Wye Digs

Wye's heritage is a finite and irreplaceable resource and there are many gaps in our knowledge. Wye Digs is an enabling project to help identify, understand and preserve Wye's complex archaeology for future generations. In reality, large scale professional digs are expensive projects, and typically they are development-led. A developer will be obliged to pay archaeologists to excavate and record sites before building works can start. Consequently field archaeologists often have to work under time pressure from developers and against the weather. Sites with low potential may only need an Archaeological Watching Brief during the ground excavation stage when an archaeologist will look for signs of archaeological activity or remains.

In areas of known archaeological interest excavation can be required by a standard pre-start condition attached to the planning permission. What happens after the excavation stage? Archaeologists will analyse, catalogue, and store the finds and archive the records discovered during the fieldwork stage. Eventually the public will see a published report and an interpretation whatever insight the fieldwork stage revealed. The Havillands development 2006 - 2013 triggered the largest dig in Wye and this revealed extensive Roman industrial archaeology and some human remains. None of the finds were of any monetary value. The summary reported that 'the Romano-British activity on site appeared to be largely industrial in nature' and that 'artefactual evidence indicated a date range of AD 50-140/160, with a complete cessation of Romano-British activity by the 3rd century.'

Wye Digs is a rolling project that encourages public involvement and interest in Wye's past. Wye Digs can also support small scale investigation work with geo-physics and trial pits when opportunities arise, and when land owners are willing to provide access.