Possible site of Roman cemetery in the field beyond the Cam (skirted by the modern road to Ickleton), part of SW cemetery, Great Chesterford (EHER 4959)

The possible site of a Roman cemetery which was excavated by Hon. R.C. Neville in 1855 or 1856 and said to be around 200 yards outside the Roman town walls (EHER 4915) on the opposite side of the Cam. It is a mixed rite cemetery containing cremations and inhumations, reported by Neville to have been found in groups within 20 ft. of the road hedge. At least 26 infant burials, one adult inhumation and seven urned cremations were recorded. Many grave goods including stamped vessels, coins, a brooch and other artefacts were recovered.

1855 or 1856. Antiquarian excavation. Roman cemetery found in 1855, 200 yards outside the town walls on the opposite side of the Cam. Excavated by Neville. Cremations and inhumations found. The urns were apparently in groups as some had grave goods rather than cremations. Finds included Samian paterae. One child inhumation was in the middle of the cremations (with grave goods including a Samian dish). Outside the main group of burials were 25 child inhumations. Adult inhumation also found near the western end of the cemetery near a large black urn, in fragments. Eight coins (2nd or 3rd century) found in small, black vase. Close by were three more 2nd century coins, probably from the hoard. Around 20 coins were found about the site. <1> - <5> Site not actually marked on SMR as grid reference may be inaccurate. More information required. The field beyond the Cam, skirted by the modern road from Chesterford to Ickleton, was partly explored by Neville in 1856. He found interments in groups within 20 ft. of the road hedge. There were 29 complete vessels in groups, of which 7 contained ashes, while 4 were stamped, ANDERNI, MACRI.MA, MINNA, and TITVS respectively. One group of five, with an infant skeleton, comprised a white flagon, a Samian dish of form 35 or 36, and three very small black vessels. Twenty-five more child inhumations were found near by, in no regular order, one accompanied by another small vessel. An entire human skeleton was found near the west end of the area, and near it a large urn of thick, black ware, in fragments. <4> Braybrooke trenched the field belonging to J. Parker Hamond, which lay beyond the Cam and was skirted by the modern road from Chesterford to Ickleton, in 1856. He found burials in groups within 20 feet (6.1m) of the roadside hedge. There were twenty-nine complete vessels in groups; of these, seven actually contained burials, and were accompanied by the other vessels as grave-goods. These included four samian patera, five bottles and four jars. One group of five, with an infant skeleton, comprised a white flagon, a samian dish and three very small black vessels. A further twenty-five child inhumations were found nearby, in no regular order, one accompanied by a small vessel and another by fragments of a small glass vessel. Other finds, but no building materials or masonry foundations, came from the area. Braybrooke thought that some of the stray finds may have derived from further disturbed graves. A small black vase containing eight coins dating from Hadrian to Tetricus was recovered; outside the pot were found three further coins ranging in date from Hadrian to Gallienus. The rest of the coins (about twenty) found in the field largely dated to the late 3rd to 4th centuries. Bone pins, iron styli, keys, spoons and a brooch were also found. An entire adult skeleton was found near the west end of the area, and near it, but not necessarily associated with it, was a large urn of thick black ware in fragments. The exact location of this is not certain, it must be within the area that now forms part of 'Plextek'. <6> Note: This record was formerly duplicated by EHER 13932 (now a revoked record) and source <6> cites both EHER records in its gazetteer. All information is included in this record. The precise location of the excavation and cemetery is not known, but the mapped location of this record is presumed to be correct as it broadly matches the description of the location given by sources <3> and <4>. The linked event record had formerly been mapped to TL 5040 4250, which is also the location the NRHE record attributes to the excavation, and another possible (though less likely) location for the findings. The cemetery is considered to be a part of the 'South-western cemetery', recorded in EHER 4948. NRHE data transfer: no new information.