The Carlisle Northern Development Route (CNDR) is a major road around the western side of Carlisle. An extensive programme of archaeological excavation was carried out along its route by Oxford Archaeology, between May 2008 and April 2011.

The excavations uncovered archaeological evidence for 8,000 years of human habitation and use of the landscape, including highly significant remains dating to the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods at Stainton West situated on the floodplain north of the River Eden. This evidence centred around palaeochannels, contained domestic features, an in-situ flaked-lithic assemblage of over 300,000 pieces, and waterlogged deposits of organic sediments showing long term use of the area.

Bronze age roundhouses, a section of Hadrians’ wall, an early medieval settlement, and evidence of the medieval and post-medieval landscape use were also uncovered.