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
1483
Archaeological Monitoring of Land for Cambridge South Infrastructure Enhancement
Schonfeld, C. (2021). Archaeological Monitoring of Land for Cambridge South Infrastructure Enhancement. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1483
Archaeological monitoring of 26 geotechnical test pits, window samples and bore hole on land between the Long Road Bridge and Great Shelford to the south of Cambridge. Although the area is known for its major archaeological sites, only three test pits contained potential archaeology.
1484
Beaulieu New Station, Chelmsford. An Archaeological Evaluation
Speariett, L. (2021). Beaulieu New Station, Chelmsford. An Archaeological Evaluation. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1484
An archaeological evaluation was carried out on land to the northwest of Boreham Interchange, the A12 and the Great Eastern Main Line. The site is to the southeast of New Hall school the former Beaulieu Palace, a site that was greatly added to a remodelled by Henry VIII. The evaluation comprised 35 trenches covering a total of 1055m in length and were almost completely void of archaeology. Four features were recorded including a modern ditch terminus, two undated discrete features and a natural anomaly. The PDA is within an area of moderate archaeological activity with a number of nearby sites of different date. Of particular note is the palace to the north-west and The Avenue to the west. However, the site was thought to be of low potential because of the lack of cropmarks or lidar anomalies. The trenching program has confirmed a low level of activity across the site. Of the four recorded features, two have been undated, one dated to the modern period and one is geological. Setting the site within its landscape, the PDA is clearly within the viewshed of 'New Hall School' the Henry VIII palace (NHLE 1338404) and immediately adjacent to the associated listed avenue (NHLE 1000207). Although this area has been recently ploughed; the shallow depth, in conjunction with the lack of features suggests there has not been a long history of ploughing. This ties in with the landscaping of the gardens and parks of the Hall and suggests that this area, beyond the formal gardens was reserved only for pasture, and kept clear of any structures, creating an idealised view. The PDA is void of dateable archaeological features, supported by the lack of material, and consistent with the site’s role within the larger landscape of New Hall and its parks and gardens.
1486
Land at Grange Farm, Little Abington, Cambridgeshire: A Desk-Based Assessment
Wiseman, R. 2021. Land at Grange Farm, Little Abington, Cambridgeshire: A Desk-Based Assessment. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1486
The Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) has been commissioned by the Devonport Property Consulting Limited to prepare an archaeological desk-based assessment for land being promoted for development through the Greater Cambridge Local Plan. The Proposed Development Area (PDA) covers approximately 186 hectares and lies north of the village of Little Abington.
1488
Great Haddon, Peterborough: An Archaeological Evaluation Assessment
Collins, M. 2021. Great Haddon, Peterborough: An Archaeological Evaluation Assessment. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1488
Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) undertook a trenched evaluation at Great Haddon, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in order to assess the archaeological potential of the site prior to a proposed housing development. The evaluation was carried out between the 18th August and 13th October 2021. No early prehistoric activity was recorded; however, two distinct areas of Iron Age activity were present, including a dispersed probable Early Iron Age settlement area consisting of pit clusters, a curving gully, at least one enclosure and a large watering hole concentrated within the south-western part of the area; and a more compact, probable later Iron Age site consisting of an enclosure, ring-ditch and associated features located close to the eastern edge of the proposed development. A single Romano-British ditch which likely connected to activity outside the northern limit of the area, together with a potential Romano-British field system within the southern part of the site were also recorded. The higher ground within the south-western half of the area was subject to periodic post-medieval quarrying, and several post-medieval ditches probably constituting part of a field system were also located within this part of the site, whilst the remainder of the site yielded medieval/post-medieval agricultural features in the form of furrows and small ditches.
1489
Kyoto Futons Ltd, Hards Lane, Frognall, Deeping St. James: An Archaeological Evaluation
Bourne, T. 2022. Kyoto Futons Ltd, Hards Lane, Frognall, Deeping St. James: An Archaeological Evaluation. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1489
A trial trench evaluation was carried out by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU), on land at Kyoto Futons Ltd, Hards Lane, Frognall, Deeping St James to assess the archaeological potential of the site prior to proposed development. The evaluation was carried out between 27th September and 5th October. Archaeological remains were encountered across the proposed development area consisted of enclosure and boundary ditches and an inhumation. There are at least two phases of activity which have been identified, dating to the Later Iron Age and the Later Roman period.
1491
Emmanuel College, Cambridge: Archaeological Monitoring
de Bruxelles, C. 2021. Emmanuel College, Cambridge: Archaeological Monitoring. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1491
Archaeological monitoring was undertaken in August 2021 on an intermittent basis at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, prior to the installation of a ground source heat pump. The trench monitored went through the Paddock, an open area of grass, along the northern and eastern side of the Old and New Library before joining with the new development in New College Court at the south-east of the College. It revealed a consistent sequence of deposits across the area, with modern and 19th century structures, including a brick well, located toward the middle of the trench, near the northern extremity of the Old Library. These deposits and structures were then sealed by modern topsoil, path and roads.
