Multi-period excavation at New Road, Chatteris

Between November 2006 and March 2007 the Cambridgeshire County Council Archaeological Field Unit (CAM ARC) carried out an archaeological excavation on the land at New Road,
Chatteris. Two areas, covering a total of 0.7ha were opened. Area A was situated to the north of the partition wall that subdivided the development area whilst Area B lay to its south. Evidence for human activity spanning the Mesolithic to Medieval periods was recovered, although features
directly associated with settlement appeared to date predominantly to the Iron Age and were concentrated toward the southern end of Area B. These comprised boundary ditches and gullies, pits and a very large number of post holes, some of which were concentrated into clusters that appeared to represent the sites of repeated construction, probably of fairly temporary structures.
Three cremations dating to the Middle Bronze Age were recorded in Area A. Two inhumations also recovered from Area A were tentatively dated to the Roman period. A number of sherds of Saxon pottery were recorded across the site but of particular significance was the recovery of a sherd of imported North French Blackware. This was an extremely rare find in the county, with Chatteris being just the third site to produce such material. This pottery is thought to have had strong associations with the wine trade and it may therefore be that during this period Chatteris formed a
staging post for travel and trade throughout the region.