Archaeological Investigation in Peterborough

The first recorded excavation of a monument in the region dates to the 8th century AD! Felix's Life of Guthlac tells us that the saint made is home on the island of Crowland in the side of a burial mound, which had already been disturbed by treasure hunters.

William Stukeley lived locally and noted Roman remains in the area. Peterborough Gentleman's Society, founded in 1730, recorded the discovery of antiquities throughout the district.

The first substantial excavations, however, were conduced by Edmund Artis, during the first half of the nineteenth century. He explored many Roman domestic and industrial sites in the Nene Valley and revealed the 'Castor Ware' (now more often known as Lower Nene Valley Ware) pottery industry.

It was not until the early twentieth century that prehistoric and post-Roman remains began to receive serious attention. George Wyman Abbott, a local solicitor, recorded many sites in the area. His discovery of the extensive prehistoric remains at Fengate led to the adoption of the term 'Peterborough Ware' (a distinctive class of later Neolithic decorated pottery) in national archaeological language.

A.N. Leeds and E.T. Leeds (who became an Anglo-Saxon scholar and keeper at the Ashmolean Museum) also lived locally, and undertook several excavations in the area.

Archaeological 'rescue' work in advance of New Town development in the 1970s and 1980s was co-ordinated by the Nene Valley Archaeological Trust. The important large scale investigations of the prehistoric fen edge at Fengate, under the direction of Francis Pryor, began at the same time. The discovery of the internationally renowned Bronze Age timber platform and post alignment at

Flag Fen led from this work.

Significant research and education excavations still take place at Flag Fen, and at various Roman sites, each year. The vast majority of archaeological work, however, is now carried out in advance of development. The archaeological work is commissioned as part of the planning process, and is undertaken by a variety of different archaeological organisations.

The Peterborough City Council area takes in a remarkably diverse landscape. Deep fen, and fen edge, give way to clay and limestone 'uplands', through which the lower reaches of two river valleys meander. The character of the landscape is reflected in the local buildings. Limestone rubble and ashlars in the west of the area, give way to brick in the east. Active quarries exploit limestone, brick clay, and sand and gravel.

Archaeological highlights of the area include: intensive prehistoric settlement, agricultural and religious activity on the fen edge and along the River Welland; the rich Roman Nene Valley, particularly the pottery industry and the environs of the Roman small town of Durobrivae; medieval villages and several notable churches; the medieval town, abbey precincts, and cathedral of Peterborough.