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The evaluation fieldwork took place in June 1996 as part of a continuing and extensive archaeological programme within the quarry area. The work was carried out by a team from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit on behalf of Hanson Aggregates Ltd. (as then ARC). The area of investigation was within the north of the quarry in two fields lying east and west of the track formerly leading to Colne Fen Farm (centred TL 377578825). Covering some 5 hectares and known as Camp Ground, the fields have long been assumed to be the location of a Romano-British settlement. The existing cropmarks and presumed settlement lie approximately 500m to the west of the West Water sometimes known as the Colne Ditch. This artificial waterway, probably of Roman origin, lies west and parallel of the present Cranbrook Drain, which connects the ancient course of the Ouse (referred to as the Old West Water) to the Somersham River the latter running immediately north of the site, just south of the present Somersham/Chatteris Road.

A series of small structural engineer's test pits were dug in the basements of 12 to25 St. Andrew's Street Cambridge in advance of planned redevelopment of the Grand Arcade. The pits were monitored by an archaeologist and the findings recorded. In each pit natural was reached within 0.30 - 0.45m of present floor level. No features other than structural elements related to the standing buildings were observed.

Excavations in advance of housing development on the western edge of the city of Ely revealed archaeological evidence from the Neolithic, Late Bronze Age, Middle to Late Iron Age and Early Roman periods. The Neolithic was represented only by a spread of burnt material associated with a tree throw. Sporadic activity in the Late Bronze Age was associated with a small pond which had subsequently silted up. Elements of ditched enclosures which may be of Middle Iron Age date were succeeded by a phase of Late Iron Age (1st century BC/AD) settlement characterized by ephemeral ring gullies, shallow pits and spreads of midden deposits. Subsequently, in the late 1st or early 2nd century AD, two rectilinear ditched enclosures were laid out to the south of the Late Iron Age settlement, further up the slope, probably for the control of livestock or to mark out cultivated fields. Later in the same period, the southern of the two enclosures went out of use and was replaced by systems of narrow linear gullies possibly associated with early Roman lazybed or strip field cultivation.

This Desk Based Assessment was commissioned by Wilcon Homes Anglia. It relates to an area of 6.2 hectares to the immediate east of Whittlesey. The purpose of this report is to collate and summarise the known and potential archaeology of the Proposed Development Area (PDA) and surrounding study area. The development area has potential for archaeology, notably from the Prehistoric and Roman periods. The relationship between the fen edge and settlement throughout the prehistoric period is well established, with recently excavated sites at the western end of Whittlesey Island. The Roman presence on the island is also well documented and the proximity of known sites suggests the possibility of further activity within the PDA. The cropmark evidence for the site supports this theory. Medieval and Post Medieval quarrying, particularly towards the southern end of the site, will effect preservation within those areas. However, the deeper soil cover over parts of the site may have sealed and protected earlier features from later agricultural practices.

Three trenches were opened on the site of the former Yorkshire Grey Public House, High Street, Chesterton, in advance of proposed development. Trench 1, running close to the street front, revealed several features of undetermined date, along with one medieval feature, and the remains of what appears to be a post-medieval clunch-built cellar or foundation. Trench 2, on the SW side of the site, revealed extensive post medieval disturbance, mainly from the 19th and 20th centuries, and probably the result of gravel extraction. Trench 3, on the NE edge of site, revealed a number of features of Saxo-Norman date, dominated by a slot running NNW-SSE, possibly representing a substantial building. Also uncovered was a pit of probable Bronze Age date. Although this suggests that the western part of the site might be severely truncated, along with the area within the footprint of the former pub, the archaeological preservation of possibly extensive Saxo-Norman remains on the north- eastern part of site is extremely good.

Phase 6 of archaeological excavation work has been completed at Broom Quarry on behalf of Tarmac Quarry Products (Central) Ltd. The area investigated comprised 12.2 hectares and was centred around LT 1710 4410. The work was undertaken during April 2001 by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit.

In advance of proposed gravel xtraction, evaluation fieldwork was undertaken by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit in two former fields located within the proposed southern extension of Earith Quarry. The work took place between 1st and 15th May 2001. The quarry lies 1km southeast of the village of Somersham and northeast of Colne. The area of investigation covered some 8.4 ha. of former arable fields known at The Holme lying immediately north of Holme Fen Drive and west of Earith Fen Drove (TL 765 385). The work was funded throughout by Hanson Aggregates Ltd. A major ditched enclosure complex was uncovered within the evaluation.

Twenty trenches were opened on the site of the Old Cattle Market at the intersection of Hills Road and Cherry Hinton Road, Cambridge. Five of these trenches revealed archaeological features of uncertain date, whilst the remainder revealed a disturbed natural gravel showing varying levels of truncation.

An archaeological evaluation undertaken in the grounds of the former Chesterton Workhouse, now Chesterton Hospital, revealed evidence of occupation along the alignment of Union Lane dating to the 13th and 14th Centuries AD. Away from the roadside little of archaeological importance was revealed.

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) on 14th May 2001, to the rear of 16, Church Lane Ely (TL 5388 8021). This work was commissioned by the landowner, Mr R.A.D. Bateson on recommendation from the County Archaeology Office in advance of the proposed construction of a small extension to the rear of the main building. The results indicate a long history of activity on the site. This has been divided into four broad phases based on the results from the trench: (1) Medieval (2) 16th/17th century (3) 19th/20th century (4) Later 20th century.

Archaeological evaluation along the route of an access road for the Marconi Building and within the area of the future Nano Fabrication Building on the Cavendish Site, was conducted by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit to assess the presence and extent of any archaeological remains. Along the Marconi Access route, only a single feature was found, a ditch that probably forms part of the edge of the Roman system discovered at the Vicars Farm site. On the site of the Nano Fabrication Building, low level Iron Age activity was revealed in the form of a ditch length and a single pit, which appear to be associated with a spread of Iron Age settlement in this area, centred at High Cross.

The excavation on land under development by McCarthy and Stone at the junction of Union Lane and The High Street, Chesterton, has revealed a complex stratigraphy of late medieval gravel extraction pits and backfilling. This activity partially masks the remnants of earlier land divisions dating to the Saxon period and the creation of a series of property boundaries in the 11th and 12th centuries. These are indicative of activity on the site that grows through the 12th and 13th centuries, but appears to reduce to a low scale occupation in the late and post medieval period.