Bourne Hill

Bourne Hill has always been an enigma.  It's height and position over the Wyre estuary has always invited questions over it's history.  Wyre Archaeology carried out a number of excavations between 2005 and 2014 looking for feature and/or dating evidence.  Unlike the hilltop stripping by mechanical diggers available to Oxford Archaeology North (OAN), we were only able to conduct 'keyhole' excavation, but despite our finding significant evidence of Iron Age and possible Roman military and Romano-British presence, our analysis was sadly inconclusive when we closed our dig in 2014.  However, it is our understanding that it was at least in part due to our findings that an archaeological assessment was required as part of the planning conditions set by Wyre Borough Council, and carried out by Archaeological Research Services Ltd. (ARS), leading in turn to the full excavation by OAN.

It does seem that the site has turned out to be more than anyone could have hoped for.  OAN mapped out several roundhouses and defensive ditches, found high grade Roman Pottery and part of a quern stone believed to have originated in West Yorkshire. Unfortunately, despite OAN stating that it is a very significant site in regard to the known prehistory of  the area, the developers were unable or unwilling to provide additional funding beyond what was already agreed, which included post-excavation analysis. The site has now been closed and development paused pending OAN's report to Wyre Borough Council. More information can be found on the BBC site.