Alderman Jacobs Primary School, Whittlesey: An Archaeological Evaluation

The Archaeological Field Unit of Cambridgeshire County Council undertook an archaeological evaluation of land (TL 2767 9758) to the rear of Alderman Jacobs Primary School on 22nd August 2013. The work was commissioned by Mouchel Property Services on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council in advance of a school extensions development.

The proximity of the site to the route of the Roman Fen Causeway lent potential to the deposits being part of the causeway or an offshoot to possible roadside development. The evaluation revealed that the area of proposed development had been subject to extensive modern disturbance. The natural gravels being exposed at depths of 0.60m to 1.06m.

The stratigraphic relationship of a limestone layer to modern service trenches confirms that it post-dates them and therefore cannot be part of any Roman roadside development. In conclusion it appears that the deposits present in the trench excavated were of no archaeological significance, being a product of modern disturbance.