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Summary - not yet available

Monument Type(s):

• CURVILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• ROUND HOUSE (DOMESTIC) (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• GULLY (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• PIT (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• POST HOLE (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• OVEN (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• RING DITCH (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)

Associated Finds:

• BROOCH (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• BROOCH (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• COIN (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• FINGER RING (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• QUERN (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• SHERD (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• SPINDLE WHORL (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• TWEEZERS (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• WEAVING COMB (Middle Iron Age to 5th century Roman - 400 BC to 409 AD)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (1st century AD - 1 AD to 100 AD)
• SLAG (1st century AD - 1 AD to 100 AD)

Associated Events:

• Excavation at TEA 41, A14 Improvement Scheme, Cambridgeshire, 2016-17
• Evaluation of A14 Improvement Scheme, Cambridgeshire, 2016
• Evaluation of A14 Huntingdon to Cambridge Improvement Scheme, 2014

Full description

1. Geophysical survey carried out in 2014 as part of the A14 road improvement scheme identified a discrete settlement site to the north of the A14 at Girton. The main feature comprised an oval settlement enclosure measuring 75m in length and 60m wide and extended beyond the investigation area.

2. Archaeological evaluation carried out in 2016 as part of the A14 road improvement scheme investigated the remains of a late Iron Age settlement enclosure previously identified during the geophysical survey. Seven trenches were investigated within the settlement site identifying evidence of this enclosure. The outer enclosure was identified in several places along its western side and measured at least 2.41m wide with some evidence of erosion on its eastern (inner) slope. Evidence of re-cutting was also noted. An inner enclosure ditch was identified in two places and appeared to be c5m wide, again with evidence of recutting. Mid 1st century AD pottery was recovered from both ditches while fuel and ash slag were recovered from the inner ditch indicating iron smithing in the area. An incomplete dog skeleton was recovered from the outer ditch. Evidence of settlement activity within the enclosure included one pit, three gullies tentatively interpreted as roundhouse drip gullies, and two ditches thought to be internal subdivisions. Linear ditches outside the enclosure were also identified, both aligned northeast to southwest.

3. Subsequent archaeological excavation carried out in 2016-17 as part of the A14 road improvement scheme targeted the settlement site identified in the geophysical survey and evaluation stages. The excavation revealed the broad phases of activity from the Middle Iron Age to early Roman period comprising a roughly oval enclosure measuring 81m north-south and 71m east-west with internal features as well as a number of small enclosures to the east and west.

The farmstead enclosure comprised a main enclosing ditch measured 5m in width and 1.2m deep with evidence of several re-cutting events. The original entrance was a 12m wide gap along the western side, a second smaller entrance was located to the southeast and accessed an annex to the south. Later annexes were also added to the south and east of the main enclosure.

The interior contained at least seven round houses with several phases indicated and some evidence of internal subdivisions. Pits and postholes- but forming no clear pattern - were also recorded. The main enclosure was divided into three sub enclosures in the early Roman period by the cutting of a Y shaped ditch. Other discrete features identified included a bread oven and a possible circular hayrick represented by a small ring gully.

The finds assemblage has not been fully processed at this stage, however, the site produced 35 small finds including 3 brooches, 3 copper rings/ring fragments, tweezers, a coin, a decorated bone weaving comb, a spindle whorl and a quernstone fragment. Large quantities of pottery, animal bone and ceramic building material were also recorded.

Smith, A. & Bowsher, D., 2019, A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire Archaeological investigations Volume 1: post-excavation assessment (Unpublished report). SCB74521.

Smith, A. & Bowsher, D., 2019, A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire Archaeological investigations Volume 2 Updated Project Design (Unpublished report). SCB74522.

Smith, A. & Bowsher, D., 2019, A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire Archaeological investigations Volume 3.1 Finds Assessment (non pottery) (Unpublished report). SCB74523.

Sutton, A., 2019, A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire Archaeological investigations Volume 3.2 Pottery assessment (Unpublished report). SCB74524.

Carty, N. & Knox, E., 2019, A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire Archaeological investigations Volume 3.3 Human Remains Assessment (Unpublished report). SCB74525.

Pipe, A. & Ewens, V., 2019, A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire Archaeological investigations Volume 3.4 Animal remains and molluscs assessment (Unpublished report). SCB74526.

Walker, A., 2019, A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire Archaeological investigations Volume 3.5 Plant and insect remains assessment (Unpublished report). SCB74527.

Taylor, D. & Spurr, G., 2019, A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire Archaeological investigations Volume 3.6 Geoarchaeology Assessment (Unpublished report). SCB74528.

<1> Lefort, R. & Dresch, P., 2014, A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Geophysical Survey and Archaeological Trial Trenching, BP6 p8 (Unpublished report). SCB54776.

<2> Jeffery, E., 2016, A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme Archaeological Trial Trenching Evaluation, S4-012 p51 (Unpublished report). SCB52280.

<3> Hewitt, G., 2018, TEA 41 - Summary Report: Bar Hill (Unpublished report). SCB54647.

Sources and further reading

Documents

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