Highways Agency

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Existing Conditions
• 3. Scheme Proposals
• 4. Engineering Assessment
• 5. Environmental Assessment - 1
• 5. Environmental Assessment - 2
• 5. Environmental Assessment - 3
• 5. Environmental Assessment -4
• 5. Environmental Assessment - 5
• 5. Environmental Assessment - 6
• 5. Environmental Assessment -7
• 5. Environmental Assessment -8
• 5. Environmental Assessment -9
• 5. Environmental Assessment -10
• 5. Environmental Assessment -11
• 5. Environmental Assessment -12
• 5. Environmental Assessment -13
• 5. Environmental Assessment -14
• 5. Environmental Assessment -15
• 5. Environmental Assessment -16
• 5. Environmental Assessment -17
• 5. Environmental Assessment -18
• 5. Environmental Assessment -19
• 6. Traffic and Economic Assessment

5. Environmental Assessment -13

5. Environmental Assessment (continued)

5.13 Cultural Heritage

5.13.1 Introduction

This document is an assessment of the likely impacts on the Cultural Heritageresource posed by the proposed construction of the A14 bypass from Ellington toFen Ditton in Cambridgeshire. It includes the results of a desk based assessmentand aerial photographic survey of the road corridor. The assessment is a Stage 2Assessment in accordance with the DMRB Volume II Section 3 part 2 for CulturalHeritage.

There are still a number of options for the proposed improvements. The proposedroad options pass through land primarily consisting of open arable to the south ofBrampton and Godmanchester. It then rejoins the current A14 at either HemingfordGrey (purple option) or further east at Conington (blue and orange option). Roadimprovements will continue along the existing A14 footprint to Fen Ditton.

This document assesses the impacts of the proposed A14 in three sections as setout in the Environmental Scoping Report, March 2004. Section 1 is located fromEllington to Godmanchester at the A1198 road. This section itself is broken downfurther into 3 sub sections A, B and C. Section 2 is from Godmanchester at theA1198 to Bar Hill. Again this section is sub-divided into section 2A and B. And thelast section, Section 3 runs from Bar Hill to Fen Ditton.

Known and potential Cultural Heritage resources that may be affected by theproposed bypass might, in principal, include both archaeology and built heritage.These resources could therefore include archaeological sites, Listed Buildings,Scheduled Ancient Monuments, Conservation Areas, Parks and Gardens ofSpecial Historic Interest.

The objective of this desk-based assessment and aerial photographic survey, hasbeen to identify the known and potential Cultural Heritage resources that may beaffected by the proposed improvements.

The aims of the assessment are to:

• Identify the known Cultural Heritage constraints relating to the proposed development along the entire length of the route;
• Determine the potential for disturbing previously unknown remains in areas of archaeological sensitivity;
• Assess the impact of the proposed development on existing and potential Cultural Heritage resources and to make recommendations for any further investigation which may be required (e.g. geophysics, field walking, trial trenching etc.) to further clarify the archaeological potential and lead to the development of a mitigation strategy for the scheme.

5.13.2 Method of Assessment

This document has been produced in accordance with the IFA Standards andGuidance for Desk-Based Assessments and in accordance with Stage 2 of theDesign Manual for Roads and Bridges, Volume 11, Section 3, Part 2, CulturalHeritage (1993).

Information was obtained for a study area of 500 metres either side of the proposednew road centrelines for the three proposed route options. An area of 500 metresto the south of the existing A14 and 50 metres to the north where roadimprovements are proposed were assessed. The following information, sourcesand opinions have been consulted:

• Cambridgeshire County Council Sites and Monuments Record (SMR)
• Cambridge and Huntingdon Archive/Public Record Offices for published/unpublished literature and cartographic sources
• Planning Office/Conservation Office of Cambridge City Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council for details of Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• National Monuments Record
• Andy Thomas (Planning Archaeologist) and Sarah Poppy (SMR Officer) at Cambridgeshire County Council
• Katharine Fletcher (Regional Planner), Jenny Carlisle (Historic Areas Advisor) and Philip Walker (Ancient Monuments Inspector) all of English Heritage

In November 2003 an aerial photographic survey was undertaken and in September 2003 the study area was viewed from the road.

