Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 822: summary

An archaeological watching brief at Gosbecks Archaeological Park, Colchester, Essex: March 2015
by Donald Shimmin (with contributions from -)

Date report completed: July 2015
Location: Gosbecks Archaeological Park, Colchester, Essex
Map reference(s): TL 9672 2286
File size: 1,165 kb
Project type: Archaeological watching brief
Significance of the results: neg
Keywords: post-Roman, ploughsoil

Summary. An archaeological watching brief took place during the installation of an interpretation panel in Gosbecks Archaeological Park. The panel is sited in the north-western corner of the park, close to the car-park accessed off Maldon Road. The modern ground-level in this area is at approximately 35 m above Ordnance Survey datum. The important Late Iron Age and Roman complex at Gosbecks is known from aerial photographs, geophysical surveys, and excavations. Archaeological remains at Gosbecks include: dykes, droveways and field systems; a large enclosure, possibly Cunobelin’s farmstead; a small Roman fort of probable Claudian date; a Romano-British temple, surrounded by a monumental portico; a Roman theatre; a Roman water-main, possibly leading to a bath-house; and a road leading to the walled Roman town. Many of these remains are located within Gosbecks Archaeological Park. The post-hole for the interpretation panel was dug approximately 260 mm square and 550 mm deep. The deposits encountered during the digging of the post-hole were as follows. The upper 100 mm was turf and modern topsoil. This sealed a greyish-brown layer, approximately 250 mm thick, which was probably post-Roman ploughsoil. The lower 200 mm consisted of a yellowish-brown sandy deposit with abundant gravels, which was probably natural subsoil. Finds from the spoil included a small undiagnostic fragment of brick or tile and a small modern glass shard (not retained).