Neolithic, Early Iron Age pits and peripheral Later Iron Age and Roman activity at Longsands Community College, St Neots, Cambridgeshire

An archaeological investigation comprising an evaluation trench followed by an excavation was undertaken during May and June 2010 by OA East within part of the area of a proposed all-weather pitch and sports hall at Longsands College, St Neots (TL 1905 6086). The excavation revealed a sparse quantity of features across the site dating from the earlier prehistoric to modern periods with four main phases of activity identified.
Perhaps the most significant archaeological remains comprise an Early Neolithic pit in the extreme southern part of the excavation area. Residual Neolithic, Early and Late Bronze Age pottery was also recovered within later features within 20m of the pit, which may imply further prehistoric features have not survived. There were at least three Early Iron Age pits identified across the area. This is significant as Early Iron Age remains are relatively rare on other clayland areas (but not on the alluviated flood plain) in this part of Cambridgeshire. Features spanning the Middle or Late Iron Age and possibly up to the Early Roman period were also present within the site, comprising a large boundary or enclosure ditch, a probable droveway and two pits. These features were presumably the precursor to, and/or part of, a known Early Roman settlement discovered in 2006, c.200m to the west (Connor 2006). A further nine undated pits and three post-holes were dispersed across the excavation area. Most, if not all, of these probably relate to any of these above periods and were unlikely to be post-medieval or modern in date. Evidence of arable fields in the form of ridge and furrow was recorded across the site and this activity seems to have stopped in the early post-medieval period. A single ditch was uncovered which probably related to when the site was part of a post-medieval to modern parkland. The concrete foundations of Longsands College mid-20th century former changing rooms were also found.