A gazetteer of known archaeological and built heritage resources in the study areahas been compiled. All sites have been given a specific number for the purposes ofthis report (ATK No).

5.13.3 Archaeological and Historical Background

INTRODUCTION

This section provides an overview of the archaeological background of the studyarea, in order to establish the nature of the Cultural Heritage resource that may beaffected by the proposed road scheme.

GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY

The south of Cambridgeshire which incorporates the study area is relatively anupland area made up of Oxford Clay around Huntingdon and Ellington in the westand lower and Gault chalk at the east of the study area.

Both areas of clay and chalk are affected by river drainage basins and these areprobably the most striking land form. In the study area the dominant river basinsare the River Cam and the Great Ouse. The Great Ouse has a very broad valleywith wide-ranging alluvium and gravel terraces around Huntingdon and extendsbetween the A1 and Godmanchester. The Cam and its tributaries to the southhave similar gravel terraces extending around Cambridge. The area in betweenthese river basins is an area known as the southern plateau. This is a low broadarea with flat undulations and to the north of the plateau and the very north of thestudy area is the fen edge.

In the A14 corridor, the topography is made of gently sloping arable farm land andwhere the proposed route goes off line, the topography is quite hilly either side ofthe two river basins of the Great Ouse and the Cam. Parts of the study area havepreviously been excavated for gravel, brick, clay and coprolite.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Palaeolithic and Mesolithic 500,000 - 4,000BC

The Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods cover some quarter of a million years ofhuman history. The Palaeolithic covers the period from the first appearance of toolusinghumans to the retreat of the glacial ice in the northern hemisphere atc.8500BC.

Over 115 sites associated with the Palaeolithic period have been recovered inCambridgeshire but no known in situ sites have been discovered in the county ofPalaeolithic age. Finds are usually associated with the river terraces of the Camand the Ouse. Finds within the study area include flint implements, blades andmammoth bones found at Hemingford Grey (ATK 59, 62), Buckden (ATK 26 andFenstanton (ATK 70, 74)

During the Mesolithic period, Cambridgeshire underwent great environmentalchanges, including the rising of the water table. A large number of sites that wereon the Fen Basin in the early Mesolithic period will have been deeply buried by therising water and growth of the Fen. Finds consisting of flints have been locatedwithin the study area at Buckden (ATK 24, 34) and Slate Hall Farm (ATK 111)

Neolithic 4,000 - 2,300BC

The introduction of farming and its associated technological changes occurredc4,000 BC and quickly spread up the more favoured river valleys and coastalstrips. This led to major alterations in the landscape as woodlands were cleared.Some farming may have been restricted to temporary slash-and-burn settlementsbut the existence of major burial monuments in some areas suggest permanentsettlements were established. Few house sites survive but major ritual monumentssuch as chambered cairns, henges and stone circles show the extent of settlement.

Within the study area finds have been recovered at Brampton (ATK 22),Fenstanton (ATK 67, 72) and Fen Ditton (ATK 180). In addition evidence of activitysuch as pits and ditches has been excavated near Godmanchester (ATK 48).Ritual activity has been identified just outside of the study area at Brampton,Buckden and Godmanchester.

Bronze Age 2,300 - 700BC

In the Bronze Age, metal first began to be widely used in Britain, possibly as aresult of the increase in contact with Europe. However, various types of stone,particularly flint, remained very important long after metal became available. TheBronze Age saw the introduction of cremation of the dead and burials in roundbarrows. Bronze Age society appears to have been divided into chiefdoms basedaround a largely agricultural economy.

Settlement sites, indicated by flint scatters seem to be concentrated in the southeast of the county particularly on the chalk hills with comparatively few sites to thewest on the clay soils. Barrow and ring ditch sites again are concentrated on thechalk soils to the south east and on higher ground. There is sparse evidence forBronze Age activity in the region around Huntingdon to Cambridge, including thestudy area although finds have been recovered.

