Romano-British Temples, Colchester 2 & 3

Temple Or Shrine

This is the site of two temples, one now under the school, and the other on the playing fields south of Colne Bank Avenue.  This entire area was a Roman British site with many finds indicating an industrial area.

Romano-British Temple, Colchester 2, Sheepen Farm 1

This square temple lies NW of the town within a temenos enclosure. The portico is 63 ft. square with walls about 2 ft. thick, the cella is 38 ft. square with walls around 3½ ft. thick. The temple faced south-east. There are four building phases known: (i) the original temple with temenos dates from the late-1st century. (ii) gravel was added outside the temple building. (iii) more gravel added outside the temenos; this phase allowed to fall into ruin. (iv) in the late-4th century the temple building was dismantled and replaced with more gravel. (Type I)

Romano-British Temple, Colchester 3, Sheepen Farm 2

This square temple lies outside the temenos of Sheepen Farm 1. The portico measures 41½ x 36 ft., the cella 23 x 18½ ft., the outer wall about 2 ft. thick, the inner only 1½ ft. thick, which must have supported a wooden superstructure. The temple faced south-east. Built during the 3rd century, fell into disuse during the 4th. (Type IId or IIe, possibly IIId/e)

Sites near Romano-British Temples, Colchester 2 & 3