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Archaeologists have opened the former site of Essex County Hospital to members of the public for the first time in two years to share progress on the excavations...The former hospital site, which is in Lexden Road, closed permanently in 2018 , with plans for 120 homes on the site approved two years later.Before construction begins on the new housing development, however, Colchester Archaeological Trust has been allowed to excavate significant portions of land surrounding the 19th century structure, with work ongoing since 2020.Although it has been a fruitful two years of excavations, Mr Wightman told visitors on Friday no high...

New research published by archaeologists from MOLA reveals a previously unknown Roman fort, built in AD63 as a direct response to the sacking of London by the native tribal Queen of the Iceni, Boudica. The revolt razed the early Roman town to the ground in AD60/61 but until now little was understood about the Roman's response to this devastating uprising. Excavations at Plantation Place for British Land on Fenchurch Street in the City of London exposed a section of a rectangular fort that covered 3.7acres. The timber and earthwork fort had 3metre high banks reinforced with interlacing timbers and faced...

A hoard of Roman treasure believed to have been hidden from Boudicca in the first century has been discovered by archaeologists in Colchester. The collection, including fine gold and silver jewellery, had been buried for safekeeping during the early stages of Boudicca's Revolt, Colchester Archaeological Trust said. It represents the first hoard of precious metals ever found in Colchester town centre and is thought to have belonged to a wealthy Roman woman, who stashed the treasure under her house when she heard the vengeful queen's armies were approaching. The archaeologists said the hoard was found under the floor of a...

THE rich Roman heritage of Britain's oldest recorded town has been enhanced by the discovery of a “beautifully preserved” room from a bathhouse. A single 2,000-year-old room was discovered beneath Colchester Sixth Form College during work to build a fire access road near the college's information technology block. A leading archaeologist said yesterday it was one of the finest finds of its kind. The room from the bathhouse may now be preserved as an attraction. Philip Crummy, of the Colchester Archaeological Trust, said he and colleagues had been on a “watching brief” as work at the college was carried out....

COLCHESTER -- Before she stepped through the doors to worship for the first time in the new St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church, Stephanie Balacky paused Sunday to pray in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary. "She's home," Balacky said, her blue eyes brimming with tears. Thirty-two years ago, Balacky and her husband donated the statue of Mary, head bowed and hands clasped in prayer. She had no idea it would symbolize hope and rebirth and its survival would one day be called a miracle by the church's bishop. "I think she's behind everything," Balacky, of Colchester, said of...

BRISTOL, Conn. - A Vermont coachÂ’s failure to let one member of his team get enough time in the game gave the Portsmouth, N.H., Little League all-stars a victory over VermontÂ’s team by virtue of forfeit. The managerÂ’s apparent mental error turned a back-and-forth game - complete with six home runs - into a contest marred by confusion, chaos, tears and two ejections. Portsmouth lost FridayÂ’s game 9-8 if runs are counted, but the team was awarded the victory and advanced to MondayÂ’s championship because of VermontÂ’s rules infraction. The Colchester, Vt., manager Denis Place failed to get a player...

COLCHESTER, England (Reuters) - It is the home of Humpty Dumpty, Old King Cole and Camelot -- or so legend has it. But archeologists raking over the past can now go one better for the English city of Colchester. After painstaking excavation work they have proof of real heroes from the ancient world. Last month they revealed the remains of a Roman Circus or chariot racing track. In the past 30 years archeologists in the city have unearthed evidence dating back to Roman rule over 2,000 years ago, rewriting British history along the way. The circus underlines the city's importance...

(Colchester-AP, Nov. 4, 2003 Updated 5:58 PM) _ The Secret Service wants to know how bogus cash turned up in a Colchester school's vending machine. A fake quarter at Bacon Academy High School was discovered when bank officials tallied the regular deposit of coins from the school's three vending machines last week. The quarter appeared to be one of the special state-issue coins and displayed the symbol of Maine, but was missing ridges on the edge. The discovery comes less than two weeks after school officials notified police of an altered one-dollar bill was also pulled from a fake vending...