Iron Age 700 - 43BC

The Iron Age is usually taken as spanning the period from the late eighth centuryBC until the first century AD. The period is characterized, above all, by its plentifuland diverse settlement evidence, ranging from individual farmsteads occupied by asingle household, to hillforts holding larger communities. Iron Age landscapes alsoincluded field systems, trackways and linear boundaries.

In Cambridgeshire farmsteads and loose villages are concentrated in the rivervalleys and fen islands. Clusters of houses are known at Fen Ditton. By the Mid toLate Iron Age small enclosed farmsteads began to spring up in areas which werepreviously unsettled such as a farmstead at Longstanton within the study area andothers at Brampton, and Buckden. Also the hillforts characteristic of the Iron Agebecome evident by c. 300BC and include Arbury Camp. Examples of cremationburials as well as inhumations can be found within the study area (ATK1, 130).

The Roman Period AD 43 - 410

The Roman expansion into England began from AD 43-60 and a garrison firstestablished in the area at Godmanchester, where the army was stationed.Forts were set up at Godmanchester and Cambridge. Surrounding these forts,native settlements sprang up and towards the second century AD and as themilitary forts were demolished or abandoned, the civilian settlement dominatedWhich included elements such as houses, granaries, bath houses and stone walldefenses.

The first roads were for military purposes, but by the end of the 1st Century ADroads were used for commerce. The major road in the study area is based upon isthe road connecting the Roman towns of Cambridge and Godmanchester, laterknown as the Via Devana, now the approximate route of the A14. Also in the areais a section of Ermine Street (ATK 194) now the A1198 leading to Godmanchesterfrom the south and a further possible road running from Sandy to Godmanchester(ATK 189).

Clusters of rural settlement sites along river gravel terraces such as aroundCambridge can be found. The Roman road network also provided a pattern forsettlement. Clusters of villages can be found along roads such as Ermine Streetand particularly in the west section of the Via Devana near to Godmanchester.

Cambridgeshire is therefore an area intensively settled and utilised in the Romanperiod. Within the study area there are many finds and sites relating to this periodranging from individual findspots, to Roman military camps and villa sites at ArburyRoad in Cambridge.

The Early Medieval Period AD 410-1066

The most significant evidence for early medieval activity in the study area is thechapel and cemetery remains at Girton College. There is little other evidence ofsettlement or activity.

Early medieval settlement sites often continued from the Roman locations ofsettlement and sites are often found when investigated previous Roman remains.Small farming settlements were the most common of occupation sites. The town ofGodmanchester was re-occupied after the Roman period and Cambridge isbelieved to remain settled, owing to the cemetery site at Girton.

The Danish invasion and their subsequent way of life influenced the type ofsettlement, encouraging the concentration of farmhouses together to farm an areaof collective land. This was the foundation of the many villages in the region, withsmall roads connecting each settlement.

Landownership detailed in the Domesday book shows a pattern of land of EastHuntingdonshire belonging to the Abbey of Ramsey, such as Girton and Ellingtonin the study area. The other parishes were held either as Royal estates, such asLolworth and Madingley or more rare parishes with no prominent landowner.

The Medieval Period AD 1066-1547

The medieval period was relatively peaceful in the region. However castles werebuilt at Godmanchester and Cambridge. The parishes that are known today weremostly in place by 1086 at the time of writing the Domesday book and were knownas 'vills'.

Features dating to the medieval period include moated sites, which are houses thatemulate the castle architecture (ATK 55, 76), ridge and furrow earthworks whichare remnants of the agricultural field system, village churches such as at Ellingtonand Lolworth, and remains associated with shrunken or deserted medieval villages,where the population was drastically reduced in the 14th century due to the plaguewhich led to the abandonment of villages or a reduced area of settlement/workedland such as Houghton (ATK 3).

The Post-Medieval Period AD 1547 - 1901

Rapid expansion took place in most of the settlement centres in Cambridgeshire incommon with the rest of the country.

