Library
Publishing is a core part of the CAU's work so results from our excavations can be read and used by archaeologists, students, planners and the general public.
For over 30 years the CAU has published twenty monographs along with over 150 articles in academic journals. Many are available to download for free.
All of our site reports produced before October 2022 are available to download for free. Search for them by text or using the map. All our reports and our growing collection of digital archives are permanently accessible at the University of Cambridge's digital repository, Apollo.
Browse the results below
87
Archaeological Investigations at Rayner's Farm, Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire
Miller, J. (1993). Archaeological Investigations at Rayner's Farm, Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 87
Excavations and a watching brief were carried on the fifteenth to sixteenth century timber frame farmhouse at Rayner�s Farm (NGR TL 465 485). The excavations in the ground floor of the main range revealed an eighteenth to nineteenth century dump deposit which sealed evidence of earlier timber floors and a possible house platform, which related to the present house. A watching brief also provided evidence on an earlier building, and exposed a clunch footing and floor which belonged to the present cross wing.
88
Archaeological Investigations at Hinxton Quarry, Cambridgeshire 1993
Evans, C. (1993). Archaeological Investigations at Hinxton Quarry, Cambridgeshire 1993. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 88
Anticipating a major extension to the site that had been previously investigated by Cambridgeshire Archaeology in 1991/92, an assessment was undertaken in the fields both north and south of the quarry. An extremely high density of surface lithics was recovered throughout, their character suggesting that the large flint cobbles within the terraces gravels were utilized for production. A later Neolithic site was recognized as a distinct surface spread in the north field, no features were however found to survive in association. Two cremations were recovered during the course of trial trenching across a ring ditch within the southern field. Evidently a ploughed-out barrow, during the later Bronze Age the monument apparently became a focus for flintworking: great quantities of �industrial�-type debris were recovered across its interior and in its re-cut ditch. Across the terrace is a dense cropmark network of field systems and associated settlement compounds, all evidently of Romano-British date. A droveway and parallel field boundary (the latter interrupting over the above described barrow) were sample excavated within the southern field; in the northern; a series of conjoining settlement enclosures. There is important evidence of Roman-to-(Post-) Medieval continuity inasmuch as a flanking ditch of an early droveway dictates the hedge-line bordering the present approach track to the quarry. In the north field a fine Middle Saxon brooch was recovered during fieldwalking. Subsequent metal detection survey indicated that it could not be cemetery associated. Th findspot was trial trenched and the brooch found to derive from the artifact backfill of a Grubenhaus. Whilst apart from a fenceline our investigation revealed no other contemporary features, the location of at least one other such house is suggested by a surface find of Saxon pottery.
89
Archaeological Investigations at Chapel Court, St, John's College, Cambridge - The Courtyard Site - 1993
Miller, J. (1993). Archaeological Investigations at Chapel Court, St, John's College, Cambridge - The Courtyard Site - 1993. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 89
Investigations conducted in Chapel Court, St John�s College, Cambridge, revealed the footings of buildings which had been demolished in the nineteenth century. These seventeenth and eighteenth century structures lined the north side of the cobbled St John�s Lane and formed the back end of properties which fronted onto Bridge Street. Beneath this the footings on an earlier building on the same alignment was exposed.
90
Archaeological Investigations in the Master's Garden, Jesus College, Cambridge
Gdaniec, K. (1993). Archaeological Investigations in the Master's Garden, Jesus College, Cambridge. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 90
Human skeletons were discovered by workmen during service groundworks in the Master�s garden at Jesus College, Cambridge, former site of the parishioner�s cemetery of the chapel of the Convent of St Rhadegund (1133-1496). Rescue excavation was undertaken within the area of a junction box, from which the remains of at least fifteen bodies were recovered.
