Mitchell Hill Common, Cambridgeshire. An Archaeological Evalatuion

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) at Mitchell Hill Common, Twenty Pence Road, Cottenham, Cambridgeshire (centred on TL 48194 70460) between 7th November and 23rd December 2016. The evaluation comprised both nonintrusive survey (geophysical survey and aerial photographic assessment) as well as trial trenching. Investigations revealed archaeological remains of varying character and date, which occurred both as relatively well-defined 'sites' and as dispersed features. Of the former, an area of potential Middle Bronze Age settlement activity was recorded at Chear Fen in the north of the Proposed Development Area (PDA), whilst in the west of the PDA pits and postholes associated with a plough soil scatter of burnt flint represent the possible remnants of a 'burnt mound' feature. In the south of the PDA, enclosures and associated pits and postholes clearly indicate an Iron Age settlement site. Prehistoric remains of a more dispersed character comprised isolated/discrete features or small clusters of features - including a watering hole of probable Late Bronze Age date - and appear to effectively represent a continuation of the prehistoric landscape recorded at the adjacent Gravel Diggers site. Roman ditches were recorded across much of the PDA - with the notable exception of Chear Fen - and appear to form part of a radial pattern of land division associated with the Mitchell Hill Farm Roman settlement to the south-west. Significantly, no evidence of Roman settlement was encountered within the PDA and it seems that this is confined to the area around the present day farm and which has been excluded from the PDA. Finally, post-medieval features are largely restricted to drainage ditches/trenches and field boundary ditches related to agricultural activity (probably post-enclosure)