This collection comprises images, site records, and CAD files from an archaeological evaluation. This was carried out by Colchester Archaeological Trust in February 2021 at the former Lexden Springs School and adjacent Fire Station, off Halstead Road, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3PZ.

An archaeological evaluation (two trial-trenches) was carried out to determine the precise location of the Shrub End Dyke/Triple Dyke which runs through the development site.

Two trial-trenches were machine-excavated under the supervision of a CAT (Colchester Archaeological Trust) archaeologist with hand-excavation occurring in areas the machine could not access or where modern services/ protected tree roots crossed the trench.

The Shrub End Dyke forms part of the Late Iron Age defences around Camulodunum. Two more ditches and banks were subsequently added to the western side of the dyke during the period of the Roman conquest to form the Triple Dyke.

Following the aim to identify the precise route of the Shrub End Dyke/Triple Dyke through the development site with minimal excavation of the remains. As such, the route of the inner (the original Shrub End Dyke) and central ditches of the Triple Dyke were identified and planned. Due to site constraints, the route of the outer (western) ditch was not located. Comparison of the remains to an evaluation carried out across the Triple Dyke in 1961 suggests that the ditches of the dyke have a good level of survival through the development site. However, the banks of the dyke appear to have been completely levelled.