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Situated on the western side of the Isle of Ely, the site appears to have been primarily agricultural since Roman times. Prior to this it may have seen prehistoric activity, specifically Iron Age occupation. In summary, the nature of the archaeology is probably characterised by Romano-British/Medieval ditches and possible Iron Age/Romano-British settlement.

Extending over approximately 82 hectares, the quarry is located on the fen- edge 1km east of the village of Somersham, northeast of where the River Great Ouse enters the fen basin. The excavation area lay on the eastern side of the quarry covering some 3.8 hectares, known locally as 'High Field'. Neolithic and Bronze Age activity was seen over the site with the presence of a spread of lithic material recovered from Areas A, B and C with a small number of Bronze Age pot sherds recovered from later features. Within Area A, area the focus of activity was a sub-rectangular enclosure with an entrance in its southeast corner and several structures. Area B This area contains two circular structures as well as numerous pits and posthole settings. Area C is defined by a sub-rectangular enclosure ditch F. 55 with a modified entrance to the east (i.e. secondary), the enclosure further elaborated on its eastern side by linear segmented ditches.

In advance of gravel extraction, evaluation fieldworkwas undertaken by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit on a site within the extension of the ARC Earith Quarry in late May of 1998. A continuation of a fieldwork programme begun last year, the work was funded throughout by ARC Quarries.

The Cambridge Archaeological Unit was commissioned by Beauville Properties to undertake an archaeological evaluation on the site of the former coalyard, Jubilee Terrace Ely (figure 1). Work took place between July 20th and the 27th, 1998. The area investigated is designated for redevelopment comprising housing, access, services and landscaping. Extending a little under c. 0.25ha in area, the site lies at the east end of Jubilee Terrace and is bounded to the north by the old Jewson's site, to the east by Riverside Walk and the river itself, and to the south by the building and car park of the Cutter Public House. One notable aspect of the evaluation was the absence of anticipated features such as riverside reveting or wharves, or of other structures relating to river commerce, such as lane ways, boathouses or warehouses. Instead the evidence suggests an area marginal to commercial riverbank traffic. The peat formation at the base of the sequence points to waterlogged conditions. It appears from the evidence of this evaluated area and drawing on the archaeological evidence from other excavated sites in the Broad Street/ riverside environs in the Medieval period, that so far the archaeological evidence does not diverge significantly from the picture gained from the documentary sources and that the broad picture of Medieval Ely can be traced in the mapping of the early 17th century city.

A desktop study was carried out for the next area of extraction at the Rugby Cement Quarry, Barrington, Cambridgeshire (TL398 512). The site lies in an area surrounded by important prehistoric monuments such as the Money Hill tumuli to the east, but no finds had been recorded from the extraction area itself. The study confirmed the significance of the surrounding landscape, whilst aerial photography interpretation suggested areas warranting closer investigation. The fieldwalking survey, whilst extensive, also served to identify broad zones of activity dating broadly to the later Neolithic/Early Bronze Age, medieval and post- medieval periods. The distribution of burnt flint in particular suggested a concentration of later prehistoric activity on the highest, northern, part of the area.

Between the 13th and 22nd July 1998 an archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) on 600 square metres of land lying 20m to the west of The Gallery and 60m south of the Old Bishop's Palace, Ely, Cambridgeshire (TL 5397 8015). This work was commissioned by the architects Purcell Miller Tritton & Partners on behalf of King's School. This was on the recommendation from the County Archaeology Office in advance of the construction of a proposed Recital Hall and Music School.

Between the 29th of July and the 5th of August 1998 a fieldwork evaluation was undertaken by Cambridge Archaeological Unit at Jesus College, Cambridge (TL 4527/5879). This was commissioned by the College in advance of the proposed construction of a new accommodation block.

