Gosbecks Archaeological Park, Colchester: an archaeological evaluation of the north-west area, 1998

The investigation revealed late Iron Age and early Roman occupation of the 1st century across the whole of the evaluation area. Finds from the features include a range of pottery, one or two fragments from querns and triangular loom weights, and several brooches. A strap end, horse-harness fitting and a number of hobnails, found on the south-west of the site are probably military items. A water-main, continues across the eastern side of the evaluation area. and it appears to be heading toward a large L-shaped cropmark. If supplied with water from the main, then this feature could represent a lowered floor area in a building to accommodate a hypocaust, suggesting a Roman bath-house. A waterworks is another possibility. A large pit of late Bronze Age date was located towards the centre of the evaluation area, which contained a small assemblage of pottery and worked flints, with pieces of burnt flint including one large nodule. No other features of archaeological significance were found during the evaluation. Although the stratigraphy across the site has been entirely ploughed away, it was demonstrated that there is some archaeological potential in the topsoil, as finds have not been significantly moved from the position of their original context.