Library
Publishing is a core part of the CAU's work so results from our excavations can be read and used by archaeologists, students, planners and the general public.
For over 30 years the CAU has published twenty monographs along with over 150 articles in academic journals. Many are available to download for free.
All of our site reports produced before October 2022 are available to download for free. Search for them by text or using the map. All our reports and our growing collection of digital archives are permanently accessible at the University of Cambridge's digital repository, Apollo.
Browse the results below
1456
Northstowe Phase 2, Cambridgeshire, Archaeological Post Excavation Assessment (Vol 3) Area DD
Collins, M. (2020). Northstowe Phase 2, Cambridgeshire, Archaeological Post Excavation Assessment (Vol 3) Area DD. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1456
Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) undertook an open-area excavation within a field designated (by the CAU) as Area DD, which was located along the northern edge of the Northstowe Phase Two boundary with Phase 1. Within Area DD a small later Iron Age farmstead was identified (Site 7) which was positioned across a landscape boundary ditch that extended across the entire site. The settlement consisted of several irregular shaped enclosures, and the remains of roundhouses and other associated features together with a series of large watering holes. Also, within the Area was the south-eastern extent of the large Romano-British settlement excavated during the Phase 1 works (Site 19). This activity consisted of a series of planting beds which were replaced/supplanted by an enclosure and field-system with possible foci for both domestic activity and metalworking. The only post-Roman activity recorded was evidence for medieval and post-medieval ridge and furrow farming and several objects recovered from the metal-detecting survey.
1458
Land to the North of Heath Road, Swaffham Prior, Cambridgeshire: An Archaeological Evaluation
Speariett, L. (2020). Land to the North of Heath Road, Swaffham Prior, Cambridgeshire: An Archaeological Evaluation . Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1458
An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit between the 6th July and 31st July 2020 on land off Heath Road, Swaffham Prior. The evaluation comprised 87 trenches excavated across two fields at the base of Gallows Hill and up its southern slope, with some trenches located to target the results of a geophysical survey (Cantarano Ingénieur, 2020). A total of 48 features were identified in the evaluation, including two Enclosures (I and II) towards the base of the hill near Heath Road, and two ditches enclosing the top of Gallows Hill where previous archaeological work has recorded an Early Roman Temple complex (Malim 2006). All of the archaeological features identified were dated to the Late Iron Age/ Early Roman, contemporary to the transition period temple site to the north on Gallows Hill.
1459
Archaeological Investigations at Land off Manor Road, Witchford, Cambridgeshire: Post Excavation Assessment
Speariett, L. (2020). Archaeological Investigations at Land off Manor Road, Witchford, Cambridgeshire: Post Excavation Assessment. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1459
From the 5th February to the 8th June 2020 the Cambridge Archaeological Unit undertook an archaeological excavation at Land off Manor Road, Witchford, Cambridgeshire (TL 5038 7927), this included a break in the program due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. In total 65 archaeological features were recorded from the excavations: 33 ditches, ten medieval furrows, 16 pits including a Late Saxon watering hollow, a Late Iron Age metalled trackway, a posthole and two post-medieval ditches. Additionally, two natural features and land drains were assigned feature numbers. The site was dug across four main areas within two fields, with activity concentrated on the areas of higher ground, in particular towards the southeast. The archaeology represented five main phases of activity dating from the Later Iron Age to the post-medieval period. The results contribute to the ongoing work within the landscape and have potential to shed light on evidence of rural settlement during the Late Iron Age and what happened to it during the Early Roman transitional period on the fringes of the Ely/ Coveney landscape. The results also provide fresh evidence of Late Saxon activity in the area.
