February 17, 2017 2.05 pm This story is over 85 months old

Archaeologists uncover quarry pits and cemetery on Grantham Southern Relief Road site

Archaeologists on the site of the Grantham Southern Relief Road have discovered a range of Roman and Iron Age items, including quarry pits and a cemetery. Since November, a team of more than 15 archaeologists has been carrying out investigations to ensure that any remains affected by the new road are protected or recorded. A…

Archaeologists on the site of the Grantham Southern Relief Road have discovered a range of Roman and Iron Age items, including quarry pits and a cemetery.

Since November, a team of more than 15 archaeologists has been carrying out investigations to ensure that any remains affected by the new road are protected or recorded.

A team of more than 15 archaeologists have been carrying out investigations since November to ensure that any remains affected by the new road are protected or recorded.

Catherine Edwards, project manager for AOC Archaeology – the firm contracted to research the site’s archaeology – said: “This is a very interesting and mysterious site that has really allowed us to sink our teeth in so that we can learn more about what was happening in this area of Grantham centuries ago, particularly during Roman times.

“The archaeology we’ve been finding includes lots of linear ditches, quarry pits, kilns, coins and a cemetery, but we’re also finding unexpected remains like a stone wall near to a metalled / roughly paved surface with an earlier ditch underneath.”

The Grantham Southern Relief Road will join the A52 at Somerby Hill to the A1, thereby avoiding the need to drive through the town centre.

Lincolnshire County Council hopes the road will be open by 2019.