Medieval dig opens up to visitors for day

An archaeological dig "offering valuable insight" into medieval history is opening up to visitors in what organisers call a "rare opportunity".

Oxford Cotswold Archaeology (OCA) opened invitations to Kirkby Thore on 16 May, where excavations are taking place 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 finds also included two spindle whorls made from Roman pottery and local stone 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."

Correection: This article has been updated. An earlier version on the same date incorrectly stated that "volunteers" were being sought for the dig.

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