The remains of seven ancient people, a Roman well and two probable Anglo-Saxon houses are some of the incredible finds that have been discovered by archaeologists from Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS) during early, pre-construction investigations around the National Highways’ A46 Newark Bypass scheme.
The scheme, which was confirmed in the Government’s third Road Investment Strategy (RIS) in March, aims to improve congestion at key junctions along the A46 by widening sections of the carriageway, creating a flyover and building a bridge over the A1.
During a 22-week excavation last year, a team of 30 from AMS, working on behalf of National Highways, excavated five fields in Newark, covering over 23 acres (9.63 hectares), revealing fascinating finds that could date back to 6000BC.
The remains of seven ancient people were found in the Newark field
A burial site, encompassing the remains of seven individuals, was discovered in one field close to the A46. These burials provisionally date to the Iron Age, Roman or Anglo-Saxon periods. Scientific analysis is ongoing and will help determine more precise dating.
The remnants of an Anglo-Saxon house, known as a grubenhaus, were also found within the same area. A grubenhaus, German for ‘sunken-floored building’, was typical of Anglo-Saxon settlements but is a rare find in Nottinghamshire.
In a field south-west of Kelham village, various features were discovered dating from the Mesolithic to post-Medieval periods. Items included a rectangular Roman enclosure, foundations of a farmhouse and a Roman well.
Several pieces of well-preserved Roman pottery were also discovered
AMS Site Director, Seán Tiffin, said:
“Our excavations uncovered fascinating insights into life in this corner of Nottinghamshire during the prehistoric, Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods, and even up to the present day.
“The results will greatly help increase our understanding of the rich history of the area, shedding light and new insights on previously unknown settlements.”
Naziya Sheikh, National Highways project manager for the A46 Newark scheme, said:
“The experts have done an amazing job to uncover these important pieces of history that have unknowingly remained buried under Newark until now. We’re excited to finally be able to share the details with residents in the town and beyond as part of our early pre-construction work on the A46 scheme.
“We take great care to record and safeguard the country’s heritage that can be uncovered by our projects. Archaeology belongs to the communities we serve, and by working alongside a team of archaeologists, we are delighted to be able to conserve and protect these incredible finds for future generations.”
Other items uncovered during the excavation included 163 pieces of ceramic pottery, many glazed and decorated, dating from Roman and Iron Age periods. Prehistoric finds such as flint arrowheads and a Neolithic saddle quern used to grind grain for bread were also uncovered, alongside items dating to the English Civil War in 1642.
Many of the finds and replica artefacts will soon go on display in Newark
Details of the findings have all now been published online with photos and videos of the dig and items uncovered.
It is hoped some of the artefacts and findings will go on public display in Newark. Details of this will be confirmed at a later date.
A prehistoric flint arrowhead was among several discovered during the dig
The A46 Newark Bypass scheme, which will improve a key trans-Midlands trade corridor linking to the Humber ports, will be a major project to ease congestion at crucial junctions. Work will include:
- Widening four miles of a single carriageway in both directions between the Farndon and Winthorpe roundabouts near Newark-on-Trent.
- Creating a flyover for the A46 at the Cattle Market roundabout.
- Building a new bridge over the A1.
- Enlarging the Winthorpe roundabout to connect the new link road.
The Government confirmed its commitment to this scheme in its third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) published in March and National Highways plans to set out more information on its delivery of the scheme in the summer.
Further information on the scheme can be found here
Following the completion of the project, AMS is set to open its new Midlands hub in Newark as part of its UK expansion. Further details will be shared in late-May.