Iron Age evidence halts college redevelopment
BUILDING work has been halted at a city college after workers discovered signs of Iron Age settlements.
The discovery was made on the fields at Wilberforce College in east Hull.
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DIGGING IT: From left, student Bethan Wardell, 17, Archeologists Geoff Wilson and Pamela Cartwright and student Damon Harrington, 17. Picture: Kate Woolhouse
The findings were unearthed while builders were digging for an all-weather sports pitch, part of redevelopment work at the college.
Experts from Humber Field Archaeology have now moved on to the site to begin excavating the area and documenting their findings.
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It is thought the finds relate to other Iron Age discoveries at Wilberforce College, uncovered during previous building work in 2007 and 2010.
The college was revealed as an Iron Age site in the 1960s after evidence of ancient homes were found.
David Cooper, history teacher and vice principle at the Saltshouse Lane college, said: "The last dig significantly advanced our understanding of the Iron Age in this area.
"This is a really important site and, as a college, we are custodians of a tremendous piece of local heritage."
The latest developments have uncovered what could be a medieval ridge and furrow, hinting at an earlier Iron Age period.
It is thought this could indicate the edge of the Iron Age settlement where the markings of roundhouses have previously been found, although it is too early to establish the full picture until the archaeologists complete their dig.
The dig follows on from a similar one three years ago.
The 2010 dig was prompted after planning permission was sought for a £800,000 building on the east Hull site.
In order to gain planning permission for the new building, the college had to agree to the archaeological dig.
Items discovered three years ago include pieces of military pottery from the Romano-British era and land division ditches from the Saxo-Norman era.
The findings prompted the planned two-day dig to extend to two weeks.
Doug Jobling, archaeology supervisor for Humber Field Archaeology, told the Mail at the time: "What we have found is a mix between Iron Age, Romano-British and Saxo-Norman, which is indicative of continued use of the landscape for a period of more than 1,000 years.
"It is very rare to find Saxo- Norman activity within the Hull city boundary. There is a lot of medieval activity from the 12th and 13th century and earlier stuff.
"But to get this sort of activity is very exciting and very rare."
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