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
23
The Archaeology of West Wratting, Cambridgeshire - A Desktop Study
Boast, R. (1991). The Archaeology of West Wratting, Cambridgeshire - A Desktop Study. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 23
This desktop study, commissioned by the West Wratting Park Estate, evaluates the archaeological impact of the proposed development of a 27 hole golf course over an area of 110 hectares. The proposed development area is bounded by the Cambridgeshire villages of Weston Colville on the north, West Wratting on the south, and Weston Green in the north-east. More exactly, the development area is bounded on the West by Bull Lane (B1052) and on the east by the Common Road between West Wratting and Weston Green. The area extends up to Weston Colville Hall and Hall Farm on its northern edge, but avoids the area between Hill Crofts and the road from Weston Colville to Weston Green in the far north-east. The development area extends up to the village of West Wratting along most of its southern edge excluding one field just south-west of Hall Dairy.
24
Archaeological Observations at St John's College Playing Fields, Cambridge. Part I : The Bin Brook Sewer
Evans, C. (1991). Archaeological Observations at St John's College Playing Fields, Cambridge. Part I : The Bin Brook Sewer. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 24
Under the supervision of C. Evans and T. Whitelaw a 60m long (2.20m wide) machine-excavated trench (T.l) was dug 30-50m south of the main E-W pathway that crosses St John's Playing Fields on the morning of the 30/7/91 (TL 44150/58775). This trench followed the line of a sewer that was then already in the process of being laid in the eastern end of the field. This strategic field assessment programme was hurriedly organized when, 'late in the day', we learnt of this construction programme. The trench was excavated across the middle of the field with the specific aim of determining whether the ill-defined Anglo- Saxon cemetery known to lie north of the pathway extended this far to the south and, if so, to allow for its rapid excavation before the contractor's groundworks reached this point. No human bone nor funerary-related features were found whatsoever. The cemetery could not have extended this far to the south.
25
The Archaeology of Meadow Lane Quarry, St Ives, Cambridgeshire - A Desktop Study
Boast, R. (1991). The Archaeology of Meadow Lane Quarry, St Ives, Cambridgeshire - A Desktop Study. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 25
This desktop study, commissioned by ARC Ltd., evaluates the archaeological impact of the proposed expansion of quarries onto land at the end of Meadow Lane, St Ives, Cambridgeshire. Apart from the actual area of the proposed quarry works, the study area has been extended to a one kilometre zone around the proposed quarry to assess likely patterns of archaeological survival. Though no formal excavations have taken place in the area, much is known about the archaeology. The area has been extensively quarried for some years and local archaeological societies and professionals have published sites and syntheses for the last 30 years (CBA Grp 7 1958, 1963; Green 1961; French & Waite 1988).
26
Archaeological Investigations in Chapel Court, St John's College, Cambridge 1991
Evans, C. (1991). Archaeological Investigations in Chapel Court, St John's College, Cambridge 1991. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 26
The excavation of a trial trench in the southwestern corner of Chapel Court, St John�s College, Cambridge, revealed traces of late Romano-British occupation. Thereafter left undeveloped until medieval times, no evidence was found of Middle or Late Saxon utilization. In the 13th/14th century, a large embanked ditch, possibly a minor barge channel, was dug running down to the river. Re-cut-this ditch-line remained open as an earthwork until the 15th/16th century. At this time, as attested by the building up of alluvium, the site lay within the floodplain of the river Cam. The open profile of this riverside ditch apparently determined the line of St John�s Lane. Initially an insubstantial thoroughfare/hollow way flanked by backyard gardens, in the later 16th/17th century its relationship to the north-lying property was formalized with the erection of a boundary wall whose construction was contemporary with the laying of a robustly cobbled laneway surface. This wall was later incorporated into a back-property shed, possibly related to iron-working. A sequence of post-medieval laneway surfaces was recorded. Later horizons were apparently truncated in the later 19th century when the area was turfed over and transformed into College-related �green space�. This lawn was raised to its present day level earlier this century.
27
The Archaeology of Duxford Airfield Extension, Cambridgeshire - A Desktop Study
Boast, R. (1991). The Archaeology of Duxford Airfield Extension, Cambridgeshire - A Desktop Study. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 27
This desktop study, commissioned by Grosvenor Developments Ltd., evaluates the archaeological impact of the proposed extension of the Duxford Airfield Runway at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire. This study is limited to the area of direct development which encompasses approximately 9ha of land at the western end of the present runway (see attached figure). No excavation or systematic survey has taken place in the boundaries of the Airfield, but an extensive fieldwalking programme was undertaken on land immediately to the east of the Airfield in 1989 (Evans 1989), and several findspots are recorded in the County Sites and Monuments Record (SMR). The aerial photographic record of the area of proposed development has also been re-examined as part of this study (see contribution by R Palmer)
28
Archaeological Investigations at 91 Bartlow Road, Linton, Cambridgeshire 1991
Dickens, A. (1991). Archaeological Investigations at 91 Bartlow Road, Linton, Cambridgeshire 1991. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 28
The property at 91 Bartlow Road, Linton, Cambridgeshire, was assessed by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit under the conditions set by Cambridgeshire County Council. Conditions were not set for a full assessment due to the high proportion of tree cover on the site and the disturbance due to late 19th and 20th century building and gardening. Only the areas within the property free of standing buildings and wood could be assessed. The observations made in the trial excavation trenches confirm the negative evidence of the geophysical survey and are consistent with gardening or other recent domestic activities. Animal bone was only recovered in the southern area which would coincide with the use of part of the nearby house as a butchers shop. The flint flake and early pottery sherds demonstrate that there is a faint background of prehistoric, Roman and medieval activity within the area of the site.
