Land At King's Delph, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. An Archaeological Evaluation.

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) at King's Delph, to the south-west of Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The project was undertaken on behalf of SLR Consulting Ltd. for Hanson Building Products Ltd. and will form part of an overall Environmental Impact Assessment of the proposed development. A programme of test pitting and trial trenching has refined our understanding of the palaeo-topography and environmental sequence at King's Delph, and identified a significant prehistoric landscape. An important assemblage of finds from a buried soil horizon in the west of the site represents activity dating from the Late Mesolithic to the Early Bronze Age, peaking in the Beaker period. In addition two preserved wooden stakes / posts have been dated to the late Neolithic and Beaker periods. Of greatest significance is the discovery of a previously unknown round barrow along with potentially associated features including a possible bank. Associated finds include Beaker period pottery and human remains. The evaluation results indicate an important prehistoric landscape is preserved beneath layers of peat and alluvial deposits at King's Delph. Furthermore, conditions encountered during the excavation suggest preservation, particularly of organic remains, is likely to be good where present