Both Huntingdon and Cambridge lay on national roads to London. The rivers alsoprovided ways of transportation of goods and people. With these roads and riversinns and hostelries were constructed to house the travellers.

The landscape has changed very little from this period to the present. The villageshave expanded but many have kept their historic cores, such as Brampton,Ellington (ATK 254), Fenstanton (ATK 255) and Fen Drayton and this element isreflected with the designations of Conservation Area status in these villages.In 1848 the great northern railway began to improve the rail network putting in aline from Huntingdon and Cambridge to York, with a freight line already existing toLondon.

The Modern Period 1901 - present

The predominance of agricultural use of the landscape continues to the present;however there has been a general increase in the development around the villagesalong the A14 and within Huntingdon and Cambridge.

In 1964 planning permission was granted to build this new village for the increasingpopulation at Bar Hill. Additional housing was provided in the boom years of 1970.Milton was another of the overflow villages to be built.

During World War II a defensive line was set up running from Bristol to the RiverWelland in Cambridgeshire. Remnants of this defensive line can be seen from thepillboxes in and around Cambridge.

The road network was improved in the later 20th century with the addition of theM11 and the improvements along the line of the A14.

5.13.4 Historic Environment within the Study Area

SCHEDULED ANCIENT MONUMENTS

There are no Scheduled Ancient Monuments within the study area.

PARKS AND GARDENS OF SPECIAL HISTORIC INTEREST

There are no Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest within the study areaof 500 metres either side of the carriageway although the landscape assessmenthas identified Madingley Park located 700 metres from the carriageway.

CONSERVATION AREAS

There are four Conservation Areas within the study area. These are centred aroundthe village of Ellington (AK 254), the village of Fenstanton (ATK 255), the village ofFen Ditton extending north across the A14 along the River Cam (ATK 256) and asection of a canal near Horningsea called Baits Bite Lock (ATK 257).

LISTED BUILDINGS

There are 60 Listed Buildings within the study area. There is one Grade I ListedBuilding, the Parish Church of All Saints in the village of Ellington (ATK 197).

There are five Grade II* Listed Buildings. They are Manor House owned byCapability Brown in the village of Fenstanton (ATK 212), Grove House just outsideof the village of Fenstanton (ATK 223), the Parish Church of All Saints in the villageof Lolworth dating to the 12th - 13th centuries (ATK 245), Girton College in Girton(ATK 251) and Biggin Abbey in Fen Ditton dating to the 14th Century (ATK 253).

There are a further fifty four Grade II Listed Building within the study area. Themajority of these are in the villages of Ellington (ATK 195 - 207), Fenstanton (ATK223 - 238) and Girton (ATK 246 - 249).

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES, AS LISTED IN THE SITES AND MONUMENTS RECORD

The gazetteer in Volume 2, Appendix 12-A lists all the sites from the SMR withinthe study area, and the principle sites are described below.

Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Sites

Flint implements have been found within the study area and include areas inHemingford Grey (ATK 62 & 59), Buckden (ATK 26) and Fenstanton (ATK 70 & 74).At the site in Buckden Palaeolithic animal remains were found in the gravel pitsincluding mammoth bones. There have been very few excavated Mesolithic sites inthe County. One of these is located within the study area, Slate Hall Farm (ATK111). Other finds relating to this period include flints, awls and blades found inBuckden at the gravel pits (ATK 24).

Neolithic Sites

Stray finds are most often found in areas near the fen edge and along watercourses. Finds within the study area include axes and scrapers found atFenstanton (ATK 68 & 72), Fen Ditton (ATK 180), and Brampton (ATK 22).

Bronze Age Sites

A few findspots have been located within the study area such as a beaker (A164) inMilton, an arrowhead (ATK 21) in Impington and a quantity of worked flint inHorningsea (ATK 188). Also a small occupation site in Godmanchester is likely todate to the Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age period (ATK 48). Finds includedworked flint, pottery, animal bone and charcoal. (ATK 48) A site has beenexcavated in Milton and consisted of a series of Bronze Age pits and ditches (ATK169).

