Early/Middle Roman farmstead, land north of London Road, Great Chesterford (EHER 83408)

An evaluation in 2017 investigated a cropmark complex (EHER 4866) and recorded ditches, pit and post holes. The features were interpreted as the remains of an Early/Middle Roman farmstead, occupying the well-draining lower slope of the river valley.

August-September 2020. Trial trenching. Seven trenches were identified to contain archaeological features. These remains, comprising linear ditches, pits and post holes, were almost exclusively located in trenches in the north of the site. A high degree of correlation between cropmark (EHER 4866), geophysical survey and trial-trenching results is demonstrated. The recorded archaeological features, and the wider enclosure complex within the north of the site, possibly constitute the remains of an Early/Middle Roman farmstead, occupying the well-draining lower slope of the river valley. Its juxta-positioning in relation to, and association with, the Roman fort and later town, is of interest. It is possible that this land use has Iron Age origins. <1>