Watching brief report: the Old Poultry Market site, North Station Road, Colchester

This 0.28-hectare site lies on the west side of North Station Road, close to the North Bridge and approximately 400 metres beyond the north gate of the walled town. In 1998, an evaluation revealed a Roman wall foundation near the present road frontage, also evidence of post-medieval buildings at the frontage and centre of the site. The 1999 watching brief on redevelopment work recorded a parallel Roman foundation at the site frontage, along with further plots of post-medieval structures. The Roman foundations lie 30 metres from the bank of the Colne and are the southernmost of a series of discoveries since the 19th century which indicate the existence of a Roman extra-mural suburb to the north of the river.