The Iron Age settlement at Greenhouse Farm, Fen Ditton, Cambridge: A Trench Assessment

Abstract

The site (centred on TL 490 594) is located directly to the north of Cambridge Airport in the parish of Fen Ditton. The evaluation area encompasses two fields, the smaller, southern one adjacent to the Newmarket Road, the larger, northern field forms an L-shape, part of which has been covered by recent development. The site covers an area of c. 14ha (the area available for assessment, 11 hectares). The evaluation was undertaken on behalf of Marshall of Cambridge (Airport Properties) Ltd. and took place between the 22nd of September & 2nd of October. The evaluation uncovered two distinct, and spatially separate, Iron Age settlement areas, that covering the north-east part of the northern field, and that at the south and east of the southern field. The two are linked chronologically in that as occupation of the southern site finishes that at the northern begins. There are at least two distinct alignments within the field svstem in the northern field one of which may represent an earlier field system, parts of which have been incorporated into the settlements as they grew or moved. It is possible that parts of the system may prove to be of Bronze Age date, either abandoned and re-colonised in the Early Iron Age or demonstrating continual activity.