29
The Archaeology of Arnold's Farm, Shelford Bottom, Cambridgeshire - A Desktop Study
Boast, R. (1991). The Archaeology of Arnold's Farm, Shelford Bottom, Cambridgeshire - A Desktop Study. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 29
Due to a proposal for a new golf course at Arnold's Farm, Great Shelford in the parish of Stapleford, Cambridgeshire, this study has been commissioned by Savills to determine and assess the known archaeological character of the proposed development area (Figure 1). The purpose of this study is to identify known features, sites, and find-spot, to place the development area within its local historic landscape, and to assess the likely impact of this development on the historic landscape and known individual archaeological features. The primary sources of information for this study have been the Cambridgeshire County Sites and Monuments Record (SMR), Publications of previous archaeological works in the area and historic documentation. It must be emphasised that these sources form only a partial and incomplete record of the likely archaeology of the development area and its local historic landscape. Inferences drawn from this existing record can only be considered as provisional, therefore, only a full field assessment can systematically define the archaeology of the area.
30
The Archaeology of West Wratting, Cambridgeshire : Investigations of the Earthworks at Hall Dairy and Hall Farm. An interim statement.
Boast, R. (1991). The Archaeology of West Wratting, Cambridgeshire : Investigations of the Earthworks at Hall Dairy and Hall Farm. An interim statement. . Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 30
A programme of works was carried out from the 29th of July through the 2nd of August, 1991, commissioned by West Wratting Park Estate, to assess the extent, date and preservation of the upstanding earthworks east of Hall Farm, Weston Colville, and north-west of Hall Dairy, West Wratting, Cambridgeshire (Figure 1). This assessment was conducted as a preliminary phase of a complete assessment of the 110 hectares proposed for development as a golf course between West Wratting, Weston Colville and Weston Green, Cambridgeshire. The goal of this phase of the assessment was to survey and evaluate the upstanding earthworks, identify associated, or unassociated, sub-surface features and to provide a full survey of these sites as a part of the planning application. This preliminary phase of works was chosen for two reasons, (1) the earthworks can be considered the most significant known archaeological features within the proposed development area, and (2) the earthworks, being within pasture, are the only areas that could be evaluated at this time before the harvest. This body of works does not, and is not intended to, form a full archaeological assessment of the proposed development area. Further works will be required at some point before development commences (see Boast 1991). It must also be emphasised that this is an interim statement and does not constitute the final archive report. This interim statement has been written immediately after the field assessment and before any detailed analysis, and the descriptions and discussion must be seen as tentative
31
Archaeological Observations at St John's College Playing Fields, Cambridge. Part II : The Granta Network
Evans, C. (1991). Archaeological Observations at St John's College Playing Fields, Cambridge. Part II : The Granta Network. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 31
To mitigate archaeological destruction within the Anglo-Saxon cemetery known to lie in St John's Playing Field, Cambridge, agreement had been reached between the many parties involved that the University's Granta fibre optics network would be moled beneath, rather than open-trenched across, the site. As a part of this works programme it was agreed that the C . A . U . would excavate the two moling pits. Therefore, using a Kubota mini-digger on the 7/8/91 these were duly excavated under C. Evans' and T. Whitelaw's supervision.
32
Remains of Timber Floor 1-3 Trinity Street, Cambridge
Evans, C., Samuel, M., and Miller, J. (1991). Remains of Timber Floor 1-3 Trinity Street, Cambridge. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 32
The brief to CAU was to record details of the timbers in situ, at 1-3 Trinity Street, including position and types of joints, relative heights and depths of the structural components etc.
33
Archaeological Investigations at The Moat House, Weston Colville, Cambridgeshire: An interim report
Boast, R. (1991). Archaeological Investigations at The Moat House, Weston Colville, Cambridgeshire: An interim report. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 33
The proposed development at The Moat House is for an extension to the present early 19th century house. The Moat House is located within a large sub-square moat (80m in diameter) to the north-east of the present village of Weston Colville. The date of the moat is not known, but it could be assumed to be of 13th to 14th century date. The moat is in a good state of preservation, but is heavily overgrown. The proposed extension would encompass existing one story extensions and a 4.00 by 3.50 metre extension on the south side of the house (Figure 1). All works would extend to two stories and a proportion would incorporate existing foundations. The most archaeologically sensitive aspect of these works is the extension south onto the present lawn. To assess the likely archaeological impact of this extension, a 1.50 by 4.00 metre test trench was machine dug along the line of the proposed southernmost foundation (Figure 2). This was done to provide maximum understanding of any threatened sub-surface features while causing minimum additional damage.
34
Archaeological Investigations at Trinity College Gateway, Cambridge
Evans, C. (1991). Archaeological Investigations at Trinity College Gateway, Cambridge. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 34
On the 30/8/91 a 'telephone booth-sized' (0.80 x 1.55m) sondage was excavated in the northern front lawn of Trinity College, Cambridge (TL 44815/58665). This excavation anticipated the construction of a junction box relating to the laying of the University's Granta fibre optics network. While the construction pit only had to be approximately 1.00m deep, it was decided to take this opportunity to go deeper; the natural terrace gravels were reached at a depth of 1.30m (7.65 - .80m OD). The fact that sub-soil was encountered at such a relatively high level, and there was so little made-ground, came as quite a surprise. Especially so, given that the sondage fell within/upon a slight E-W orientated bank which borders the north side of the College's forecourt. The reader should bear in mind that this was a hurried rescue excavation - a 'keyhole' sondage. Its aim was to get a broad sense of the stratigraphic sequence in this area, not to work out i n any detail the minutia of plan relationship.
