Iron age and Roman settlement

Three major archaeological excavations were carried out in a meander of the River Nene, west of Peterborough, during the early 1970s. The land within the meander showed aerial photographic evidence of extensive prehistoric occupation and during the Iron Age a multiple ditch system may have marked the place out as a minor oppidum. Part of this ditched system was excavated in 1973 (Lynch Farm 1, unpublished). The extensive cropmarks also indicated Roman occupation, including a number of buildings. Cropmarked areas of the site were scheduled for preservation, although gravel working did encroach on a late Roman cemetery (Lynch Farm 3, published in 1975). Peripheral areas within the meander were thought to lack archaeological significance, however, once gravel extraction started, remains of Roman buildings were found and work was halted while rescue excavation took place (described here as Lynch Farm 2).