Glastonbury Lake Village Faces Extinction as Drought Persists

As of November 12th, 2025, an ancient wetland site in Somerset, England is facing a grave threat due to the prolonged drought. The Glastonbury Lake Village, an Iron Age settlement that has been preserved for nearly 2,000 years, is now at risk of being lost forever.

The village, which was uncovered in 1898, is considered one of the best-preserved Iron Age settlements ever discovered in the UK. However, the dry summer has taken a toll, lowering the local water table and exposing the site's timbers to the elements. Dr. Richard Brunning, a senior historic environment officer, warns that "the site will gradually be lost over time and only the deepest elements will survive" if nothing is done.

Ecologist Philip Brewin, who has researched the village, explains that the drainage of the former marsh has led to a drop in the water table, putting the precious timbers at risk of rotting. "If it gets low enough the timbers are exposed to oxygen, then they will start to rot and they'll be lost forever," he says.

Experts predict that the situation is only going to worsen in the coming decades, with more extreme weather patterns leading to both wetter winters and drier summers. Dr. Brunning notes that "we know what's coming, but there's not a there's not an easy solution to that there's only difficult ones."