The A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Road Scheme Post Excavation

In January 2025, Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd, alongside the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) as part of the Joint Venture ‘MOLA Headland Infrastructure’ (MHI), published the results of the archaeological excavations along the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Road Scheme, funded by National Highways. It was clear from the start that the dissemination of the results from this project could not be done justice through one or two traditional monographs. Instead, over 220 diverse reports and publications were produced, catering to a range of audiences with an emphasis on accessibility. At the heart of this was the digital resource hosted on the Archaeology Data Service (ADS), which contains the entire digital archive. Alongside this were the detailed stratigraphic and specialist reports, as well as specialist overviews providing broader syntheses of material culture and environmental remains, plus scheme-wide specialist reports on particular aspects of the assemblages.

The principal overview of the project was the Internet Archaeology monograph, A Route Well Travelled. This synthesised the results from the whole Scheme in a series of period-based chapters, with additional levels of interactivity including videos, flythroughs, and clickable maps. It also linked directly to the ADS digital archive for details of specific features or finds. An additional print monograph, Time Traveller’s Tales, took a different approach, presenting five period-based essays based on aspects of the A14 results, but placing them in wider geographical and historical contexts. Particularly interesting finds, features, and other aspects of the project were also the subject of additional specialist journal articles, covering topics such as the ‘Sarmatian’ Roman burial and the newly found Roman pottery industry.

To provide a more accessible legacy for audiences beyond academia and the archaeological profession, several additional outputs were created. These included a printed volume, Unearthing the A14: 50 objects from one of Britain’s biggest digs, which brought together a selection of artefacts and ecofacts chosen for the stories they tell about life in this part of Cambridgeshire. There were also digital resources aimed at engaging wider audiences, including digital interactive ‘storymaps’ accessible here.

One of the key factors behind the success of the A14 analysis and publication phase was the involvement of an ‘academic panel’. This group of specialists from various UK universities reviewed and commented on the project design and all major outputs, helping to ensure the work was directed towards the most current research questions. Another success was the creation of four Master’s studentships, funded through the A14 project and hosted at the University of Reading. Four students carried out research on particular aspects of the A14 project, in collaboration with MHI specialists.