Ryder's Farm: An Archaeological Investigation of a 13th Century Farmhouse in Swavesey, Cambridgeshire

An excavation within a farmhouse in Swavesey (fig. 1) which dates to the mid-13th century was completed during January 1993 in advance of major alterations and restoration. A series of alterations and features were found which greatly increased the size and comfort of the house; these have been attributed to the mid-17th to early 18th century. The alterations included: a complex drainage system beneath the floor of the main hall, the infilling of some of the main structural walls with bricks, conversion into a two storey dwelling and construction of three excavations to the south and east of the main hall.

A thick compact layer of deliberately deposited clay was found extending beneath the whole of the house. It has been interpreted as a house platform laid during the initial phase of construction during the mid-13th century.