Excavation of a Romano-British Settlement on the Needingworth Bypass

Evaluations and Excavations were undertaken by the Archaeological Field Unit of Cambridgeshire County Council from 5/10/94 to 28/10/94 in advance of, and during construction of a bypass to the north of Needingworth village (NGR TL3273-3373), by the Cambridgeshire County Council Department for Transportation. Excavation was concentrated to the south of a known cropmark complex (SMR ref 08275)to ascertain whether these features continued into the line of the bypass. It was confirmed that there were features within the road corridor, masked beneath a layer of colluvium from the slope to the north. The excavation uncovered two possible linear boundary ditches and a portion of a circular or polygonal palisade ditched enclosure with associated postholes and linear features. Burnt features suggest possible industrial activity, in the area before the palisade ditch was dug, while artefactual and environmental evidence suggests domestic activity. Although only a small part of the area within the palisade ditch was excavated it would appear to have been a domestic enclosure. The excavated features seem likely to be associated with the features visible as cropmarks to the north, though no direct link between them was discovered. Pottery from the site suggests a Romano-British date for the excavated features, although the cropmarks to the north may incorporate features from other periods.