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CHER Number:	MCB18107
Type of record:	Monument
Name:	Iron Age features, Area 6, Longstanton Bypass

Summary - not yet available

Grid Reference:	TL 389 672
Parish:	Longstanton, South Cambridgeshire, Cambridgeshire

Monument Type(s):

ENCLOSURE (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)
POST HOLE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
GULLY (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
PIT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
DITCH (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)

Associated Finds:

ANIMAL REMAINS (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
SHERD (Early Iron Age - 800 BC to 401 BC)
SHERD (Middle Iron Age - 400 BC to 101 BC)
SHERD (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)

Associated Events:

Excavations of areas 6, 7 & 8, Longstanton Bypass, 2007 (Ref: Project 1559)

Full description

1.Three additional areas (areas 6, 7 and 8) were excavated in relation to the construction of the Longstanton Bypass, early in 2007. Neolithic features were excavated within areas 7 and 8. Iron Age activity was mostly associated with a single enclosure (excavated in area 6) approximately 25m x 30 m in size. The feature did not appear to respect existing features, cutting earlier gullies and a large pit. It may have been for stock control or to surround settlement, an internal ditch was recorded separating the enclosure into distinct areas. Further evidence for this was indicated in the area on the western side of the ditch, which contained a network of pits and gullies whereas the eastern side of the inner ditch was void of archaeological features. Several almost whole pots dating from the Early to Mid Iron Age were found within the enclosure ditch and could be the result of deliberate deposition. A large collection of burnt clay found within a small internal gully also appeared to have been deposited in an individual event. Animal remains retrieved from numerous features across the site included a high quantity of domestic species such as cattle, horse and dog but also smaller quantities of wild hare and deer. Very few birds and no fish were recovered. Gnawing marks from both cat and dog were found on some fragments of bone, despite no skeletal evidence for cat being recovered. A small percentage of the bone was found to be burnt and some also displayed butchery marks, although the level of this activity was suspected not to be on an industrial scale, representing small scale consumption.

<1> Paul, S. and Cutler, R., 2008, Longstanton Western Bypass Excavations, Cambridgeshire: Archaeological Post Excavation Assessment (Unpublished report). SCB21117.

Sources and further reading