Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 1080: summary

Archaeological excavation on Phase 2 land at Westrope Haulage Yard, Sturmer Road, Birdbrook, Essex, CO9 4BB: March 2017
by Laura Pooley (with contributions from Stephen Benfield)

Date report completed: April 2017
Location: Westrope Haulage Yard, Sturmer Road, Birdbrook, Essex, CO9 4BB
Map reference(s): TL 70980 42788 (c)
File size: 2,804 kb
Project type: Archaeological excavation
Significance of the results: *
Keywords: Roman, well or gravel-pit, pit, ditch

Summary. An archaeological excavation was carried out on land at Westrope Haulage Yard, Sturmer Road, Birdbrook, Essex in advance of the construction of new offices/light industrial units as part of 'Phase 2' development work. Located close to the sites of a Roman cemetery and of Wixoe small Roman town on the other side of the River Stour, the excavation targeted an area 60mē where a Roman pit and oven were revealed during archaeological evaluation in 2016. Three further Roman features (a possible well or gravel-pit, pit and ditch) and an undated pit were excavated. This small but significant cluster of Roman features and finds is indicative of Roman domestic/ settlement activity within the hinterland of the Roman town.