A rare 2,000-year-old settlement has been uncovered in the Lake District, giving researchers new insight into how people lived and farmed in the area from the late Iron Age into the Roman period.
The discovery was made in the valley of Deepdale, where archaeologists and volunteers have been investigating traces of ancient communities. Known as the Deepdale Bridge Settlement, the site contains several hut circles marking the remains of roundhouses, along with small enclosures surrounded by a rubble bank.
Evidence of daily life and farming
People would have lived and cooked together at the settlement while keeping livestock, with evidence of spelt wheat and barley pointing to an active farming community. One trench exposed the remains of a timber doorway that once led into a roundhouse, as well as internal dividers. Archaeologists also discovered a cobbled yard outside which was probably used for keeping animals.
The discovery came as part of a Lake District National Park Authority survey of 150 sites across Deepdale, which began in 2024. A team of 25 volunteers helped investigate the ancient settlement, with excavations revealing details of what everyday life would have looked like for its inhabitants.
Radiocarbon dating confirms age
Charcoal found in the soil provided crucial evidence about the age of the site. Radiocarbon dating indicated that the roundhouse was occupied between 76AD and 216AD, while the surrounding enclosure bank was constructed between 40BC and 118AD. The roundhouse itself appears to have been changed during its lifetime, suggesting the settlement continued to be used and reused over centuries.
The discovery is particularly significant because very few native enclosed settlements in the Lake District have been archaeologically investigated, and fewer still have confirmed dates showing when people lived there.
Volunteers praised for their work
Martin Railton, archaeological consultant for Eden Heritage who led the volunteers, said: "We know surprisingly little about the people who lived here and farmed the landscape in prehistory."
He added: "The investigation provided an opportunity to work with an inspiring group of volunteers, in a stunning landscape, exploring a period of prehistory that has been a long-term fascination. There is still much more to discover about life in the Lake District in the Iron Age, but the investigation will help to shed light on several other settlements which probably date to the same period."
Marnie Calvert, graduate historic environment assistant, praised the volunteers whose work helped reveal the settlement. She said: "The dedication, enthusiasm and hard work of our volunteers have been at the heart of this excavation uncovering important new evidence of life in the later prehistoric Lake District. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who gave their time and skills, and we are excited for future opportunities to learn even more."
Volunteer Siriol Hinchcliffe said: "Our team of volunteers have spent two years surveying in the valley and being able to excavate to further our knowledge is great. Working with Martin in such a beautiful location with welcoming landowners and a great team of diggers was a very enjoyable experience."
