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This report concerns the second stage of a two part archaeological evaluation in advance of a proposed small scale housing development at Grange Farm, Easton (Hunts.), Cambridgeshire (TL139 715). The work was commissioned by Ashtenne Residential Ltd. in response to an archaeological constraint placed on the planning permission by Cambridgeshire County Council. The first stage of the evaluation was a desk top study in which the archaeological potential of the site was examined in detail. The second stage of the evaluation was a field work assessment programme completed between the 27th -30th of May 1997. The results of these excavations are summarised in the following pages. Both stages of the evaluation were undertaken by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit.

This desk top study was commissioned by University of Cambridge Estates Management as a preliminary stage of a proposed development of land on Clarkson Road, West Cambridge. The site (TL 43705896) occupies an area of approximately 2.7 hectares situated on the south side of Madingley Road, east of Wilberforce Road. The area currently lies under rough grass, except for the southeast corner, which already houses the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences. The assessment brings together all the currently available information concerning known and potential archaeological remains in the vicinity of the development area, with a view to predicting the nature, extent and state of preservation of archaeological features. The impact of the proposed scheme on the archaeology will be assessed, and this information will contribute in the formulation of any development plans.

Excavations by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit took place on the site of the proposed riverside extension of the Thornton Building, Trinity Hall College. Interpretation of the excavation was augmented by the well-preserved environmental evidence. The earliest deposits were waterlain and indicated that the site originally lay within the river, the gravel bed being found some 2.60 metres below the present water level. The river course was subsequently narrowed and the site was reclaimed by the construction of a riverside wall and northern wall, followed by ground consolidation. Dating evidence showed that this reclamation is roughly consistent with the College�s acquisition of the land. Under College ownership, the site underwent a series of changes. Access to a building beyond the northern wall was subsequently blocked and the site was covered in a cobbled surface. In the 18th/19th century a toilet block was built against a new river wall and connected to a rain water culvert. This sewage system was updated with the construction of the Thornton Building at the turn of the century, but the toilet block continued in use until the Second World War.

An archaeological desktop study has been commissioned by the owner of Farringleys, Bromley (TQ4236 6432) as part of a planning application to develop the site for residential purposes. The site lies immediately north of an important Iron Age hillfort, Caesar's Camp, Scheduled Ancient Monument GL101. A possible outlying bank of this complex lies within the Farringleys site and earlier work on the hillfort suggests that there may be an entrance on the northern ramparts at the point where the Farringleys boundary meets the Holwood Estate. Since much of this rampart was damaged during landscaping in the eighteenth century, it is not clear whether the banks extend within the Farringleys site, the probability is that they do. The nature of the proposed development for this area, however, is likely to have a minimal effect on any surviving archaeology. The other period of which archaeological remains are most likely to be encountered is the Mesolithic. Extensive flint working floors have been discovered within the hillfort and on the other side of the valley on Keston Common. Any groundworks may affect remains of this period. Palaeolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age material are far less likely to be encountered given the present understanding of their distribution in the area. Extensive Roman remains are known in the general area, though none very close to the Farringleys site. Saxon and later finds are sparse in the records but the site was part of a Saxon and medieval manor, so their presence cannot be ruled out. Groundworks may encounter remains of any of these periods, but this is far less likely than for the Mesolithic and Iron Age.

This report details the archaeological monitoring carried out at Homerton College, Cambridge between July 28-29 1997 by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit on behalf of AMEC Construction Ltd. in advance of the construction of a student residence (Phase IIB). The work was conducted by the author. An Archaeological Brief was issued by the County Archaeology Office (CAO) to fulfil the planning condition imposed on the development. The site lies within the grounds of Homerton College just to the west of Hills Road, centred at TL 4815 5420. Previous archaeological work on the College grounds at TL 460562, and the abundant prehistoric activity in the vicinity indicated the likelihood of archaeological activity on this area of the River Cam terrace gravels. No archaeology was visible in either the trench bases or their sections. Dumps of 19th-20th Century bricks were visible in the upper 0.85m in section. The inclusion of wood, roots, coal and slate within these matrices indicated that they were recent, probably as a result of levelling prior to construction. A few (2) flint flakes were collected from the surface of the site, but again these likely result from the importation of backfill and are purely fortuitous. The foundation trenches have now been filled with concrete.

