Castor, Normangate Field 1965-74
This large, 28 ha. area of suburban development lay to the north of the Nene, on the line of Ermine Street across the bridge from Durobrivae.
First excavated by E.T. Artis, commercial buildings appeared to line the road frontage, with extensive industrial activity mainly to the east with an internal road structure, comprising potteries, iron-working and probably glass-working. This development appears to start by the Trajanic-Hadrianic period.
Excavations in the twentieth century confirmed Artis's work, but also revealed that from the later third-century land use was changing and burials and a mausoleum were found.
Excavations - 1968-75
Excavations were undertaken by the Nene Valley Research Committee each summer from 1968 to 1975. Features revealed included potters' workshops, kilns, a barn, a circular shrine and Ermine Street itself. A summary report was included in the Durobrivae publication in 1974:
G. Dannell, 'Roman Industry in Normangate Field, Castor', Durobrivae 2, 1974, p. 7-9
End of season reports were written each year and have been compiled in a single document:
Excavations by the Nene Valley Research Committee 1968-1975
Mechanically cut section across Ermine Street - 1969
Potter’s kiln behind the Workshops A and B - 1969
Normangate Field Geophysical Survey - 2018
The first comprehensive geophysical survey of the area was carried out in early 2018. The geomagnetic survey was commissioned by the Nene Park Trust and undertaken by Durham University Archaeological Services. The results are stunning and are now available online from the Archaeological Data Service.
Hale, D. and Villis, R., (2018). Normangate Fields, Castor and Ailsworth, Peterborough: geophysical survey. Archaeological Services, Durham University