Iron Age to Roman cemetery and occupation remains at Ickleton Road, part of SW cemetery, Great Chesterford (EHER 13895)

A watching brief in 1989 recorded Iron Age to Roman cremation burials and five possible inhumation burials in the west of the site. In the east of the site, limited evidence for Iron Age to Roman occupation was also recorded.

1989. Watching brief and salvage excavation. Roman and Iron Age remains recorded during salvage recording and excavation during the digging of drainage trenches. The features were concentrated in two distinct areas: to the west of the site was a cremation and inhumation cemetery and to the east occupation evidence. The cemetery was predominantly a cremation cemetery, but some evidence for inhumations was recorded. A total of 16 pottery vessels, some containing cremated human bone, were recovered. The pots were imports and local products and of first century date. One pot contained copper alloy fragments and unburnt animal bone. One cremation pit contained a burnt human skull and it is thought that the burning took place in the pit. Finds of human bone and a skull recovered in situ may indicate the presence of inhumations as well as cremations. The evidence for the five or so inhumation burials might relate to late Roman or post-Roman reuse of an earlier (Iron Age) burial ground. The occupation evidence comprised two pits, a post hole and a substantial trench. One of the pits was steep-sided with tip lines clearly apparent within it, including two distinct layers of mussel shells. <1>