Open Cambridge - the University Offices - University of Cambridge

Pay a visit to the online edition of the Newsletter:
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/newsletter/
Found! First evidence of pre-Norman Cambridge
A hoard of historic finds, including
Roman pottery, medieval remains and
the bones of an 11th-century dog, have
been found at the heart of the University
during an excavation marking its 800th
anniversary.
This late-Saxon dog
was uncovered during
an archaeological dig
at the Old Schools
The dig, which took place eight
feet underneath the staff tea room in
the Old Schools, uncovered material
that is believed to pre-date the Norman
Conquest. It is the first hard evidence
that more than 150 years before the
University’s arrival in 1209, the area
that now forms its administrative centre
was occupied by a bustling Anglo-Saxon
community.
Archaeologists unearthed a number
of animal bones, boundary markings and
signs of quarrying, which suggest that,
in the final decades of the Saxon era, the
foundations of what was to become the
heart of the University were being laid.
Higher up, at what is being referred
to as the ‘1209 level’, the dig uncovered
other materials that have helped to
provide a snapshot of life at the time
of the University’s foundation.
Further up still, the excavators hit
the original medieval frontage of the
Old Schools.
“The site has enabled us to
prove what we previously had no
proof for – that by the time of the
Norman Conquest, there was a thriving
settlement in the middle of Cambridge,”
Richard Newman, site director with
the Cambridge Archaeological
Unit, said.
“Until now this was one of the
least-investigated parts of the city.
What it has shown is that a century
and a half before the University arrived,
and 300 years before it started to build
in this area, people were already living
and working here.”
The dig was taking place ahead of
the installation of a new lift shaft to the
Combination Room.
Going strong at ten
Two Cambridge institutions hit
double figures over the summer.
Cambridge Dictionaries Online (CDO)
has grown to become the most popular
learner dictionary on the web, with
29 million page views a month. CDO
also compiles a monthly list of its most
frequently viewed words.
While common gremlins such as ‘liaise’
and ‘discreet’ are tapped in to its search
engine with unsurprising regularity, the
‘Top 40’, as it is affectionately referred to
by staff, is also an interesting barometer
of the online community’s hopes, fears
and interests. Back in April of this year,
the word ‘swine’ entered the list as the
fifth most searched-for word. ‘Pandemic’,
sitting in 14th place in late-July, may be
a lot higher by the time this publication
comes to be printed. Those who wish to
brush up on their English can access the
site at http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
Meanwhile, the tenth issue of
Research Horizons, the University’s
flagship research magazine, has just
rolled off the presses. The magazine
provides a snapshot of research,
discoveries and innovation across all
disciplines at Cambridge: from science
and technology, to arts, humanities and
social sciences.
Says editor Dr Louise Walsh:
“Accessibility is our aim. Cambridge is
renowned worldwide for the breadth and
excellence of its research, and we aim
to reflect this in a way that provides an
informative and engaging read for our
wide audience.”
The magazine’s readership includes
academics, funding bodies, policymakers,
industry, students and media.
“It is also a valuable way for colleagues
across the University to keep up-to-date
with developments in disciplines other
than their own,” adds Louise.
The termly magazine and website is
published by an editorial team within the
University’s Research Services Division. It
works closely with the Office of External
Affairs and Communications, the Chairs
of each of the University’s six academic
Schools and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for
Research.
For details, please contact the editor at
research.horizons@rsd.cam.ac.uk or visit
www.research-horizons.cam.ac.uk
september/october 2009 | UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE Newsletter | 5