Bearscroft Farm, Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire (BCG20). Post-Excavation Assessment Report

Abstract

From August 17th to October 27th, 2020, an archaeological excavation was undertaken at Bearscroft Farm, Godmanchester (centred on 525399 270248) ahead of further development of the site. The work was commissioned by RPS on behalf of David Wilson Homes (South Midlands) in response to a request from the Cambridgeshire Historic Environment Team (CHET) and planning condition (ref: 12/00685/OUT) that was continued from the previous excavation (BCG14 – Patten 2016). Four areas totalling 1.02ha were targeted, and were located in the vicinity of the Areas 1 and 2a from the previous excavations. These areas were relabelled B1 and B2 respectively. The excavation area B1 included pitting from the Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age in date. Remnants of Roman fields, along with two associated cremations, were also recorded. Activity continued from the 5th century AD onwards, predominantly in the 6th to 7th centuries AD, but also spanning into the Middle to Late Anglo-Saxon period. This was a north-west expansion of the settlement identified during the Cardinal Distribution Park (Gibson 2003) excavations, forming enclosures, a trackway, field system, pitting, as well as post-holes and a single sunken featured building (SFB). The excavation of Area B2 included early prehistoric pitting and ‘natural’ hollows, as well as the possible remains of ephemeral structures in the form of post-holes. There was also a continuation of the Middle to Late Iron Age activity excavated in Area 2a, taking on the form of an enclosure, probably joining on to the long, territorial ‘linear boundary’ reported on in BCG14 (Patten 2016). The only Roman activity was the partial remains of an open enclosure, perhaps linking into a more extensive field system arrangement. All of the excavated areas exposed a regular series of furrows aligned northwest-southeast that formed a part of the medieval and post-medieval field system connected with Bass Croft Field and East Garden fields.