91
An Archaeological Investigation of the Route of the Isleham-Ely Water Pipeline, Cambridgeshire
Gdaniec, K. (1993). An Archaeological Investigation of the Route of the Isleham-Ely Water Pipeline, Cambridgeshire. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 91
The investigation of the route of a water supply pipeline furnished the archaeological record with three significant site locations which essentially demonstrate that prehistoric land use and range from the Neolithic to Iron Age periods. Of prime importance was the investigation of the waterlogged relict channel of the former course of the Rover Snail. This provided a rich context for environmental data but, more importantly, for the fragments of human bone, Neolithic flintwork and pottery. The discovery of a new Iron Age site filled the gap in settlement history in the region. Natural depressions in the chalk landscape at the southeast end of the route had been employed as working/industrial hollows in the earlier Neolithic and were associated with earth-cut features containing substantial faunal assemblages. Other areas along the route indicated little more than the offsite background information expected in such investigation corridors.
92
An Archaeological Assessment at Forehill and Lisle Lane, Ely, Cambridgeshire 1993
Wait, G. (1993). An Archaeological Assessment at Forehill and Lisle Lane, Ely, Cambridgeshire 1993. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 92
An archaeological evaluation of a one hectare area of Ely, located at Forehill and Lisle Lane, was undertaken by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit on behalf of Bennett Plc, in accordance with a brief set by the Archaeology Office of Cambridgeshire County Council.
Historic and Documentary research suggested the likelihood of significant archaeological remains along the Forehill frontage, to be correlated with the standing building number 47 Forehill. This building incorporates a 13-14th century crown-post roof structure, and is probably one surviving bay of a three-bay building. It is a listed building.
Evaluation excavation confirmed the survival of more than 1.2 metres thickness of archaeological stratigraphy pre-dating the 19th century along most or all of the Forehill frontage (an area 20 metres wide along 50 metres of frontage). There appears to be less than 60 centimetres of recent disturbance on top of the sequence. Recovery of �wasters� and kiln-furniture suggests the presence of a 14th century kiln and pottery production workshop within the vicinity. Watertable was reached above the base of stratigraphy, and the lowest layers visible contained degraded wood. The base of stratigraphy was not reached.
The remainder of the area was found to be badly disturbed by 19-20th century buildings, especially those of the Forehill Brewery. Where these buildings stood no archaeological stratigraphy survives. In one gap between buildings a wall may be tentatively linked to a formal garden depicted in the area on the Speed map of 1610.
93
Archaeological Investigations at Vicarage Way, Yaxley, Cambridgeshire 1993
Begg, C. (1993). Archaeological Investigations at Vicarage Way, Yaxley, Cambridgeshire 1993. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 93
An archaeological assessment was conducted at Vicarage Way, Yaxley, in advance of proposed housing development. Archaeological remains dating to the Medieval and Post-medieval period indicated that the area had once formed part of the field system associated with the Medieval manorial complex situated to the west (SMR 1028).
94
An Archaeological Assessment at Lordship Lane, Cottenham, Cambridgeshire 1993
Butler, R. and Wait, G. (1993). An Archaeological Assessment at Lordship Lane, Cottenham, Cambridgeshire 1993. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 94
An investigation of a 7.2 hectare area on the northern/northwestern periphery of Cottenham village was undertaken by the CAU on behalf of Mr V Donnelly, and in accordance with a brief set by the Archaeology Office of the Cambridgeshire County Council. The investigation included an earthwork survey of the field to the south of the Crowlands manor moated site (a Scheduled Ancient Monument). A series of earthworks were record, some demonstrably modern, whilst others may be antiquities or may be relatively recent in origin. A larger area to the southwest of the moated site was investigated by a sequential programme of test pits, test stations and trial trench excavations. The test pit soil sampling programme has contributed to the continuing refinement of the CAU�s suite of sampling strategies. The test stations and trial trench excavations revealed a pattern of early Medieval field boundary ditches, on a northeast-southwest alignment, apparently continuing the pattern of plots still evident in modern boundaries of tenements fronting onto the north side of the High Street. This is superimposed upon and earlier, probably mid to late Saxon pattern of ditches and gullies (on an east-west alignment). The Saxon phase is a potentially important contribution to our knowledge of the origin and development of settlement along the Fen-edge. The nature of the Saxon presence can not be determined on the basis of the investigation. The presence of mid-Saxon pottery, which is normally quite rare, may be used to argue that there is a Saxon domestic presence within the area investigated or immediately adjacent to it. However, in strictly quantitative terms the number of artefacts is small. No trace was recovered of a prehistoric phase of occupation, although the presence of prehistoric pottery and flints is consistent with the use of the area for agriculture and pasture, the artefacts being deposited through normal manuring processes.