This assessment was commissioned by David J. Sandbrook, Chartered Surveyors on behalf of their client Hanson Brick Ltd. It relates to new applications for planning permission for brick clay works in two areas of west Whittlesey: at Bradley Fen, and Must Farm. Most of the assessment areas and any archaeology within them, are covered by peat and alluvium, providing limited opportunities for non-intrusive evaluation. However, existing records from the surrounding area indicates a strong possibility of at least some prehistoric, particularly Bronze Age activity, at Bradley Fen, possibly relating to nearby sites at Northey and Flag Fen. The southern side of the Must Farm site may also have significant remains, on the evidence of the many finds of bronze artefacts from the fen/river margins between Stanground and Must Farm. Significant areas of Roman activity also exist on the margins of both areas, both at Stanground and at the west end of Whittlesey island, with agricultural systems possibly extending into the Bradley Fen site and some potential for further settlements and water-front activities in the western half of the Must Farm site. More generally, the landscape as a whole, and particularly the fen-margins (albeit still to be exactly defined), forms a continuation of that at Fengate/Flag Fen, just to the north - a n association of considerable importance. The proximity of an archaeological landscape of national, and indeed international importance leaves little doubt of the potential for further significant remains surviving in the assessment areas. This notwithstanding, only one area within the MustFarm is currently known to have significant remains and fieldwork may demonstrate that the rest of the area is archaeologically blank or that remains are confined to unthreatened areas on the quarry margins. Archaeologically, such negative evidence will still be of considerable importance. An outline of an appropriate programme of field evaluation is suggested, including an essential element concerned with the environmental and landscape history of the area.

Excavations at Bannold Lodge, in advance of the building of a sludge lagoon by Anglia Water, revealed archaeological deposits ranging from the Early Neolithic to Post Medieval periods. The prehistoric activity was limited to a single feature, with a small lithic assemblage (early Neolithic to Bronze Age) scattering the site. A late Iron Age/early Romano-British(late 1st/early 2nd century AD) roundhouse and hearth comprised an early phase of Romano British settlement . The most abundant archaeological material and features were datable to the mid - late Romano British period (2nd - 4th century AD). Enclosure ditches, a droveway and a boundary ditch adjacent to an inhumation provided evidence for the site being on the periphery of a settlement. A Medieval (c 14th century) causeway / droveway, with associated ditches and structure crosses the site. The droveway is probably the continuation of Denny Causeway , which was re-used in the Post Medieval period. Gravel pits were present on the site in great abundance, some could be dated to pre-14th century others were possibly Roman or earlier. Gravel extraction had a repeated history on the site with the central area lost to 20th century gravel extraction.

From the 2nd to the 3rd of July and on the 7th of August, 1997, an archaeological recording brief was undertaken by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit at 6 Earning street, Godmanchester (TL 2703, 5248). The site was approximately 0.5ha in area The work was undertaken on behalf of Exchange Developments Ltd prior to the construction of a bungalow and was carried out in accordance with a brief provided by the County Archaeology Office. Previously the site had been used as a builder's yard and paraffin storage area for many years .

This report describes the archaeology recorded by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit during a watching brief at 235-239 High Street Cottenham, Cambridgeshire. The work was commissioned by Feature Homes and took place during the ground works for the construction of three new residential properties fronting onto the High Street (TL 451 676)

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cambridge Archaeological Unit at land beside Spring Cottage Farm, Alconbury , Cambridgeshire. This work was commissioned by Wroxall Properties Ltd. in advance of a proposed housing development on the site of 0.8 hectares. The preliminary results revealed evidence of at least two phases of activity. The earliest phase broadly dates to the Late Saxon/Medieval periods (9th-14th centuries), represented by a droveway, field boundary ditches and probable structural remains. Later activity is evidenced in the form of previously unrecorded ridge and furrow earthworks. These were undatable by artefacts but are historically known to have been cultivation techniques of Medieval and Post-Medieval agricultural activity.

This interim report concerns recording by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU), that took place during the excavation of five observation pits and two bore holes, dug in the Master's Garden and garage at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge (TL 4489/5815). These below-ground investigations were part of a combined geotechnical and archaeological survey, commissioned as part of the preliminary investigations for the proposed construction of a new Parker Library and visitors' centre. The construction programme awaits the outcome of an application for Lottery funding. Located on the Cam gravel terraces, the site lies just within the proposed line of the medieval 'King's Ditch', and to the east of the churchyard of St. Botolph's Church. The results of this survey were intended to supplement the results of an archaeological assessment, comprising two trenches and a test pit that were excavated, by the CAU, in the previous year. The principle objective of this work was to determine the presence/absence and character of any archaeological remains within the area of the prospective development.

An archaeological evaluation was carried out in advance of the siting of a proposed irrigation reservoir on land at Flat Bridge Farm, Haddenham, Cambs. The work was commissioned by A.G. Wright and Sons (Farms) Ltd. and completed by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (C.A.U.) in response to an archaeological brief issued by the Cambridgeshire County Archaeology Office (C.A.O.). The field work was carried out by a team of professional archaeologists from the C.A.U., directed by the author, in the week of 8-15 September 1997. Finds included Bronze Age cremation in an inverted urn and a Middle Iron Age settlement close to the fen edge.