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Archaeological dig at Cemex West Deeping Quarry uncovers thousands of years of history




An archaeological dig of a quarry has uncovered evidence of settlement and agriculture use spanning 6,000 years.

Investigations of the Cemex West Deeping Quarry have been underway since the 1990s when aerial photography, geophysical surveys and field walking indicated the site would contain archeological features of interest.

A team of archeologists from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit began their excavation of the 55 hectares site in 2007, before gravel extraction started 10 years later.

The West Deeping dig site
The West Deeping dig site

Evidence from the Neolithic period right up to modern times has been found, including quarry pits, burials containing military metal ornaments and large stone-lined post holes from major building activity.

Elsewhere on the site, there are features from the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and the Romano-British, Early Medieval and post-Medieval periods.

As gravel extraction nears completion, a West Deeping Heritage Archaeology Day will take place on Saturday, October 19 with an exhibition and talk.

Maggie Ashcroft, founder and chairperson of the West Deeping Heritage Group, said: “For West Deeping’s 21st Century residents and visitors, it is not just a historic day, but a pre-historic day.

“It is a real privilege to be able to see some of the archaeologists’ finds before they go into storage and to hear about their discoveries before the final report is even published.

“It’s a unique opportunity to find out about the most ancient part of West Deeping’s heritage and we are delighted to host the day.”

The exhibition will run on October 19 from 1pm until 5pm in the West Deeping Village Hall with information boards and archaeologists on hand to explain what these discoveries reveal about the earliest inhabitants of the village.

The talk ‘6,000 years of life and death at West Deeping’ will be delivered by Hannah Barrett, a project officer for the Cambridge Archaeological Unit at 6.30pm for a 7pm start.

Tickets are priced at £3 each and are only available in advance by contacting Maggie Ashcroft via email at wdheritage@hotmail.co.uk or via text on 07808 585189.



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