95
An Archaeological Investigation at Fulbourn Hospital for Addenbrookes NHS Trust
Gdaniec, K. (1994). An Archaeological Investigation at Fulbourn Hospital for Addenbrookes NHS Trust. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 95
Anticipating the construction of an Intensive Treatment Unit (ITU) at Fulbourn Hospital (TL 498/563) an archaeological investigation was conducted to mitigate the impact of the development on potentially surviving archaeological remains. The grounds of the Hospital had been investigated during the summer of 1993 when substantial evidence of earlier Bronze Age settlement was revealed. Such a discovery raised the importance of the grounds since few settlements are known in southern Cambridgeshire from that period. The likelihood of further archaeological features being present in the area of the new development was a strong possibility, necessitating evaluation.
96
Archaeological Investigations at Bourn Bridge, Pampisford, Cambridgeshire
Evans, C. (1994). Archaeological Investigations at Bourn Bridge, Pampisford, Cambridgeshire. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 96
As part of a planning application for quarrying, a field assessment was undertaken across a 10ha terrace beside the River Granta near to its Icknield Way ford. Hillwash and alluviation had variously obscured and truncate any buried soil, and clearly influenced fieldwalking results; only moderate quantities of lithics were recovered. Nevertheless, earlier Neolithic activity was evident over much of the application area. Across the central floodplain concentrations of burnt flint were encountered, suggestive of �early� camp-type settlement. Deposits of this occupation matrix (burnt flint and earlier Neolithic flintwork) were found within the base of a palaeo-channel of the river, beside which was a prehistoric ditch filled with burnt flint, and a burial within the alluvium. Whilst possibly defining a ring-ditch mortuary enclosure, the proximity of the alluvium-sealed ditch and the inhumation may, however, be coincidental and the grave much later (Romano-British?) A distinct spread of Iron Age occupation debris was found, 60m from the river, in the eastern part of the site. Although evidently redeposited through earlier quarrying, contemporary features in the vicinity suggest that movement of this material had not been great. Features of Romano-British date were found sealed throughout the floodplain. A major riverside droveway system and probable settlement complexes were identified.
97
Recording of the Timber Frame of The Bath Hotel, Bene't Street, Cambridge
Miller, J. (1994). Recording of the Timber Frame of The Bath Hotel, Bene't Street, Cambridge. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 97
Parts of the original seventeenth century timber frame of Number 3 Bene�t Street, The Bath House, were exposed during recent refurbishment. This was recorded in detail enabling a reconstruction of both the south and north elevations.
98
Archaeological Investigations at 14-15 Market Street, Cambridge (Eaden Lilley)
Miller, J. (1994). Archaeological Investigations at 14-15 Market Street, Cambridge (Eaden Lilley). Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 98
As part of the redevelopment of the Eaden Lilley Department Store, 14-15 Market Street was substantially demolished and rebuilt. These works included the removal of the existing basement concrete slab and the insertion of piles for the new building. In view of the site's position within Cambridge, the County Archaeology Office considered that there was a possibility that archaeological remains would be exposed and disturbed in the process of these works. A brief was prepared by the CAO to mitigate the impact of the development on the archaeological resource. Unfortunately, no archaeological deposits or features were identified in any of the areas exposed beneath the concrete slab. Within the site all the archaeology and the top metre or so of the natural subsurface had been obliterated, probably by the insertion of the present basement. It seems most likely that the lack of any evidence of deep cut features is due entirely to this and not part of negative evidence indicating that there were no wells or quarrying.
