Extensive Urban Survey - Cambridgeshire

For Introduction webpage: The Cambridgeshire Extensive Urban Survey project was an archaeological and historical assessment of 28 of the largest and most historic towns in the county of Cambridgeshire. The project was part of a nation-wide reassessment of the management of the urban archaeological resource, funded by English Heritage. The original EUS project was carried out between 1999 and 2003, and involved work by Quinton Carroll, Bob Hatton and Rebecca Casa-Hatton, all of Cambridgeshire County Council. It was refreshed and completed by Steven Morgan of Oxford Archaeology (East) in 2014. A number of sources were used to compile the reports, including the Cambridgeshire Historic Environment Record, the Database of Listed Buildings held by the County planning department, and various cartographic and documentary records. The reports represent findings of the assessment and characterisation stage of the process. In addition to the written reports, a computer-based digital mapping and database was used using GIS and forms an important element of the project outputs. The study area of each report focuses geographically on the historic core of the village or town and chronologically from the Palaeolithic through to c.1900 AD. The definition of the historic core is based on the extent of the settlement at the time of the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map (1885). For Overview webpage: The historic urban areas examined in these reports contain a wealth of information regarding past human activity in Cambridgeshire. This activity has its origins in the prehistoric era, however, for most of the county's towns it is in the Anglo-Saxon period that true urban settlement begins. Evidence for this takes several forms such as historical evidence, place-name or archaeological sites. The archaeological and architectural evidence for the county's towns increases for the medieval period. It is also at this time the towns became centres for commerce and light industry. Research into these themes carries the possibility to reconstruct trade routes and study the potential of the built environment. It was also at this time that ecclesiastical institutions begin to influence, and indeed, encourage urban growth. The presence of these institutions often lead to documentary evidence being available for these towns, thereby enhancing their historical value. It was during the post-medieval period that many of the county's urban areas became established centres of trade and studies into the details of this process may enhance our knowledge of the nature of commerce during this period. This process also lead to a growth in the size of the urban area, much of which services in good condition and many of these towns' listed buildings date to this era. The aesthetic value of the towns was enhances by the presence of these buildings and the open spaces laid out at this time. The 28 reports relating to each of the towns present the findings of the assessment and characterisation stage. A further strategy document was undertaken to present a synopsis of the findings for the 12 most significant of these towns with reference to their relevance to specific research aims and conservation principles. The towns covered by the project are: East Cambridgeshire District: Burwell Ely Fordham Isleham Littleport Reach Soham Fenland District: Chatteris March Whittlesey Wisbech Huntingdonshire District: Buckden Earith Godmanchester Huntingdon Kimbolton Ramsey Sawtry Somersham Spaldwick St Ives St Neots Stilton Yaxley South Cambridgeshire District: Caxton Cottenham Histon and Impington Linton Swavesey Wimpole Cambridge was not included as it was covered by an earlier Urban Archaeological Database project undertaken between 1997 and 1999 by Cambridge Archaeological Unit on behalf of Cambridge City Council.