The remains of a Roman tomb have been unearthed beneath a Colchester school.

Burial find - two members of Colchester Archaeology Trust show the scale of the "significant" find in the grounds of Colchester Royal Grammar School.

The discovery was made by Colchester Archaeological Trust, which was overseeing work on a new science block at Colchester Royal Grammar School in Lexden Road.

Although the tomb itself had been dismantled in Roman times, its foundations and a hexagonal tomb base were still visible.

It would have been one of a series of tombs which lined the main Roman road out of Colchester to London.

Philip Crummy, director of Colchester Archaeological Trust, said the tomb would have belonged to a wealthy Colcestrian family.

The foundations revealed a square area bordered by walls nine metres long, which would have been two or three metres high.

Headmaster Ken Jenkinson said: "It was an interesting find and I am pleased that the archaeological trust had time to work on it and record it before the building work continued."

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Published Tuesday, September 13, 2005

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