Millfield Way, Whittlesey

Between 25th – 26th July 2016 Oxford Archaeology East carried out an evaluation at Millfield Way, Whittlesey. Six trenches totalling 135m were machines stripped within a plot of land earmarked for residential development. Trench 1 contained two undated features – an undated linear ditch and a ditch terminus or pit. Trench 3 contained three modern pits or postholes and a shallow linear feature of post-medieval or modern date, in an area where a windmill once stood. Trenches 2 and 6 contained large modern pits; pit 17 in trench 6 was in excess of 2m deep and contained a dump of late 19th – early 20th century material in its upper fill. Trenches 4 and 5 were devoid of archaeology.
A struck flint core, identified as a possible Aurignacian bladelet core of Early Upper Palaeolithic date (c. 40,000 – 27,000 BP), was recovered from the interface between the March gravels and the Oxford Clay in trench 2. The March gravels have previously produced Middle and Lower Palaeolithic material from within the Whittlesey area.