1494
Blackley Quarry, Essex: Extension Phase 5: An Archaeological Evaluation
Schonfeld, C. 2022. Blackley Quarry, Essex: Extension Phase 5: An Archaeological Evaluation. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1494
A total of 390m of archaeological trial trenching was undertaken over an area of 1.7ha at Blackley Quarry, Great Leighs, Essex. The work was carried out in order to evaluate land ahead of extension of the quarry (Phase 5). The investigations revealed a series of ditches, one of which relates to a probable Post-Medieval field boundary with the remainder undated.
1495
Blackley Quarry, Essex: Extension Phase 6, 7 and 8: An Archaeological Evaluation
Schonfeld, C. 2022. Blackley Quarry, Essex: Extension Phase 6, 7 and 8: An Archaeological Evaluation. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1495
A total of 817m of archaeological trial trenching was undertaken over an area of 4.18ha at Blackley Quarry, Great Leighs, Essex. The worked was carried out in order to evaluate land ahead of extension of the quarry (Phases 6, 7 & 8). The investigations revealed two Post-Medieval ditches corresponding to former field boundaries seen on aerial photographs and historic Ordnance Survey maps, as well as a small number of undated features.
1497
Mitchell Hill Common, Cottenham, Cambridgeshire: Phase 2. Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design
Schonfeld, C. 2022. Mitchell Hill Common, Cottenham, Cambridgeshire: Phase 2. Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1497
An archaeological excavation was carried out by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit at Mitchell Hill Common, Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, between the 29th July and 19th November 2020, ahead of mineral extraction. The work follows on from a previous phase of excavation at the site (the Plant Site and Phase 1; Schonfeld and Bourne 2022) and is Phase 2 of a much larger programme of quarry expansion. A total of 3.91ha was stripped revealing archaeology dating to four broad phases; Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and Modern. Late Neolithic/Early Bronze age activity comprised four pits whilst occupation during the Iron Age was represented by a roundhouse and several pit groupings. Roman activity comprised agricultural features linked to the known settlement at Mitchell Hill Farm, including enclosures, planting beds and elements of a field system. Finally Modern activity was represented by the remains of farm buildings. The finds assemblage from the site overall is relatively small, apart from two prehistoric watering holes, which produced impressive waterlogged wood assemblages.
1501
1-3 Hills Road, Cambridge: Desk Based Assessment
de Bruxelles, C. 2022. 1-3 Hills Road, Cambridge: Desk Based Assessment. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1501
The Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) has been commissioned by the Estate Division, University of Cambridge to prepare an archaeological desk-based assessment for land being proposed for redevelopment at 1-3 Hills Road, Cambridge. The Proposed Development Area (PDA) covers approximately 1.09 hectares.
1502
Land on the Former Snowcap Mushroom and Silvan Mushroom Site, Broadway, Yaxley, Cambridgeshire. An Archaeological Evaluation Assessment
Middleton, L. 2022. Land on the Former Snowcap Mushroom and Silvan Mushroom Site, Broadway, Yaxley, Cambridgeshire. An Archaeological Evaluation Assessment. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1502
Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) undertook a trenched evaluation of land on the Former Snowcap Mushroom and Silvan Mushroom Site, Broadway, Yaxley, Cambridgeshire (TL 1952 9319) to assess the archaeological potential of the site prior to a proposed development. The evaluation was carried out between the 10th and 19th January 2022. The evaluation identified an area of late Iron Age and Roman activity consisting solely of ditches.
1504
Fenland Education Campus, Wisbech Green SEMH: An Archaeological Evaluation
Middleton, E. & Machicado Murillo, E. 2022. Fenland Education Campus, Wisbech Green SEMH: An Archaeological Evaluation. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 1504
On the 31st January 2022 the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) undertook a test pit evaluation on the proposed development area (PDA) on Barton Road, Wisbech, in advance of the land being developed as a Fenland Education Campus- Wisbech Green SEMH by Kier Construction on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council. The work was to monitor the excavation of three test pits down to the underlying terrace gravels or Ampthill clay as far as was viably possible and record the fen deposit sequence and assess the potential of archaeological deposits within the sequence. A relatively uniform sequence was observed in Test Pits 1 and 2, with slight variation in 3, which largely conformed to the profile detected by the geotechnical test pits and boreholes previously excavated. Due to the water table causing instability to the sections digging ceased at a depth of 3m. No archaeological features or layers were identified within the deposits. However, a deep tidal/alluvial sequence, characterised by massive fine sand, sandy silt loams and sandy loams, overlying a poorly humified peat horizon with silty clay and sands beneath.