Iron Age Sites

Two sites where cremation burials have been uncovered have been located withinthe study area. These are in Alconbury (ATK 1) and Milton (ATK 162) and datefrom the Iron Age to the Roman Period.

Settlement sites such as a farmstead at Longstanton (ATK 106) and a complex ofIron Age features in Milton (ATK 162) are present in the study area.

Roman Sites

The principle sites from this period in the study area are in the eastern section ofthe proposed road improvements to the north of Cambridge. These include theremains of a Roman military camp (ATK 158, 159) and a further four possiblesettlement sites along the course of the A14 (ATK 162, 175, 178, 186) Finds fromthe Roman period have been recovered along the entire length of the proposedbypass. The proposed bypass also crosses the A1198 which a former Roman road,Ermine Street (ATK 194) and another possible Roman road running from Sandy toGodmanchester (ATK 189)

Early Medieval Sites

There is little evidence for early medieval activity within the study area. There are afew finds which have been recovered within the study area such as a beaker,pottery sherds, cremation urns (ATK 27, 115, 131, 181). Also there is a chapel andcemetery site located at the present Girton College (ATK 128).

Medieval Sites

A moated sites is located within the study area at Fenstanton where a possiblerampart and double moated enclosure is present (ATK 76) and a further possibleexample at Hemingford Abbots at Moats Way Farm (ATK 55).

They are the All Saints in Ellington (ATK 197) and All Saints church in Lolworth(ATK 245). Another building relating to this period is Biggin Abbey in the parish ofFen Ditton. Built in the 14th century it was the residence of the Bishops of Ely andhad a moat (ATK 253).

Deserted medieval villages have been noted within the study area. These includeLolworth (ATK 101) with associated ridge and furrow and possible village green,and Houghton near Brampton (ATK 3).

The medieval field system as represented by ridge and furrow earthwork remainsare the most numerous remains within the study area. Thirty features described onthe Sites and Monuments Record refer to ridge and furrow earthworks in the studyarea. (ATK 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 36, 39, 40, 41, 56, 57, 79, 80, 87, 88, 90, 98, 99, 100,112, 117, 122, 125, 126, 135, 146, 148, 160, 186, 190).

Post-medieval Sites

Few sites are noted in the Sites and Monuments Record of known post-medievaldate. The first is a possible site of gallows from documentary evidence located atBrampton (ATK 23). Another is the remains of a dovecote just south of the villageof Fenstanton (ATK 84) Finally there are the remains of a moat, associated with thehouse called 'The Grange', believed to date to the 18th or 19th century (ATK 104).

Modern Sites

The modern sites listed are (ATK 8, 93, 120) and are pillboxes all associated withWorld War II. One other site is from the modern period and this is a post holethought to date to the 1920s (ATK 133).

Undated Entries on the SMR

There are many undated entries on the SMR. These are predominantly cropmarkfeatures that have not been further evaluated and therefore are currently notdateable.

CARTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE

1st and 2nd edition OS maps and tithe, estate and other maps dating from 1774and 1912 were analysed. These maps were analysed to gain an understanding ofthe continuity of land use from the earliest to the latest date, to identify whetherparts of the proposed development area had been previously developed, and toconfirm the presence of archaeological remains additional to those listed on theSMR. A list of maps studied is contained within the Bibliography. The OS mapsstudied included:

• Huntingdonshire 1st Edition 1882 - 1887 Sheets XVII SE, XXI SE, XXII NE, XXII NW, XXII SE, XXIII SW, XXII NE;
• Huntingdonshire 2nd Edition 1899 - 1901 Sheets XVI - XVIII
• Cambridgeshire 1st Edition 1876 - 1887 Sheets XXI - XLI
• Cambridgeshire 2nd Edition 1896 - 1901 Sheets XXI - XLI

There were been no additional sites identified from plans or maps which were notalready noted on the Sites and Monuments Record.

