In the summer of 1951 two small trenches were excavated opposite St Paul's Church in Church Street outside the defences on the east side of the city. The site code was CXXA. The space available for excavation was small: Trench I was dug in the cellar of no. 8 and Trench II just behind the small cellar of no. 7.
There was evidence for two main periods of Roman occupation; the first at the end of the first century, the second in the fourth century. Trench I contained evidence of a Belgic field, cut by nine pits ranging from Roman to Recent in date and fill. The late Roman layers were covered by a thick Medieval deposit of very dark brown soil dating to the 12-13th centuries and cut by a post hole. A Medieval loam floor was also seen.

A total of nine pits were excavated, Pits 5, 6 and 7 were Roman; Pit 4 produced a Late Saxon sherd of pottery as did Pit 9. Two pits, Pit 3 contained late-13th century pottery; and Pit 1 contained 15th century pottery. Pits 2 and 8 were of late post-medieval and fairly modern date respectively.

Frere, S., Bennett, P., Rady, J., Stow, S., 1987, Excavations Intra- and Extra-mural Sites 1949-55 and 1980-84 (Monograph). SKE29800.