1461
Land South of Wilberforce Road, Cambridge. An Archaeological Evaluation
Brittain, M. (2020). Land South of Wilberforce Road, Cambridge. An Archaeological Evaluation. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1461
An archaeological evaluation was conducted on land (1.45ha) formerly occupied by Grange Farm (established in 1823 as St John's New Farm) and passing through which is Akeman Street, Roman Cambridge's southern approach. Seven trenches and four test pits were opened, in addition to four trenches previously opened and reported on in 2013. No prehistoric features or artefacts were encountered, though colluvium may have begun to form across the site during the later Iron Age. Akeman Street traversed the site over a northeast-southwest orientation. It was up to 15.0m wide between its roadside ditches, with an agger of gravel over sandy clay to a maximum thickness of 0.3m. The agger was constructed over the early colluvium. A small amount of Roman pottery and animal bone came from two of the three ditches. The road was sealed by a second layer of colluvium. No historical occupation was evident prior to the construction of the post-Medieval farm buildings. This produced material and evidence for construction across the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
1462
Land at 295-301 Histon Road, Cambridge. An Archaeological Evaluation.
Middleton, L. (2021). Land at 295-301 Histon Road, Cambridge. An Archaeological Evaluation. . Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1462
A trial trench based archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) on land at 295-301 Histon Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire (TL4425 6075) between the 9th and 11th of November 2020. Limited archaeological activity was revealed and comprised a series of post medieval ditches forming a ridge and furrow field system.
1463
2019 Excavations in Hanson's Over/Needingworth Quarry. Long Holme Drove Investigation (Phase V.I.I.)
Evans, C. and Tabor, J. (2021). 2019 Excavations in Hanson's Over/Needingworth Quarry. Long Holme Drove Investigation (Phase V.I.I.) . Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1463
The Cambridge Archaeological Unit's 2019 investigations undertaken as part of the fifth mitigation phase of Hanson's Over/Needingworth quarry. Straddling the Long Holme Drove, the investigation area comprised a 4.52ha area on the eastern side of the River Ouse to the south and southwest of the recently completed CAU investigations alongside the former basin of Willingham Mere. Excavations were undertaken in three areas defined by previous evaluations (Evans and Webley 2003, Vander Linden and Evans 2007; Tabor and Evans 2012). The easternmost, Area C (0.65ha), targeted a round barrow (Barrow 19), which was only the initial exposure of the quarry's larger Phase V.1 excavation-area, and which was then expanded in the following year (2020). Two further areas to the west/northwest, Areas D (1.74ha) and E (0.76ha), encompassed parts of two palaeochannels (Channels I and VIII) - both former courses of the Ouse - either side of a gravel spit (Figs. 1-6). Within these areas, two main features of interest were exposed, one a further round barrow (Barrow 21), the other a dense deposit of waterlogged wood dated to the Middle Bronze Age located within Channel I. Finally, the results of archaeological monitoring of the excavation of the 2019 Quarry Diversion Ditch, and of further areas of stripping undertaken during 2019 (totalling 1.37ha; Fig. 3, Areas F-H), are also included in this report.
1464
Land Off Robinson Way, Cambridge. An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment
Tabor, J. (2021). Land Off Robinson Way, Cambridge. An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment . Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1464
The Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) has been commissioned by Northmores to prepare an archaeological desk-based assessment for land off Robinson Way, Cambridge. The Proposed Development Area (PDA) covers approximately 0.25 hectares. The purpose of this desk-based assessment is to assess: (a) the archaeological potential of the PDA (b) the likely impact of previous land use on the survival of any archaeological remains, and (c) the potential for impacts on the surviving archaeological resource
1363
Northstowe Phase 1, Cambridgeshire. Archaeological Post Excavation Assessment (Vol. 3) Area M
Collins, M. (2017). Northstowe Phase 1, Cambridgeshire. Archaeological Post Excavation Assessment (Vol. 3) Area M. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1363
A three volume report detailing the results from the Norhstowe Phase 1 archaeological investigations
1364
Mitchell Hill Common, Cambridgeshire. An Archaeological Evalatuion
Tabor, J. (2017). Mitchell Hill Common, Cambridgeshire. An Archaeological Evalatuion. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1364
An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) at Mitchell Hill Common, Twenty Pence Road, Cottenham, Cambridgeshire (centred on TL 48194 70460) between 7th November and 23rd December 2016. The evaluation comprised both nonintrusive survey (geophysical survey and aerial photographic assessment) as well as trial trenching. Investigations revealed archaeological remains of varying character and date, which occurred both as relatively well-defined 'sites' and as dispersed features. Of the former, an area of potential Middle Bronze Age settlement activity was recorded at Chear Fen in the north of the Proposed Development Area (PDA), whilst in the west of the PDA pits and postholes associated with a plough soil scatter of burnt flint represent the possible remnants of a 'burnt mound' feature. In the south of the PDA, enclosures and associated pits and postholes clearly indicate an Iron Age settlement site. Prehistoric remains of a more dispersed character comprised isolated/discrete features or small clusters of features - including a watering hole of probable Late Bronze Age date - and appear to effectively represent a continuation of the prehistoric landscape recorded at the adjacent Gravel Diggers site. Roman ditches were recorded across much of the PDA - with the notable exception of Chear Fen - and appear to form part of a radial pattern of land division associated with the Mitchell Hill Farm Roman settlement to the south-west. Significantly, no evidence of Roman settlement was encountered within the PDA and it seems that this is confined to the area around the present day farm and which has been excluded from the PDA. Finally, post-medieval features are largely restricted to drainage ditches/trenches and field boundary ditches related to agricultural activity (probably post-enclosure).
