A Romano-British Site East of Hinxton Grange: A11 Stump Cross to Four Wentways Road Improvement Scheme (TL5112/4644)

In April and May 1994, Cambridgeshire County Council's Archaeological Field Unit carried out limited excavation of remains of Roman date on a hilltop east of Hinxton Grange, at TL 5112/4644. The work was conducted as part of a programme of fieldwork undertaken for the Highways Agency, in advance of and during construction work on the A1 between Stump Cross and Four Went Ways. The fieldwork had included a series of archaeological evaluations carried out in October 1993, and monitoring during construction early in 1994, in addition to the salvage excavation which is described here. This last phase of work enabled the ground plan of part of a moderately 'high status' Roman building to be recorded. All traces of the walls and most of the foundations were missing, either robbed for building materials or removed during an unrecorded excavation, but a short length of the foundations remained intact. The majority of the building, however, had been removed during quarrying, possibly in connection with construction of the adjacent railway in the mid 19th century. In addition, a very substantial ditch was discovered, sharing the same alignment, and again of Roman date. Two smaller ditches on a different alignment remained undated; other shallow features on the site may relate to post medieval or modern cultivation. Four Roman coins of the second and third Centuries AD were recovered.