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Ancient Lake District Settlement Unearthed by Volunteers
24 Sep
Summary
- Volunteers discovered a rare Iron Age settlement over 2,000 years old.
- Hut circles reveal daily life, farming, and animal enclosures.
- The settlement was occupied from the late Iron Age to the Roman period.
An exceptional Iron Age settlement, estimated to be around 2,000 years old, has been uncovered in the Lake District by a dedicated group of 25 volunteers. Located in the Deepdale Valley, the Deepdale Bridge Settlement provided a rare glimpse into ancient life. Excavations revealed numerous hut circles, which are the remnants of roundhouses, surrounded by rubble banks.
Radiocarbon dating of charcoal found in the soil indicated that the huts were occupied between 76 and 216 AD. The enclosure bank was constructed even earlier, between 40 BC and 118 AD. Archaeologists noted the settlement's continuous occupation from the late Iron Age into the Roman period, with evidence of alterations to the main roundhouse over time.
Martin Railton, an archaeological consultant, highlighted the limited existing historical knowledge of the people who farmed in this area, underscoring the importance of this excavation. The site offered insights into how ancient communities lived, cooked, and housed livestock together within these enclosures. One discovered trench even contained the remains of a timber doorway leading into a roundhouse with internal dividers and a cobbled yard.
