Colchester Roman wall bought by council ahead of auction

A Roman wall, thought to be the earliest stone-built defence structure in England, will be preserved after a council announced a deal to buy it.

The 50m (165ft) section of wall runs along Middleborough in Colchester, Essex, Britain's oldest recorded town.

Advertising company JCDecaux was banned from placing billboards above it in 2011 and made it available for auction.

But Colchester Borough Council and local heritage groups met its £5,000 price before it went under the hammer.

It comes after the town's MP Will Quince had joined calls for the wall to be preserved for future generations.

The local authority said the deal came following "negotiations" over the section of wall amid concerns that the scheduled ancient monument could have come under public ownership.

Philip Wise, heritage manager at the council, said: "While the sale of the Roman Wall at Middleborough has naturally caused a great deal of local concern, it would never have endangered its status as a protected monument.

"Nonetheless, its purchase by the council with the support of local heritage organisations ensures that its future is secure and it can be managed for the benefit of local people."

Liberal Democrat leader of the council, Mark Cory, said: "I'm immensely proud of our work to safeguard and promote our rich Roman past."

Auctioneer Strettons had placed a guide price of between £4,500 and £5,000 on the wall, calling it a "real piece of England's and Colchester's history."

In 2011 Colchester Borough Council issued a discontinuation notice on the billboards after a project to remove them from the wall.