Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 1007: summary

A Roman round-house: archaeological excavation and monitoring on land at St Mary's Primary School, Docwra Road, Kelvedon, Essex, CO5 9DS: August 2016-July 2017
by Laura Pooley (with contributions from Stephen Benfield, Lisa Gray MSc MA ACIfA, Adam Wightman)

Date report completed: October 2017
Location: land at St Mary's Primary School, Docwra Road, Kelvedon, Essex, CO5 9DS
Map reference(s): TL 86446 18857 (c)
File size: 9,287 kb
Project type: Archaeological excavation and monitoring
Significance of the results: ***
Keywords: Roman, round-house, well, post-holes, ditch

Summary. An archaeological excavation and monitoring was carried out at St Mary's Primary School, Docwra Road, Kelvedon, Essex in advance of the construction of a new classroom and playground. Located within the area of the Roman settlement at Kelvedon, previous archaeological investigations on the development site revealed evidence of a circular Roman temple. The current archaeological excavation revealed evidence of a Roman round-house consisting of nineteen post-holes with an external drip-gully. The gully enclosed an area of approximately 12 metres in diameter with the round-house structure measuring 10 metres in diameter. Dating evidence from the round-house would suggest that it went out of use at some time in the mid to late 2nd century. Adjacent to, and probably contemporary with, the round-house was a deep well. Parallel lines of post-holes nearby probably represent fence-lines or fenced enclosures, although there is a possibility that they may have formed a rectangular structure. Subsequent monitoring revealed four short lengths of Roman ditch, one of which was curved and may have formed part of the drip-gully or wall-trench for another circular structure, and several Roman pits. Post-Roman features consisted of a medieval pit, a post-medieval pit/ditch and two post-holes. Seven undated pits, five tree-throw holes and a natural feature were also recorded.