An archaeological evaluation by trial-trenching on Areas A, B, D, GJ, H, J, N, V, and YP at Colchester Garrison PFI site, Colchester, Essex: June-July 2002

Seventy-one trenches were excavated in Areas A, B, D, GJ, H, J, N, V and YP. In total, 641 archaeological contexts were excavated or examined. These were principally modern and post-medieval features, modern footings and services (44% of all contexts) and topsoils, subsoils and dumped soils (41%). There were smaller numbers of natural or undated features (12.3%). Significant archaeological remains accounted for only 2.7% of all contexts. Significant archaeological features consisted of three Roman burials, a robbed-out Roman building, a prehistoric pit, and a few Roman pits and ditches. Some of the Roman ditches share a broad alignment with field-boundaries previously evaluated on Area C, and may be regarded as parts of the same LIA/Roman field system. There were a few prehistoric sherds and struck flints, but none of the prehistoric material is at a level to suggest anything other than scattered and intermittent activity in the prehistoric period. The character of the archaeological remains identified can be summarised as principally modern in date, with a very small numbers of significant features. Features in Areas A and B in particular contained larger groups of artefacts than Areas C, E/F or KR. This is a reflection of the proximity of the area under study to the Roman town and Roman cemeteries and to the medieval centre of activity at St John’s Abbey. Trenching work continues in adjacent areas.