An Archaeological Evaluation of Land Adjacent to Duxford Mill, Duxford. Late Mesolithic/Early Neolithic Activity on the Floodplain of the River Cam

An evaluation was undertaken by the archaeological field unit of Cambridgeshire County Council (AFU) from 30/11/94 to 19/12/94 on behalf of the national Rivers Authority (NRA) prior to the construction of a proposed bypass relief channel on land adjacent to Duxford Mill, Cambridgeshire (TL 482 461). Seven trenches were machine excavated along the length of the proposed route. The trenches exposed deposits associated with the floodplain and a paleochannel of the River Cam. Beneath the ploughsoil were two alluvial deposits overlying a layer of peat through which a number of water channels were cut. While no distinct archaeological features were encountered, two compact chalky deposits may have been initially lain. In addition, an in-situ scatter of worked flint waste flakes dated to the Mesolithic or early Neolithic period was recovered from the top of the peat layer at the edge of the river channel. The peat layer was removed in places to ensure there were no archaeological features sealed beneath it. None were found.