Digging test pits is a method of sampling the archaeology of an area. Our sampling was random in that the pits were not selected for their location. We accepted all offers made to us that weekend.

The pits are just one metre square and are dug and recorded systematically until the ‘natural’ soil, undisturbed by human activity, is reached, or to a maximum depth of 1.2 metres. Taking it deeper than that would not be safe without widening the pit. The natural soil was reached within that limit in our pits.

The sampling had started in March of 2009 when FEAG identified sites for test pits to be excavated by school students taking part in the Higher Education Field Academy, run by Carenza’s team from Access Cambridge Archaeology. Our May 2009 community project increased the total number of pits excavated in Cottenham to 18.

All pits were opened by the middle of the first day and excavation completed by the early afternoon of the second day. There was a remarkable mix of diggers including in some place three generations of the same family and in others the householders had invited friends to join them for an ‘archaeological party’.

The excavation of all pits was recorded in a standard way with each 10 cm layer regarded as a separate context. The test pit records were in a format designed by Carenza for use in the Higher Education Field Academy digs.

Our plan is to continue with this sampling method over time to build up a fuller picture of where in the modern village were the centres of occupation and activity at different periods of its development.