Roman Settlement Evidence at Ernulf School, St Neots.

The archaeological assessment took place on Ernulf School Playing fields and the Eynesbury Rovers Football Ground. A geophysical survey of the area produced evidence of a series of linear features and some smaller pit-like anomalies, all concentrated on the western half of the school playing fields. Test pitting based on these results produced evidence of pits, intercutting ditches, and some wall footings. The evidence was truncated by later agricultural activity but could be interpreted as peripheral buildings and property boundaries relating to a Roman villa complex lying to the west of the assessed area. A north-south gravelled roadway was found which may represent the eastern limit of the settlement. Pottery and coins date the main settlement period to the late third century AD, possibly continuing into the fifth century AD. Roman settlement evidence was not found in the eastern half of the School playing fields and no evidence of archaeological activity was found on the Rovers football ground.