Section of Roman wall (NE corner of Second Walled Enclosure) in the wall plate of The Old Vicarage, Church Street, Great Chesterford (EHER 83286)

During an excavation in the churchyard in 1999 which revealed the truncated remains of a Roman wall foundation, the excavator noticed similar material in the wall plate of The Old Vicarage (EHER 25354).

May 1999. Archaeological excavation and watching brief. During an excavation of a test pit at the gateway to All Saints Churchyard which identified the truncated remains of a Roman flint and mortar wall and foundation (EHER 18906), the excavator noted similar material in the wall plate of the 15th century building (EHER 25354). The material also shares the same alignment. It was interpreted as the remains of the 'Second Walled Enclosure' (EHER 13922). <1> A cellar occupies the north-west comer of the house. Its walls are fully lined with stones and flints which have been covered with a thick white wash. However, the Roman wall foundation appears to extend into the cellar by 0.95m, starting at a depth of 0.46m, and tapering upwards to 0.24m by the brick surround of a north facing window. This foundation consisted of larger stones/flints. <2>