The remains of what is believed to be a Roman port have been dug up on land behind a woman's home in Brough, East Yorkshire. Archaeologists said they had found evidence of 12 buildings beneath a paddock close to the Humber estuary, revealing more of the scale of the Roman settlement than was previously known.
Landowner Melanie Stanford said it had come as a complete surprise to learn how extensive the site was, while Dr Peter Halkon, the site director, said the town was ideally located as a trading point with access to York and the European continent.
Brough is thought to be on the site of Petuaria, the tribal capital of the Parisi, who lived in eastern Yorkshire during the Roman period. Halkon, 70, is leading the community dig for the Petuaria ReVisited Project, external, which was set up in 2018 to shed more light on the town's Roman past.
What have archaeologists found at the site?
Archaeologists said the 12 buildings found beneath the paddock would likely have been used to store goods taken off ships. Other artefacts recovered from the site included pottery, animal bones and oyster shells.
The Romans were incredibly fond of oysters,
Roman walls in the area have been known about since the 1930s, but digs in recent years have led to new discoveries, including a Roman forum and a theatre. The latest work adds to growing evidence about the extent and function of the Roman settlement near the Humber estuary.
How did the discovery come to light?
Stanford said she was approached for permission to carry out a dig after ground-penetrating radar revealed the buildings. She said she agreed to the work and has enjoyed watching the excavation unfold.
I said yes, let's see what's there.
It's fascinating – I'm loving coming down here. I'm not doing the digging, I just enjoy watching.
I'm learning more now and it's really exciting,
With 12 buildings they might be coming back next year to do some more.
What has the dig been like for volunteers?
Volunteer James Newbound, who is studying archaeology at university, said the experience had been really enjoyable. He said the work was especially rewarding because it was uncovering material that had been buried and unseen for centuries.
Once you get the bug, you just have to keep going, because it's stuff that's never been seen since it was buried.
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Key Facts
- Archaeologists found evidence of 12 buildings beneath a paddock in Brough, East Yorkshire.
- The site is close to the Humber estuary and is believed to be linked to the Roman port of Petuaria.
- Dr Peter Halkon is leading the community dig for the Petuaria ReVisited Project, set up in 2018.
- Finds included pottery, animal bones and oyster shells.
- Roman walls in the area have been known about since the 1930s, with recent digs also uncovering a forum and theatre.
