Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 1455: summary

Archaeological investigation (Phases 1 & 2) on works along Middleborough and Balkerne Hill, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1TG: July 2019 – February 2020
by Laura Pooley (with contributions from Dr Matthew Loughton, Sarah Carter, Laura Pooley)

Date report completed: March 2020
Location: Middleborough and Balkerne Hill, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1TG
Map reference(s): TL 99239 25283 (centre)
File size: kb
Project type: Monitoring
Significance of the results:
Keywords:

Summary. Archaeological monitoring was carried out during groundworks along Middleborough and Balkerne Hill, Colchester, Essex for external lighting to illuminate the Roman town wall and Balkerne Gate, both scheduled monuments (NHLE no. 1003772 & 1002187). Groundworks largely occurred through modern and some post-medieval layers, showing that soil layers against this section of the Roman town wall are largely of modern date to a depth of c 0.6-0.7m below current ground level. The only significant archaeological remains were present 2m to the south of Balkerne Gate, where a small section of Roman gravel surface was uncovered. First identified during excavations in the 1970s, this surface is part of the via sagularis, the street around the inside of the defences of the Roman legionary fortress.