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS

In summary the assessment examined a corridor of at least 200 metres each sideof the proposed routes of some 30 km of A14 bypass and improvements betweenEllington and Fen Ditton. The survey picked up the following features roughly fromWest to east:

• The clay from Ellington to the River Ouse retains some medieval field patterns. It should be noted that the clay soil did not produce as many features as the eastern section of the study area, but this does not point to the absence of features
• Between the River Ouse and Hemingford Grey are medieval fields and one small ditched enclosure next to Ermine Street
• Gravel deposits south of Hemingford Grey and around Fenstanton are rich in archaeological features, such as ditched enclosures, and pit defined field systems plus other unidentified fragments, and so more must be expected where they continue into currently blank fields
• Ridge and furrow cultivation is scattered over the clay between Fenstanton and Cambridge with one multi-phase ditched site north of Bar Hill
• North of Cambridge, ditched enclosures and other features occur on gravel or drift deposits with medieval fields on the clay deposits

PREVIOUS ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELDWORK

Extensive previous archaeological fieldwork has been undertaken within the studyarea. This has been particularly concentrated in the eastern section of theproposals at the north of Cambridgeshire due to the high level of past activity in thearea, particularly of the Roman period. The sites to which fieldwork relates alreadyappear on the SMR and are included in the baseline information above. Details ofexisting fieldwork assessments of particular note in identifying sites within the studyarea are included in the EAR.

5.13.5 Potential Impacts on the Historic Environment

TYPES OF IMPACT

An archaeological resource can be affected by development in a number of ways:by the removal of material during works, the destruction to sensitive depositscaused by the presence of heavy plant, and the alteration of stable groundconditions which may lead to degradation of the quality and survival of buriedarchaeological remains.

Equally, the built heritage can be affected by development through possibledemolition or loss of part of a structure or its grounds; increased visual intrusion,noise or vibration; changes in the original landscape; severance from linkedfeatures such as gardens, outbuildings etc or through the loss of amenity value.

POTENTIAL IMPACTS

Ellington to Godmanchester (A1198)

Section 1A (Ellington to the A1 Brampton Interchange)

Blue/ Orange/ Purple (Common Route)

Summary of Impacts on Designated Sites - The Conservation Area designation atEllington (ATK 254) is approximately 500 meters from the start of the commonroute scheme footprint and has views across the land to Brampton. There is aListed Milestone (ATK 208) along the existing A14 at the point where the roadscheme deviates from the existing road line.

Blue A1 Alternative Routes

Summary of Impacts on Designated Sites - There are no designated sitesimpacted upon.

Summary of the Archaeological Resource in Section 1A

In summary the type of archaeological resource identified in the section is one ofcropmarks indicated ditches and enclosures, some possibly associated with adeserted medieval settlement. There are also areas of medieval ridge and furrowearthworks noted on the sites and monuments record. There is a potential forfinding further medieval finds or features.

Section 1 B (Brampton Interchange to Offord Hill Farm/Corpus Christi Farm, wherethe alternative purple/blue alignment begins)

Blue/ Purple Options (Common Section)

Impacts on Designated Sites - there is one Listed Milestone (ATK 210) less than200 metres from one of the slip/access roads associated with the Blue/Purpleroute. It is not physically impacted upon.

Summary of the Archaeological Resource in Section 1B

The proposed routes pass near to four findspots of prehistoric date (ATK 24, 26,33, 34). This indicates that the area may have further potential for prehistoricremains/finds where the road is proposed that are as yet unknown. In additionthere are finds associated with the Roman period within this section (ATK 30, 31,32) Generally in this section more extensive sites of possible settlement arerevealed by cropmarks.

Section 1C (Offord Hill Farm/Corpus Christi Farm, where the alternative purple/bluealignment begins to the A1198 at Godmanchester)

Blue/ Purple Options

Impacts on Designated Sites - there are no designated sites impacted upon.

Blue/Purple Alternative

Impacts on Designated Sites - there are no designated sites impacted upon

The route does not impact upon any known sites.

