Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 843: summary

Archaeological trial-trenching at the Arena Leisure Centre, Circular Road East, Colchester, Essex - Phase 1a, pre-determination trenching: April-May 2015
by Mark Baister (with contributions from Stephen Benfield, Julie Curle, Robert Masefield)

Date report completed: June 2015
Location: the Arena Leisure Centre, Circular Road East, Colchester, Essex
Map reference(s): TL 997 244
File size: 7,350 kb
Project type: Archaeological trial-trenching
Significance of the results: *
Keywords: Roman, ditch, inhumation burial, pit, pottery, post-medieval, ditch

Summary. In Phase 1a of the evaluation, we excavated eleven trenches across the site of the Arena Leisure Centre, prior to its closure and subsequent demolition. Numerous features of archaeological interest were encountered, including eleven Roman assumed inhumation burials and Roman field boundaries and pits. Also identified was a selection of post-medieval pits and ditches. Of particular interest is the recovery of a copper-alloy neck ring and two associated human molars from an assumed inhumation burial.