Land adjacent to Clayton School, Orton Malborne, Peterborough

In December 1998 the Cambridgeshire County Council Archaeological Field Unit conducted and archaeological evaluation of land adjacent to Clayton School, Orton Malborne, Peterborough (centred on TL1660 9580). The work commissioned by Hunting Gate Construction plc in response to a brief issued by Peterborough City Council Archaeological Service in advance of the development of the site as a medical centre.
The evaluation was designed to examine the site for archaeological remains which may have been sealed beneath medieval ridge and furrow (visible as cropmarks in aerial photographs taken between 1945 and 1976). A brief assessment of documentary and cartographic sources indicated that the land had remained in agricultural use since the medieval period.
Trenches were located to sample the area that will be affected by the foundations of the proposed building and to sample the remainder of the field for archaeological remains.
All trenches appeared to be devoid archaeological features although two possible features were excavated. No dating evidence was recovered from these features and the trench was widened in this area but no further features were exposed. Natural variations in the gravels occurred and pipe trenches were noted in two trenches. There was also evidence for modern disturbance (topsoil removal or quarrying) in the south western part of the site.