A fascinating Roman settlement discovered in Huntingdonshire has been given a protection status after it was discovered on land for a proposed solar farm.
The settlement, in Great Staughton, is well preserved and extends across 31 hectares. There are ditches, pits and post holes, and gravel surfaces that represent roads, with at least three leading up to a central plaza.
A Roman villa was also discovered as well as pottery, animal bones, glass, copper alloy objects, iron objects, coins and shells during an archaeological investigation this year.
It was first indicated in 2009 that there could be an ancient settlement in Great Staughton, but it was not fully identified until 2019. It is one of 140 Roman small towns discovered in England.
Now, the remains have been given the status of a Scheduled Monument.
Cambridgeshire County Councillor, Lorna Dupre, said: "This is an exciting and remarkable discovery which reshapes our understanding of Roman Cambridgeshire.
"Whilst this area had previously been recognised as a place of historical interest locally, we were surprised by the scale and complexity of this well-established town."
A geophysical survey was later conducted, as the settlement sits on land that is proposed to be used in the East Park Energy solar and storage development.
East Park Energy will be, if approved, a mass solar farm project that extends from Pertenhall to Eaton Socon that is divided up into four sites. Site C proposes to use land in Great Staughton.
The firm behind East Park Energy, Brockwell Storage and Solar, have recognised the historic importance of this Roman settlement, and have amended its plans to reflect this.
They applied for heritage protection of the site and it has been granted by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England. This means that the solar farm can not be built on this important part of Cambridgeshire history.
Ben Obese-Jecty, MP for Huntingdon, said: "It will be interesting to see what impact this has on the overall plans (for East Park Energy) and whether Site D, further east towards Hail Weston, has similar archaeological findings."
Both Cambridgeshire County Council and Historic England are advising East Park Energy on the management of the scheduled monument.
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