Orange Option

Impacts on Designated Sites - there are no designated sites impacted upon

The route does not impact upon any known sites.

Summary of the Archaeological Resource in Section 1C

The route passes near to 6 areas of findspots, all of Roman date (ATK 42 - 47).This indicates a level of Roman activity in the area and so there may be furtherfinds/remains where the road is proposed that are as yet unknown.

The A1198 runs along the course of the former Ermine Street (ATK 194) usedduring the Roman period and an additional possible Roman road may run fromSandy top Godmanchester (ATK 189). Therefore finds and remains from thisperiod in this vicinity are very probable. Near to the road footprint where theBlue/Purple route meets the A1198 are five possible dates of Roman date. All ofthese have been recorded as possible mounds (ATK 49, 50, 51, 52, 53) close tothe roadside and so this infers that there could be further remains in the same area.The Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age site indicates the possibility of further sites ofthis period to be present.

Godmanchester (A1198) to Bar Hill

Sub-Section 2A (Godmanchester, A1198 to Conington/Common Route)

Blue Option

Impacts on Designated Sites - there are no designated sites impacted upon.

Orange Option

Impacts on Designated Sites - there are no designated sites impacted upon.

Purple Option

Impacts on Designated Sites

There are 31 Listed Buildings within 500 metres of the scheme footprint at Section2a, purple route, of the proposals. The majority of these are within the village ofFenstanton, which is itself a Conservation Area (ATK 255). The setting of theConservation Area may be affected by the proposals for example visually or fromnoise.

There following buildings in the village are more than 250 metres from the roadimprovements and within a built up area and so will not suffer visual or noiseintrusion, (ATK 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241) Those buildings that are at thewestern edge of the village are closer to the A14 along which the purple routeproposals pass (ATK 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228. There area a group of 7buildings which are located 300 metres to the west of the village of Fenstanton,north of the A14 (ATK 212 - 218). There are a further group of 4 buildings to thesouth of Fenstanton village and the A14 (ATK 219 - 222). A further farm buildinglocated along the A14 is 400 metres from the proposed 'off line' route before thepurple route joins the A14 (ATK 211).

These buildings will not be physically impacted upon. All of these buildings, thoughthere may be increased visual and noise intrusion temporarily during constructionworks, will not be any more adversely impacted upon by the proposals than theyare at present by the A14.

There is one Listed milestone (242) located on the north side of the A14. This is theonly Listed building which may be physically impacted upon. Dependent on theexact nature of the works, this milestone may have to be relocated due to theworks.

Summary of the Archaeological Resource in Section 2A

Section 2a of the proposed scheme is rich in archaeological remains and thereforepotential sites. There are many areas of cropmarks that indicate enclosures, pitalignments, field systems and paddocks. In addition there have been a number offinds in particular located within the gravel terrace which has since been quarried.These finds range in date from the Palaeolithic period up to the Roman period(ATK 67, 70 - 74, 83, 85). There are a number of Listed Buildings within the villageof Fenstanton. The purple route would have the greatest impact due to the closeproximity of the route to the village.

Sub-Section 2B (Conington/Common Route - Dry Drayton Junction)

Blue/Purple/ Orange Options (Common Section)

Impacts on Designated Sites - there is one milestone on the north side of the A14and scheme proposals (ATK 243). Dependent on the exact nature of the works thismay be physically impacted upon. There is one other Listed Building within thestudy area of this section. This is the Grange (ATK 244), though it is more than 400metres from the scheme proposals.

Summary of the Archaeological Resource in Section 2B

There are three find spots of Roman origin that indicate the presence of furtherfinds or remains associated with this period (ATK 108, 109, 114). These finds couldbe associated with the site at New Close Farm (ATK 106). Also an inhumation wasuncovered along the A14 roadway (ATK 110) and although this particular set ofremains has been excavated it is possible that further associated remains are stillpresent. The inhumation is possibly of Roman date and could indicate the presenceof a Roman cemetery. Again cropmarks indicate possible sites of settlement.However because the road is for the most part on the line of the present A14 theimpact on remains will be reduced because there will be less land take in general.There may be a physical impact on a Listed milestone located on the roadside(ATK 243).

