Library

An archaeological desk-top assessment of 164ha at land west of Whittlesey, was commissioned by CgMs Consulting on behalf of Gazeley UK Ltd. The desk based assessment is the latest stage of archaeological investigation of the Proposed Development Area (PDA) and study area environs. The aim of this document is to establish the baseline archaeological conditions, for inclusion within an Environmental Statement. The study area is considerably larger than is usual for desk-top assessments, being a 2.5km radius around the perimeter of the PDA. This was done on the request of Kasia Gdaniec of CAPCA. Of the 164 hectares comprising the PDA, 60 hectares have been subject to previous intrusive archaeological field evaluation and have planning permission for mineral and aggregate extraction. This assessment has collated information from earlier desk-top assessments, information held by the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Historic Environment Records (HER), and the results of more recent archaeological surveys and excavations. The results demonstrate that the PDA is located in a landscape containing significant archaeology spanning the prehistoric to Romano-British Periods

Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) was commissioned by Bidwells on behalf of the Horseracing Forensic Laboratory Ltd (HFL) to undertake an archaeological desk-based assessment of a 14.5ha site off Newmarket Road, Fordham. The proposed development area (PDA) is centred on TL 633 688. Although no known archaeological sites occur within the PDA, the assessment identified a high density of archaeological sites and finds dating to the prehistoric and Roman periods in the immediate vicinity. Excavations in advance of Fordham Bypass and at Landwade Road have revealed significant prehistoric remains immediately to the west of the PDA. A later presence in the landscape is also indicated by Snailwell Roman Villa (a Scheduled Ancient Monument) to the south of the PDA and an Iron Age / Roman site has been revealed by surface scatters and cropmarks to the east. Consequently there is considered to be a high potential for previously unrecorded remains surviving on the site.

Evaluation trenches were opened in order to examine cropmarks and investigate the location, continuing alignment of and date features and complexes in previous archaeological evaluations in the vicinity as well as to evaluate otherwise areas not previously examined within an area of proposed development. Enclosure ditches of a Middle Bronze Age date as well as Late Bronze/Early Iron Age, Romano-British and Medieval field systems as well as medieval and post-medieval quarrying were identified within the 6 evaluated areas.

This archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (DBA) was commissioned by QuBE Planning Ltd in response to a brief issued by Cambridgeshire Archaeology Planning and Countryside Advice (CAPCA) (Gdaniec 2008). The DBA is the first stage of archaeological investigation to determine the presence/absence of known archaeological sites within the Proposed Development Area (PDA) and study area environs, to suggest the potential for archaeological remains and assess the likely impact of development at the site, centred on NGR TL 4848 4725. Examination of the archaeological, historical and cartographic evidence shows the PDA to be located in an area of intense medieval and post-medieval activity, which includes a Scheduled Monument (No. 24432) and two listed buildings. There is some evidence of earlier human activity dating from the prehistoric to Saxon periods in the wider landscape with finds of worked flint, pottery and human remains, although this is exclusively outside of the PDA. There is also evidence of modern activity, primarily connected to World War Two.

An archaeological evaluation was carried out as a precuser to building works. Five 20m trenches were excavated and no archaeology was identified.

Cambridge Archaeological Unit carried out an archaeological evaluation comprising trial trenching at Pastures Farm, Caxton, Cambridgeshire in April 2008. Although the proposed evelopment area is within a known Romano-British and medieval landscape no archaeological deposits or features were identified.

This study has been commissioned by Emmanuel College in respect of the redevelopment of the area immediately to the east of the current College Library (approx. 0.8 hectare). The Library Project development consists of a Library refurbishment as well as extensions at roof level and also at ground floor level into the garden at the rear. A new basement extension is also planned with a small sunken garden. Externally the �court� between the west side of the building and the South Court will be re-landscaped. The objective of this assessment is to examine the probability of archaeological remains being encountered within the PDA and to assess the potential impact of this development upon any such remains. Many of the buildings are Listed (Grades I and II) and the parkland/garden within and surrounding the vicinity of the development is a Registered park or garden (Grade II*). The study sets the findings in the context of the relevant legislation (national and local) as well as the broader archaeological context and assesses the potential for surviving archaeology within the PDA.

This archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (DBA) was commissioned by Bidwells on behalf of Cambridge Water Company in response to a brief issued by Cambridgeshire Archaeology Planning and Countryside Advice (CAPCA). The DBA is the first stage of archaeological investigation to determine the presence/absence of known archaeological sites within the Proposed Development Area (PDA) and study area environs, to suggest the potential for archaeological remains and assess the possible affect of the construction of the Coton Booster to Bourn Reservoir Pipeline. Examination of the archaeological, historical, aerial and cartographic evidence shows the PDA to be located within an area of known prehistoric, Roman, Medieval and post-Medieval settlement activity.

An archaeological trench evaluation undertaken in advance of the construction of office units. This 0.19 hectare site contained a now levelled saltern mound previously identified on a 1943 air photo. Two cross trenches were dug revealing the base of a large truncated mound of washed and dumped silt enclosing very minor briquetage debris. This overlay a black ashy deposit washed-in from surrounding saltern hearths. This covered the floor of a former saltmarsh tidal creek.Underneath the NW end of Trench 1 was a platform or mound with a pit and also the dumped remains of poorly preserved briquetage salt pan vessels and oven supports which showed strong similarities to Late Iron Age-Roman examples from Norfolf and Lincolnshire. A cut ditch around the base of this mound/ creek edge may have been a later addition. Beneath the SW end of Trench 2 was a slightly later silt mound. From the base of this came sherds of 14th/15th century pottery, briquetage (hearth) bricks and salt glaze 'slag'. There were three phases of saltern construction/use in total.

An archaeological evaluation and subsequent excavation was carried out at Park Farm, Villa Road, Cambridgeshire (centred TL 4348 6310) by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit between 14th February and 25th March 2008. The work was undertaken on behalf of the National Institute of Agricultural Botany in advance of the redevelopment of a field station and laboratory. A total area of 1,426m² was examined in seventeen trial trenches, followed by a small open area excavation and three further trenches totalling 796 m². The evaluation and excavation revealed Late Bronze Age activity in the form of a four post structure and an eighteen post sub-circular structure, indicative of small scale or seasonal flux occupation. Later agricultural activity was indicated by a Middle Iron Age curvilinear ditch and evidence of two alignments of post-medieval fields. The results of the excavation contradict the traditional opinion that the Gault clay area north of Cambridge was not suitable for such prehistoric settlement, and suggests that the 'blank' in the archaeological record reflects an absence of evidence due to more limited fieldwork in these areas.

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken on an intermittent basis between the 6th of November 2004 and the 14th of January 2008 along the route of the 33kv reinforcement cable. As part of this project, approximately 5.12km of trenching was inserted along roads and across common ground on the northern and eastern sides of the City of Cambridge (extending from TL 45310/61375 to TL 44805/59002). Monitoring of this work revealed evidence of a possible 12th century channel, a 14th century laneway and the foundations of 17th century warehouses within the area of the new electricity sub-station at 24 Thompson's Lane, along with the remnants of 17th to 19th century cellars located beneath nearby St John's Road. In addition, evidence of an extensive network of palaeochannels running across the Jesus Green and Midsummer Common area was uncovered; these were succeeded by numerous episodes of consolidation and ground-raising activity, dating from the 17th to 20th centuries, along the southern bank of the River Cam.

The archaeological excavation area was defined by trial trenching in advance of the construction of a Mechanical Biological Treatment Plant at the Waste Management Park, Ely Road, Waterbeach. Scattered prehistoric activity was identified but the majority of the archaeology was asociated with the edge of a Romano-British settlement. The settlement included two enclosures, droveways and quarrying with a late Roman midden containing 85 Roman coins and other possible votive objects, potentially related to the nearby Roman temple.