Excavation and a subsequent limited watching brief by M Dover of SCAU, and geoarchaeological and palynological investigations by ArchaeoScape Consulting, for the Clerical and Medical Investment Group, in advance of office redevelopment. The earliest evidence recovered from the site was a collection of prehistoric flints. The earliest features identified were two human burials, one a double inhumation - possibly a parent and child. These burials are probably outliers from a more formal cemetery, outside the Roman town, that has not as yet been located.

Excavation by J Grove of Wessex, for MEPC UK Ltd, in advance of redevelopment. Earlier Roman activity (1st-2nd century) was found to be restricted to higher land at the southern end of the site. Here, a number of refuse pits and a series of gulleys and ditches were revealed, as well as two occupation surfaces and a possible oven. An episode of flooding separated these features from those of mid Roman date (2nd century), which were also concentrated on the higher ground.

Excavation by J McKinley of Wessex, for MEPC UK Ltd, in advance of redevelopment. At the front of the site a few features of Late Iron Age date were revealed, sealed below a ploughsoil. Above this soil a series of floor levels associated with hearths, pits and post holes was identified, all of early Romano-British date. Further back from the street frontage, a quantity of intercutting pits of early Romano-British date were revealed, which contained a quantity of domestic rubbish.

Excavation of pile cap positions by J Grove of Wessex, for MEPC UK Ltd, in advance of redevelopment, provided a sample transect to complement the archaeology revealed by excavations to the east (see below). Similar stratigraphy to that revealed in the main excavations was recorded.

A watching brief was maintained by J Stevenson of SCAU, for SCC, on the groundworks associated with a pedestrianisation scheme. A large degree of modern disturbance was revealed, indicating that archaeological features which almost certainly formerly existed in this area of the town had been destroyed.

Evaluation by G Hayman of SCAU, for Dusco Asset Management, of land proposed for an extension to the Elmsleigh Centre. A trench immediately west of the existing building found that beneath the levels of modern disturbance only 18th to 19th century deposits survived above natural silts. At the northern end of this trench the edge of the 1974-5 Elmsleigh House excavation was revealed. An auger survey was carried out to determine the depth at which gravel underlay the silts.

Excavation by J McKinley of Wessex, for MEPC UK Ltd, in advance of redevelopment. The largest feature revealed was a substantial channel at the northern end of the area, presumably originally water-filled, that went out of use before the Roman period and was then infilled with rubbish. A fragment of prehistoric pottery recovered adjacent to this channel hints at earlier occupation on, or in the vicinity of the site. A variety of features of mostly Roman date, but some likely to be medieval, were recorded on the site.

Evaluation by K Ritchie of Wessex, for MEPC UK Ltd, revealed approximately two metres of garden soil sealing the truncated remains of three intercutting ditches running parallel to and 30 metres north of the High Street. Finds recovered from the ditch fills date the features to the first or second centuries AD. The ditches are thought to represent boundaries separating the street frontage settlement and near backland activity on the south of the gravel island, from the less intensively occupied far backland margins to the north.

Analysis of a borehole survey by Wessex in order to assist with the mitigation strategy for excavation of the Tilly’s Lane West site. This provided information on the depths of archaeological and natural deposits, and reaffirmed the existing model for the disposition of natural gravel in the vicinity.

Watching brief by P Jones and J Robertson of SCAU, for Wizard Inns, during work on an extension and improvements to the Blue Anchor. The nature of the foundation trenches, 3m deep and 0.85m wide, meant that they were unsuitable for proper archaeological recording to take place. Pottery of Roman (late 1st - 2nd century) date and a small, possibly, Roman coin, as well as late medieval (15th century) pottery, animal bone and tile, were recovered from the spoil heap.