1365
PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL 'Peterborough 900: Letting it Speak for Itself'. Community Archeaology programme, Summer 2016
Newman, R. (2017). PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL 'Peterborough 900: Letting it Speak for Itself'. Community Archeaology programme, Summer 2016. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1365
A community excavation involving 302 volunteers and 201 primary school children was undertaken at Peterborough Cathedral in the summer of 2016. The investigation took place in the northwest corner of the historic precinct, within the grounds of Garden House. Here fourteen trenches were excavated and five phases of activity identified, the earliest of which was Roman in date. Although the environment of the site itself was determined to have been wet and inhospitable at this time, evidence of Late Roman occupation was identified in the immediate vicinity. The area subsequently remained wet and marginal until the 12th century, when it was incorporated into the expanding precinct of the Benedictine Abbey of St Peter. Localised reclamation works were undertaken at this time and a large fishpond (potentially one of several) established. Yet the overall level of activity remained minimal until the mid-17th century, when a second phase of reclamation commenced. Substantial quantities of domestic refuse were imported into the southwest portion of the site at this time, including detritus that was potentially generated during the parliamentary occupation of the cathedral precincts in 1643. Then, from the early 18th century onwards, the area became increasingly landscaped; the large pond was infilled in the early 19th century and a formal garden established, associated with the adjacent Deanery. Finally, a substantial clearance assemblage of early 20th-century household waste was recovered from a probable planting bed.
1366
Plots 8 and 9, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, BellatRx Site, Cambridgeshire. A Post-Excavation Assessment
de Bruxelles, C. (2017). Plots 8 and 9, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, BellatRx Site, Cambridgeshire. A Post-Excavation Assessment. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1366
Archaeological investigations were undertaken by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) at the development area for BellatRx Inc. at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge. Archaeological consultancy was provided by RPS/CgMs. Work was carried out on the area labelled Plots 8 and 9 over the course of two months between August 2016 and October 2016. Although work was carried out on two plots, these were excavated as a single entity. An area totalling 1.52ha was machine stripped revealing archaeology ranging in date from the Bronze Age through to the Post-Medieval period, including multi-phase boundary ditches, unusual funerary monuments and cremations dating to the Late Iron Age/Early Roman period.
1367
New Cemetery Site, Camel Road, Littleport, Cambridgeshire: Post Excavation Assessment
Middleton, E. (2017). New Cemetery Site, Camel Road, Littleport, Cambridgeshire: Post Excavation Assessment. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1367
Archaeological investigations were undertaken by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) at the site of a new cemetery to the north of Littleport, Cambridgeshire. Work was carried out over the course of four weeks between April 2016 and May 2016 and comprised excavations of a small plot within the development area that was identified for further work via archaeological evaluation undertaken in 2013. An area totalling 900m2 was stripped, to reveal archaeological material dating from the Middle Iron Age through to the Early Roman period, consisting of a series of dumps of industrial salt-production waste material. No associated features could be identified within the excavation area, even after further removal of capping deposits, therefore production is assumed to have taken place in the immediate vicinity. The site yielded a substantial finds assemblage of saltern-associated briquetage, as well as small amounts of animal bone, salt slag and pottery.
