Waterlogged and Late Medieval Pits and Post-Medieval Surfaces at Unit 8a, Queensgate Centre, Peterborough

Between the 29th January and 5th February 2001 the Archaeological Field Unit of Cambridgeshire County Council carried out an archaeological evaluation on land opposite The Still public house and adjacent to Westgate Arcade Peterborough (TL 5488/2658) before the proposed construction of a single shop unit. The work was commissioned by Lambert Scott and Innes Architects on behalf of Norwich Union. The site currently exists as a small area (6mx16m) covered by brick sets and open to the sky adjacent to the covered shopping areas of the Queensgate Centre and Westgate Arcade. The evaluation was undertaken in accordance with the Cambridgeshire County Council Archaeological Field Unit specification drawn up by Paul Spoerry in response to a design brief issued by Ben Robinson of the Peterborough City Council Archaeological Service.

The evaluation revealed stratigraphy of up to 1.6m with at least three broad periods (Late medieval, post-medieval and Modern). The earliest period revealed a group of pits which dated from the 15th century and produced a large assemblage of well-preserved leather. This leatherwork consisted of pieces of shoes including worked soles and uppers. These pits were sealed by a series of cobbled surfaces that can be interpreted as either yards within a property or more probably surfaces of the historic street known as Cumbergate. A number of modern service runs were also observed in both trenches.