Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 165: summary

An archaeological evaluation on land west of Colchester General Hospital (NHS Estates West District Site), Colchester, Essex: August-September 2001
by Crossan, C (with contributions from Benfield, S; Sealey, Dr. P; Brooks, H.)

Date report completed: 30/11/2001
Location: Colchester, Essex
Map reference(s): TL99312650
File size: 461 kb
Project type: Evaluation
Significance of the results: *
Keywords: Bronze Age, Iron Age, medieval, medieval ditch, prehistoric pottery, ceramic building materials, earthworks, Roman ditch

Summary. This 12ha site lies on high ground approximately 2.5km to the north of Colchester town centre. A field evaluation in advance of development revealed a widespread area of linear features of late Iron Age/early Roman (pre-Flavian) date. For the most part, the evidence from the exploratory trenches is in the form of discrete plots of ditches and gullies of the period and is currently too fragmentary to permit an overall pattern to emerge. Other finds included a single find of late Bronze Age-early Iron Age pottery and two ditches of medieval or possibly later date.