Willingham Mere-side Investigations 2015. Excavations with Hanson's Over/Needingworth Quarry

Abstract

This is the first report covering the Cambridge Archaeological Unit’s investigations undertaken as part of the fourth mitigation phase of Hanson’s Over / Needingworth quarry (Figure 1). The investigation area comprised a 7.6 ha area on the eastern side of the Ouse and encompassed the northeastern margin of the so-(Unit-) named Langdridge Spit peninsula/terrace and the western margins of Willingham Mere (a former lake deposit-area, which extends over much of the eastern part of the fourth mitigation phase area). The 2015 excavations were undertaken in three areas defined by previous evaluations (Vander Linden & Evans 2007; Tabor & Evans 2013): a 50x50m area targeted a round barrow at Site III (TL 39670 74050) while extensive open area excavations undertaken to the south/southwest of the Site III barrow encompassed Sites IX and XII (TL 39310 73600 and TL 39650 73900; Figure 2). Alongside the latter, the results of archaeological monitoring of the quarry diversion ditch works undertaken in 2013 are also included in this report.