Library

This Archaeological Desk Based Assessment was commissioned by Cambridge University Estates Management Services. It relates to an area of 3.3 hectares to the south of Long Road, Cambridge. The study reveals probable later prehistoric settlement archaeology with related field system, immediately adjacent on both the east and west sides of the sports field. A Roman road traverses the site, with potentially a further important Roman route way immediately to the east. Roman pottery finds on the field itself and the extension of a sub circular enclosure of probable Iron Age date into the western fringes of the field, all provide indication of significant known and potential archaeology within the site. With little or no later disturbance from construction or landscaping, any such features are likely to be well preserved.

The excavation revealed the presence of high status Middle Saxon occupation with subsequent intensive settlement activity in the Late Saxon period. After the construction of the Cathedral in the 12th century the area is given over to burial, this ceasing after the original construction of the Processional Way possibly in the 13th century. The area is then effectively enclosed by cathedral structures with little apparent alterations during the 14th and 15th centuries. The Processional Way is demolished in the 16th century post-Dissolution period with major ground alterations occurring in the Victorian and Modern periods.

The small excavation at Chesterton Lane has revealed a depth, diversity and quality of archaeology previously unknown in Cambridge. The remains span the whole of the Romano-British period, from Conquest to the end of the fourth century, and the Medieval period from the middle/late Saxon through to the 20th century. The excavation was circular, 3.00m in diameter and c. 4.00m deep. At the base was a natural river channel, cut into this was an early (immediately post-Conquest) Roman Road, a roadside ditch and a large pit rich in organic remains. This primary road was subsequently covered by a large gravel agger with further road surfaces, and an early building - with door-post and threshold pit - lay parallel to this . The Roman levels are sealed by relatively (culturally) sterile soil layers, cut into which is a middle to late Saxon execution cemetery - nine inhumations lie wholly or partly within the excavation area, the majority have cut-marks on the back of their necks. Three phases of late Saxon (pre Norman Conquest) building lie above the cemetery, the earliest of which contains a tenth inhumation. These building phases may relate to a previously unknown Saxon church. Two phases of clunch-walled medieval, domestic buildings and road surfaces were constructed above this, the later contained a hoard of 1800 silver and 9 gold coins dating to around the 1350's. There are late-and post-Medieval phases of building and road construction, including two public houses, almost up to the level of the modern tarmac road.

This Archaeological Desk Based Assessment was commissioned by Cambridge University Estates Management Services. It concerns the University's Sidgwick site, a major focus for Arts and Humanities Faculties. This report is being produced in advance of further development within this �campus� and reveals a potential for archaeology of several periods, notably Roman, as well as Prehistoric and Saxon. During Medieval and Post-Medieval times, this area lay within the Cambridge West Fields, and was, therefore, agricultural land. Activities related to rural land management such as ploughing, gravel quarrying, and in addition the development of the site in the second half of the 20th century, may have implications for the survival of any earlier archaeology.

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cambridge Archaeological Unit on land off Madingley Road, approximately 2km to the west of Cambridge town centre (TL 43119/59060). This was carried out in advance of a proposed University development and was commissioned by the University of Cambridge, Estate Management and Building Service. The evaluation revealed evidence of two separate settlement areas; an early Romano- British site was found in the north-west field (c. 70- 120/130 AD), and a Middle to later Iron Age site (c. 300 - 1 BC) was uncovered in the south field. Residual worked flint and late Bronze Age pottery was also found in later features, indicating a background Bronze Age presence in the area.

Six trenches were opened on the land adjacent to Homerton Street, Cambridge in advance of proposed redevelopment. Five of these trenches revealed nothing of archaeological interest, showing that the natural sands and gravels have been disturbed to some extent, probably by natural means, and possibly truncated during the construction of the Railway. One trench revealed deposits that might be associated with the Roman road, Via Devana, but this has yet to be positively demonstrated.

During March 2001, an archaeological watching brief was undertaken on the southern side of Jesus College, Cambridge. This concerned the installation of cable ducts across the Master's Garden and the Chimney, extending from the new Library block to the telephone room adjacent to the Porters Lodge. New ducts were laid directly above existing ones, limiting any further disturbance to potential archaeology. The line of the original ducts was carefully followed. These groundworks presented an opportunity to record a section across the Chimney which was previously unrecorded.

