Late Anglo-Saxon building remains, 68 High Street (EHER 7722)

A watching brief in 1978 recorded two Late Anglo-Saxon domestic buildings. They were built at right-angles to the street frontage, with a series of back-yard drainage ditches linked to a well or sump.

1978. Watching brief. During demolition of the building occupying the site, two late Saxon phases of domestic building were recorded. They were built at right-angles to the street frontage, with a series of back-yard drainage ditches linked to a well or sump. A ditch of variable profile was identified south of the present High Street curb and may be a Saxon roadside drain. A complex of pits sealed by the domestic structures were cut into the natural on the western side of the site. <1> <2> <3> Excavated trench was 18m long with High Street frontage of 5.5m. The complex of pits on the west side of the site could indicate industrial activity outside the burh (EHER 7766). Few finds, other than oyster shells. They included: sherds of Stamford, St Neots, local wares; also animal bones, bones of birds and fish. There was a marked lack of ribs and vertebrae, jaws and lower leg bones being more frequent. Snails and beetle remains were also found, plus seeds and preserved wood. <4> <5> See also <6> - <9>. Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import.