Bar Hill to Fen Ditton

Impacts on Designated Sites

There are eight Listed Buildings within the study area along section 3 of the A14proposals. Four of these are within Girton village (ATK 246 - 249). There are twoListed Buildings at Girton College (ATK 250 &251) There is a Grade II* ListedBuilding near Horningsea called Biggin Abbey (ATK 253) and a Grade II ListedBuilding called Poplar Hall Farm (ATK 252).

There are two Conservation Areas within the study area in this section of theproposals. The first is Fen Ditton Conservation area which encompasses the villageof Fen Ditton and traverses north following the line of the River Cam which crossesthe A14 (ATK 256). The second in a similar location is Baits Bite Lock (ATK 257)250 metres north of the A14 and adjacent to the Fen Ditton Conservation Area.

Summary of the Archaeological Resource in Section 3

This section is dominated by the presence of Arbury Roman military camp (ATK146 & 147). Cropmarks of features associated with this site have been noted andthere are a further three possible sites of settlement along the route of the A14. Thepresent A14 passes through the Conservation Area of Fen Ditton which follows theRiver Cam north of the village.

5.13.6 Summary of Potential Impacts and Recommendations for Further Assessment

SUMMARY OF KNOWN AND POTENTIAL ARCHAEOLOGY WITHIN THE ROUTE CORRIDORS

The impacts of each of the proposed route options have set out previously.However, in order to provide an overall picture of the archaeological issuesinvolved in the scheme, a brief summary of issues for each section of the proposedcorridor is set out in the table below. Key archaeological sites which may presentthe most significant and substantial issues are also identified in Table 5.47 below.

At this stage, the extent and survival of each site has not been evaluated in detail,so that the exact nature of impacts and appropriate mitigation cannot be specified.However, the route which impacts upon the most archaeological sites is the Purpleoption which impacts upon 52 known sites. The Blue option impacts upon 50 sitesand the Orange impacts upon 45. However the use of the alternative route optionsat Section 1A reduces the sites impacted upon by 3 and the use of the Purple/Bluealternative option reduces the sites impacted upon by 1. Therefore the route toimpact upon the least known sites would be Orange using the Alternative Orangeoption at Section 1A. The purple route impacts upon the most known sites,however it must be noted that this option returns to the existing A14 carriagewaysooner than the Blue and Orange options and so results in less new land take.Therefore the purple route may be seen as the route which has the least potentialto disturb previously unknown remains.

The potential impacts on known sites do not differ when the various route optionsor 'sets', as described previously are assessed. This is because the routes arebroadly the same and it is only the designs of junctions which differ. Therefore thepotential impacts described previously apply for both of the sets. However, thereare minor variations for each 'set', in particular the amount of land take. The setwhich result in more new land take is more likely to disturb as yet unknownarchaeological remains. Currently the route option that results in the least new landtake is the Optimum junction option. The set which results in the most new landtake is the Limited junction option.

Therefore overall, the selection which disturbs the least number of known sites isOrange Route, including the Alternative Orange section, using the Optimumjunction strategy.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT

Based on our current understanding, 5 sites have been identified which are ofpotentially great significance. The sites are all indicative of settlement and includefeatures such as enclosures, ditches, surface finds, and linear features. These siteshave been highlighted due to their likely complex nature, importance, and/or thelarge area they cover. Based on current knowledge, these sites are expected torequire the most significant/costly mitigation measures.

An evaluation strategy should be produced once a preferred route has beenannounced and this should include, but not be limited to, fieldwalking, geophysicalsurvey and trial trenching of known sites and potential sites, along the chosenroute. Priority should be given to the evaluation of key sites as identified in boldabove, as the design of the final scheme may need to take into account areaswhere archaeology will need to be preserved in situ. The evaluations will ascertainthe nature, extent and condition of the known archaeological resource and providea better understanding of the likelihood of disturbing previously unknown remains.