Roman wells found in A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet works

A team from the Museum of London Archaeology have been working on excavations  as part of the National Highways A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements.  

The archaeologists were surprised to discover the wells which date back to AD 43-410 during their final weeks on the project. 

The archaeologists discovered the well during the final weeks of the project. (Image: Museum of London Archaeology) The wells contained other finds including wood off-cuts from a carpentry workshop and the remains of an almost 2000-year-old ladder. 

They also came across well-preserved wooden elements which revealed the secrets of their construction. 

An aerial photograph of the excavation site. (Image: Museum of London Archaeology) It is said these helped a small settlement that began as a quiet farmstead in the Middle Iron Age (around 350 BC) expand into a hive of industrial activity during the early Roman period. 

There is also evidence of Romano-British metalworking, carpentry, and woodworking all taking place here, inside a large, gated enclosure.  

Archaeologists examining a section of the well. (Image: Museum of London Archaeology) The people living and working here needed an easy-to-access water supply, so naturally they dug a well.  

The first well was constructed just outside the enclosure at 8.5m deep, which is as high as the average modern two-storey house.  

However, this first well did not go to plan.  

An archaeologist from the Museum of London Archaeology recording carpentry waste inside the well. (Image: Museum of London Archaeology) MOLA Project Manager Simon Markus said: “Despite containing the remains of a wooden ladder, this first well collapsed before they could use it.  

“As we discovered when we first started our excavations here, the clay literally peels away from the more compacted earth and stone.  

“We’ve all done a bit of DIY that hasn’t quite gone to plan, but this was a failure of Roman engineering on an industrial scale.  

“A lot of effort would have gone into digging this well which they then had to completely abandon.”    

The wooden boards of the well during excavation. (Image: Museum of London Archaeology) The settlement’s residents learned from their mistakes and built a second well.  

This was built inside the enclosure and shows the additional steps they took to prevent another collapse.  

It was lined with wooden boards to support the wells' structure and stop it caving in. It was also slightly smaller at 6.5 metres.    

A decorated piece of wood discovered from inside the well. (Image: Museum of London Archaeology) Simon added: “We can sympathise with the original well diggers because excavating these required as much careful design and effort as building them.”  

The Museum of London Archaeology team team dug out and around the well’s wooden structure, until they eventually revealed the base, and covered with stone cobbles to filter the water.  

Archaeologists excavating the base of the well (Image: Museum of London Archaeology) Also in the well were sawn-off branches, woodchips, and off-cuts of planks, dumped by the Romano-British carpenters, after the well went out of use.  

The experts say this wasn’t just locals making items for themselves or doing repairs to their houses. The amount of waste-wood suggests there was a substantial industry here.    

The contents of the well will now be carefully studied by specialists.  

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While work is ongoing to uncover exactly what the Roman carpenters were making, archaeologists have found evidence which suggests the workshop was part of a wider trade network.  

At the very south of the site, the team has identified a likely Roman road.  

This would have connected the site with major Roman routes, so they could have supplied large settlements such as Godmanchester, and nearby Roman countryside estates.    

Gareth Moores, A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Programme Manager says: "This archaeological work has been a fascinating and integral part of the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements.  

“Without this major road scheme, these invaluable discoveries about Roman engineering and daily life might have remained hidden forever.  

“The latest findings from the excavations offer a unique glimpse into the past, highlighting the incredible craftsmanship and resilience of those who lived here nearly two thousand years ago.  

“We are proud to support such important work that connects us with our history while building for the future."  

The billion pound scheme is expected to open by 2027.