Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 800: summary

An archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching at 2-3 Priory Street, Colchester, Essex: November 2014
by Adam Wightman (with contributions from Stephen Benfield)

Date report completed: December 2014
Location: 2-3 Priory Street, Colchester, Essex
Map reference(s): TM 00013 24995
File size: 1,545 kb
Project type: Archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching
Significance of the results: **
Keywords: Roman, extra-mural settlement, medieval, inhumation burials

Summary. A single trial-trench was excavated by the Colchester Archaeological Trust to the rear of 2-3 Priory Street in Colchester town centre prior to the construction of an extension. Roman deposits, including at least one in situ surface and debris from the demolition of a Roman building, were identified at the northern end of the evaluation trench. Previous archaeological investigations in the close vicinity have suggested that there was at least one extra-mural building of late Roman date in this area. The Roman deposits on the site had been truncated by medieval inhumation burials associated with the Priory of St Botolph. A significant quantity of disarticulated human bone was recovered and reburied and two articulated skeletons, both young individuals, were uncovered at depths of only 0.68m and 0.74m below the modern ground level.