Long term history and the reiteration of space: excavations at North Stowe 2014-2020

Introduction
Northstowe is a new town being developed on an old airfield site 8 miles north-west of Cambridge City Centre, close to the village of Longstanton. However, following extensive research and geophysical surveys, the Cambridge Archaeological Unit identified areas worthy of investigation, spread across 37 hectares. It has been long believed that there were ancient communities living in the area. Located close to the fens and waterways of East Anglia, this area was within easy access of European traders and immigrants.

Speaker
Oscar Aldred

Oscar Aldred is based in the Cambridge Archaeological Unit, attached to the Department of Archaeology. He is also a Member of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, a Member of the Centre for Landscape Regeneration, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA), a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (FSA Scot), a Member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeology (MCIfA), and a Member of UKRI AHRC Peer Review College.

Date & Time of Meeting
Wednesday 26th November 2025

7.45 pm

Cost:
Free to Members. Visitors £2.00

Further Information

Excavations occurred between 2014 to 2016 in advance of the Northstowe Phase 1 housing development, revealing an extensive landscape with archaeological features dating from the Middle Bronze to the 11th century CE, and into the medieval and post medieval periods. Over this three millennia period the same space has been occupied in different ways by people working the land and living in it. Then for a total of five weeks at the end of June and into July 2018, a community archaeological excavation was undertaken, with volunteers given the opportunity to work alongside professional field archaeologists from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) with their ongoing work on the Phase 2 archaeology, ahead of the new town construction of Northstowe.