This report concerns the second stage of a two part archaeological evaluation in advance of proposed employment development at Papworth Everard, Cambridgeshire (TL290 662) (Figure 1). The work was commissioned by Bidwells Ltd. on behalf of their clients, the Varrier-Jones Foundation and the Papworth Trust in response to an archaeological constraint placed on the planning permission by Cambridgeshire County Council. The evaluated area is part of a larger area - all of which is commonly known as the South-East Quadrant - allocated for residential and employment development in the Adopted South Cambridgeshire Local Plan. The first stage of the evaluation was a desk top study in which the archaeological potential of the site was examined in detail. A summary of the relevant elements of the desk-top study are included in the introductory section of this report. The second stage of the evaluation was a field work assessment programme completed between the 20th -27th of September 1998. Both stages of the evaluation were undertaken by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit.

This report details the results of archaeological monitoring of the preliminary ground works conducted within the area of the Grand Arcade development, Cambridge. The area is subject to a re-development plan encompassing a large block of land within Cambridge which straddles the eastern Medieval town boundary (the King's Ditch). Previous archaeological work in the area has shown that settlement activity took place outside the area of the Barnwell Gate from at least the 11th century to the present. A series of engineering boreholes and test-pits placed across the development area were monitored by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) for archaeological purposes. The work was commission by B.D.G. McColl on behalf of the Shearer Property Group and was carried out between 19 August - 6 September 1998. Two test-pits and three boreholes were monitored primarily for artefactual evidence, but it was also possible to note the stratigraphy in all cases.

This report details the results of excavations undertaken between late October and early December 1997 within the southernmost area of the ARC Central's Over quarry, Cambridgeshire. Dictated by the extent of large-scale gravel quarrying, the excavations are one part of an extensive on-going project investigating the prehistoric occupation of the alluviated landscape around the junction of the fen-edge and River Great Ouse.

The area under investigation (TL 545/802) lay at the angle formed by Forehill and Lisle Lane, due east of the Cathedral, in Ely, Cambridgeshire. The area was largely derelict, formerly containing the Forehill Brewery premises. The excavated area was approximately 50m of street frontage on the north side of Forehill, flanking, and running behind the standing property at Number 47 Forehill. This strip of land was just over 15m wide and was bounded to the north by a live sewer and the basement area of the former brewery. The earliest features to be revealed were a sequence of major ditches beginning in the 10th century, running parallel to the existing road. It had previously been assumed that the construction of the post-Conquest Cathedral and monastic buildings were the impetus for the development of this route. This early evidence was highly significant in that it indicated an established route from the waterside to the hilltop long before the post- Conquest Cathedral and monastery were built. The earliest structural evidence on site dated to the 13th century and was followed by a full sequence of occupation into the 19th century. The site was divided into tenements running north from the street frontage, and excavation showed that the property divisions preserved in the buildings demolished in the 19th century were essentially those of the seven tenements listed on the area in the 1415 survey. Some of the property boundaries, including an alleyway to the east of Number 47 showed continuity from the earliest occupation phase in the 13th century. Analysis of the standing building at Number 47 suggested that during the 16th century the property occupied the tenement plot to the west and possibly to the east of Number 47 and included a shop front and relatively well-to-do living quarters. The presence of a merchant class in the properties in this area of Forehill reflects the development of this important route between the riverside wharves, market and monastic centre. The early tenement buildings stretched back a long way and only a limited amount of associated backyard activity was found within the excavated area. However waterlogged lower levels had preserved a full range of organic remains, including structural timbers and a large collection of cobbling and shoe-making waste dating from the 12th to the 14th centuries. Assessment of the pollen and seed evidence has shown the potential of this evidence to provide a wealth of environmental information concerning the diet and resources available to the individual properties, and the range of local habitats exploited. The early timber-built structures were replaced by brick and stone buildings. A complex of 16th/17th century brick-built structures indicates some small scale industrial process, possibly baking, took place behind one of these properties. The excavation produced a great range of inorganic finds, including a particularly large and important pottery assemblage and a copper alloy purse fitting decorated with a two-headed beast.

A double-circuit ring-ditch was identified from aerial photographs on the Butcher's Rise knoll, a raised gravel terrace in the western Ouse floodplain. It was tested during the 1995 evaluation in the southern fields at the ARC quarry at Barleycroft Farm and completely excavated during the following summer (Ring- ditch 3). Further trial trenching revealed another much smaller and apparently 'simple', single circuit ring-ditch immediately to the west that was also excavated in its entirety (Ring-ditch 2).