Babraham Research Centre Access Roadway. An Archaeological Evaluation.

An archaeological evaluation carried out along the proposed course of the new access road to the Babraham Research Campus in June-July 2005 encountered unstratified Late Mesolithic – Early Bronze Age worked flint within the topsoil layers. No corresponding in situ features were located, although ‘background’ scatters evident within the vicinity of Trenches 6 and 7 suggested an area of prehistoric activity. A large post-glacial hollow located towards the southern end of Trench 5 may also have been a source for this flint. Redeposited Neolithic – Medieval pottery and prehistoric flint was recovered from this by means of sample square excavation. Towards the middle of the evaluation area (Trench 7), four shallow 1st-2nd century AD linear features were identified, perhaps elements of a Romano-British field system. At the southern end of the roadway a number of post-medieval features, some of which may have been associated with the foundations of the former Georgian house (or still earlier Tudor Hall) were encountered close to the present-day Babraham Hall.