An Archaeological Evaluation of Land off West Fen Road, Ely, Cambridgeshire

Abstract

Trenched based evaluation of two areas of land (Cornwell and Cotmist) off West Fen Road, Ely, following a Desk-top assessment (Gibson 1998) identified three main sites. Dating to Roman, Saxon and early Medieval periods the archaeology comprised a complex palimpsest of enclosures/fieldsystems made up of multiple lines of ditches. The northern edge of the site produced a concentration of linears both 1st Century Roman as well as Early-Late Saxon pottery. Some background Iron Age material was also recovered. In the south-eastern corner, a Late Saxon settlement and fieldsystem were identified replete with an impressive assemblage of Thetford Ware pottery. Some of the ditches belonging to this particular fieldsystem were made distinctive by their burnt fills, another attribute indicative of settlement proximity. Elsewhere large pits containing glazed ceramics attest to an early Medieval presence, perhaps in association with the prominent ridge and furrow which was superimposed upon the earlier settlement and enclosure complex.