A group of 25 dedicated volunteers has revealed a rare Iron Age settlement in the Deepdale valley of the Lake District National Park. The find, known as the Deepdale Bridge Settlement, emerged as part of a wider survey of 150 sites in the valley that began in 2024, carried out with support from landowners Jimmy and Chris Brown, the Lake District National Park Authority, and Eden Heritage. Here’s what the volunteers found, and what it reveals about life in the ancient Lake District.
25 volunteers uncover the Deepdale Bridge Settlement
According to the Lake District National Park Authority, the settlement comprises several hut circles, the remains of roundhouses, and small enclosures surrounded by a rubble bank, where ancient communities would have lived, cooked together and kept livestock. Very few native enclosed settlements of this kind have been archaeologically investigated in the Lake District, and even fewer have confirmed occupation dates, making the excavation a significant contribution to understanding the region’s ancient historical landscape. Marnie Calvert, Graduate Historic Environment Assistant, credited the volunteers directly, saying their dedication, enthusiasm and hard work had been at the heart of this excavation uncovering important new evidence of life in the later prehistoric Lake District.
What the roundhouse and enclosure revealed
One trench dug during the excavation revealed the remains of a timber doorway leading into the roundhouse, along with internal dividers and a cobbled yard outside that was probably used to hold animals. The roundhouse had also been altered throughout its life, demonstrating the continual use and reuse of the settlement over time. Evidence of spelt wheat and barley points to an active farming community living in the Deepdale landscape into the Roman period, suggesting the settlement remained in use as communities adapted to changing conditions.
Martin Railton along with the volunteers (Image: Lake District National Park)
Radiocarbon dating the settlement’s occupation
Charcoal recovered from the soil was radiocarbon dated, revealing that the roundhouse was occupied between 76 and 216 AD. The enclosure bank was constructed between 40 BC and 118 AD. Together, the dates indicate that the settlement was in use across the transition from the late Iron Age into the Roman period. Martin Railton, archaeological consultant for Eden Heritage and volunteer leader, said, “We know surprisingly little about the people who lived here and farmed the landscape in prehistory,” adding that the investigation would help shed light on several other settlements likely dating to the same period.
What’s next for Lake District archaeology volunteers
Volunteer Siriol Hinchcliffe reflected on the project, telling the Lake District National Park Authority, “Our team of volunteers have spent two years surveying in the valley and being able to excavate to further our knowledge is great.” With the potential to uncover much more about the region’s ancient history, volunteers are now preparing for a 2026 excavation at Lanthwaite Green near Crummock Water.