Activity on the site was identified from four main periods: the Mesolithic/Neolithic (6000-2000 BC), the Iron Age (800 BC-43 AD), Roman (43-420 AD), and Medieval/Post-Medieval. The Mesolithic/Neolithic phase consisted exclusively of a scatter of flint tools while the Iron Age material comprised a number of shallow pits associated with handmade pottery lying at the southern and northern parts of the site. Dominating the archaeology on the site however was the Roman settlement, consisting of a regularly laid, rectilinear system of ditched enclosures and semi-open fields. The core of this system lies in the middle of the site, where the main enclosures, an aisled building, timber post circle and a number of quarry pits and wells are located. At the settlement fringes were two cemeteries, an inhumation cemetery to the south (c. 30 burials with 1 cremation) and a cremation cemetery to the north (7 cremations with 2 infant inhumations), along with a further five isolated burials. A droveway/trackway runs down from the northern limit of excavation with a metalled path leading off it into the settlement core, while on both the northern and southern edges of this core were areas of extensive metalling, probably as yard surfaces. The settlement lasted over 350 years from which was recovered a very substantial assemblage of pottery and animal bones, a diverse range of small finds including spearheads, brooches, pins and over 350 coins as well as a fine small bust of the Roman deity Minerva. Overall, the size and nature of the site and its assemblage, along with the manner in which it has been investigated, places it among the most important in the region for this period. After the abandonment of the site in the 5th century AD, there is no visible activity until the later medieval period when the land is ploughed leaving ridge and furrow. The medieval dyke known as Willowes Ditch ran through the northern part of the site, but was almost completely truncated by a later sewer pipe which was placed along its course. Finally, at the turn of the nineteenth century, Vicar's Farm was established and remained more or less unchanged until its demolition in 2000.

An archaeological excavation was undertaken by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit on land next to King's Garden Hostel, West Road, Cambridge. This work was commissioned by King's College in advance of a proposed extension to the Hostel. Twenty-one Saxon burials, believed to date to the 7th century, and representing the largest group of this period to be excavated in Cambridge since the end of the 19th century, were identified and recorded. The burial group comprised of both male and female adults and immature individuals. The orientations of the graves and the positions of the bodies were diverse. The group included a double burial, two prone burials and burials with accompanying grave goods. Several of the graves had been disturbed by early ploughing. A deep headland which accumulated over the graveyard in the Medieval period, and was perhaps utilised as a causeway/trackway, was identified.

The Cambridge Archaeological Unit was appointed to carry out a desktop valuation by Redmayne Arnold & Harris on behalf of the site owners as a preliminary stage in the process of seeking planning consent for a residential development. The site, which is allocated for housing in the Cambridge City Local Plan lies at nos 8-12, on the south east corner of St. Barnabas Road and extends to approximately 1.32acres (approximately 0.53 hectares).

During August 2000, the redevelopment of Pembroke College Library, Cambridge, revealed archaeological features spanning the 14th to 17th centuries. These were identified and investigated as part of an archaeological watching brief on the library refurbishment. The removal of the present ground floor and excavation into the underlying natural gravels to a depth of approximately 1.5 metres, revealed a series of pits, and more importantly, a clunch lined pit containing a rich assemblage of later 16th century finds. Such a well preserved and varied finds assemblage of this date provides a rare insight into the nature of domestic refuse during this period and broader aspects of diet, economy, and craft production.

This Archaeological Desk Based Assessment was commissioned by Cambridge University Estates Management and Buildings Services. It concerns a field of 6.6 hectares to the north of Laundry Farm, Barton Road, Cambridge. This study is being produced in advance of the redevelopment of this land into a sports complex on behalf of Downing College. The study reveals a potential for archaeology of several periods, notably Roman, with known archaeology, specifically a Roman road crossing the development area. During Medieval and Post-Medieval times, this area was agricultural land lying within the Cambridge West Fields. Ridge and furrow within the development area and the surrounding study area illustrate this clearly. This ploughing throughout the Medieval and Post Medieval periods may have had an impact upon the preservation of any earlier archaeology.