Volunteer archaeologists sought for medieval dig

2 hours ago

Samantha JaggerNorth East and Cumbria

News image — Oxford Cotswold Archaeology says Kirkby Thore has previously yielded "rare and significant" early medieval features

Oxford Cotswold Archaeology An archaeology site which has brown-reddish coloured earth. There are little blue flags and small parts which have been dug up. Two people wearing orange fluorescent overalls work on the site. — Oxford Cotswold Archaeology says Kirkby Thore has previously yielded "rare and significant" early medieval features

People wanting to try their hand at archaeology are being asked to volunteer for a dig on a medieval site.

Oxford Cotswold Archaeology (OCA) said it wanted people to get involved at Kirkby Thore on 16 May as part of excavations next to the A66, which is being upgraded as part of the Northern Trans-Pennine Project.

Chloe Chapman, from OCA, said: "It is about giving people direct access to archaeology while it is still happening, not after the fact, and showing just how much is being uncovered beneath their feet."

Discoveries near the site previously uncovered "important evidence of early medieval life" such as a timber hall and a dwelling, the group said.

OCA said it had worked with National Highways to conduct full-scale excavations along a 21‑mile (33km) stretch of the route since January 2025.

The group said previous digs near Kirkby Thore had included a large timber hall and a dwelling called a 'sunken-feature building'".

Finds also included two spindle whorls made from Roman pottery and local stone, it added, and an iron knife blade which suggested a "settled, organised community engaged in farming and craftwork".

The OCA said Cumbria had a "different cultural heritage from much of the rest of England" due to its early medieval history being shaped by "influences from around the Irish Sea and later by Scandinavian settlers rather than being purely Anglo-Saxon".

The name of Kirkby Thore, for example, was "especially significant, as 'Kirkby' comes from Old Norse meaning 'village with a church'", it said.

"The site stands out because it may represent a larger community or even an estate centre, offering valuable insight into a poorly understood period in the region's history," the OCA added.

Chapman said the dig would give people "the chance to get hands on with archaeology in their local area, try out new skills, and build confidence in a real working environment on a national scale project".

It would be free for volunteers to sign up, with further opportunities to speak with archaeologists onsite.

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