Archaeological Excavations at Hinxton Quarry, Cambridgeshire, 1995: The North Field.

Excavations carried out across a northward extension to the Hinxton Quarry borrow pit produced evidence of utilisation of the Cam-side terrace from the Early Neolithic through to Saxon times. A large assemblage of Early Neolithic flint including a polished flint axe, and pottery from at least six vessels, was recovered from a single feature. A scattering of Later Neolithic and Bronze Age pits also attests to occupation, albeit short-lived/episodic. Romano-British enclosures were present at the south, east and north of the site. The southern complex consisted of sub-divided fields/paddocks to either side of a broad droveway, dating to the late 1st - 2nd century AD. Subsequent alterations included further divisions within the system, with areas intensively pitted and probably taken out of agricultural usage. Occupation debris was abundant within the backfill of discrete features; the associated settlement must still lie further to the south or west. The fieldsystems may represent provisioning areas for the Roman fort and town at Great Chesterford to the south. There is evidence for continuity of use, with alterations, into the post-Roman period and perhaps into the Medieval times (the southern droveway ditch continues the line of the hedge bordering the farm track which still provides access to the field). Saxon occupation of the 5th - 7th century is directly attested to by two Grubenhauser and a series of pits. Roman features with Saxon material present within their upper levels indicates long-term earthwork survival; there is evidence of Saxon curation of Roman artefacts