trenches to the west of 'Temple 2' revealed two large Roman pits which were probably associated with the temple complex.