Conjectural location of Roman rubbish pits and probable inhumation burials, in a gravel pit near Newmarket Road Bridge, (Lynchets), Great Chesterford (EHER 4929)

The conjectural and probably incorrect location of rubbish pits which were exposed in a gravel pit in this area, and excavated by Prof. T McKenny Hughes. See EHER 13960 for the probable location of the rubbish pits, and EHER 4949 for another alternative location.

Rubbish pits exposed in the large gravel pit on the left-hand site of the road as we went from the railway station over the bridge towards "Great Chesterford (TL 503 427) were excavated by Prof McKenny Hughes in the early 19th century. They contained: animal bone, oyster, whelk and snail shells, Roman pottery, samian, a coin of Claudius II, tile, and bricks etc. One pit contained three skeletons, amphora sherds, Samian, pottery and two rings (one brass, the other iron). <1> <2> <3> (See TL 54 SW17 - possible duplication and better siting?). See also <4>. Original HER entry merged with NRHE data transfer. Note: Prior to merging with the NRHE record, this record attributed the excavation to the early 20th century. See notes below about the precise date of the excavation. Note: This record is a duplicate record for the Roman rubbish pits recorded in EHER 13960. It is mapped to an alternative (though less likely) location, and appears to be an early attempt at mapping the location of the finds just using the description given in <1>. It is thought that the true location of the records is that mapped in EHER 13960, though it is not possible to be certain. The equivalent NRHE record for these finds has been accessioned into this record (EHER 4929) because it shares the same mapped (though probably incorrect) location. Furthermore, the NRHE record description also makes reference to a third record, EHER 4949 (undated human remains found in a gravel pit). It suggests EHER 4949 is a duplicate record for these Roman remains, and is mapped to a more accurate location. It is not possible to say for certain if the human remains recorded in EHER 4949 are the same as those recorded here, or in EHER 13960. If they are the same, it is considered most likely that EHER 13960 represents the true location of the discovery. The precise date of the excavation of the finds is also uncertain. Source <3> describes the discovery as in the early 19th century, whilst source <4> attributes the event to the 1870s (late 19th century). Prior to the accessioning of the NRHE record, this record (EHER 4929) attributed the discovery to possibly the early 20th century, whilst the event record EEX38427 attributes the date of the excavation as 1904.