Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 1264: summary

Archaeological evaluation at Bridge House, Hythe Quay, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8JB April 2018
by Laura Pooley (with contributions from Stephen Benfield, Lisa Gray, Ben Holloway)

Date report completed: May 2018
Location: Bridge House, Hythe Quay, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8JB
Map reference(s): TM 0145 2474
File size: 5195 kb
Project type: Field evaluation
Significance of the results: *
Keywords: Hythe Quay

Summary. An archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching (five trenches) was undertaken at Bridge House, Hythe Quay, Colchester, Essex during the pre-determination stage of planning, to inform a planning application for the proposed construction of new residential dwellings. The Hythe has been the port for Colchester probably since the Norman period. There were no significant archaeological remains in two trenches (T2-T3). Three medieval pits were excavated in trench T1 with a medieval pit and linear in trench T4, dating from the late 11th to the 13th/14th century. Also present in trench T4 was a medieval (late 12th to 14th century) wall foundation of medium to large compacted stones. Looser patches of compacted medium stones and chalk may represent a second later wall foundation (15th to 17th century) but could also be the remains of either a plinth or surface. These structural remains are possibly associated with medieval activity at Hythe Quay.