MORE digs are being planned in one of the North East’s top landscape areas after the success of a community archaeology project.

Last year more than 400 volunteers took part in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Partnership’s Altogether Archaeology project.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has now awarded the AONB Partnership a grant to develop a programme of archaeological fieldwork and other events so that the volunteers can undertake more projects over the next three years.

Highlights of the pilot phase last year included excavations at Westgate Castle in Weardale, a survey of the archaeological landscape of Holwick in Upper Teesdale, the survey and excavation at Muggleswick Grange near Castleside in County Durham and the excavation of the Maiden Way Roman road near Alston in Cumbria. The AONB Partnership’s historic environment officer Paul Frodsham said: “Key to the success of the pilot project has been the fantastic commitment and enthusiasm of our community volunteers.

“This work has been fascinating, but has also demonstrated the potential, and in some cases the need, for more work to further our understanding while also informing future landscape management.”

Working with the volunteers and partners including English Heritage, Natural England, Northumberland National Park Authority, and the universities of Durham and Newcastle, Paul is devising a series of ideas for the new project and looking at ways to bring the newly uncovered history of the North Pennines to new audiences.

These will then go forward to the HLF for consideration.

Current fieldwork proposals include surveys and excavations to investigate:

:: The first people who lived in the North Pennines after the end of the Ice Age 10,000 years ago.

:: The first farmers of about 6,000 years ago.

:: Relations between Romans and native communities from the First to the early Fifth Centuries.

:: The mysterious centuries after the end of Roman rule and before the Norman Conquest of 1066.

:: The great hunting forests and deer parks of medieval times.

:: The origins and history of the North Pennines lead industry.

Paul said: “We would really like to hear from people who have always been curious about a place near their village or town, which perhaps has a legend attached to it or has mysterious lumps and bumps in the ground which might have been an ancient settlement of some kind.

“Wherever possible, suggestions from the public will be worked into the project programme. We are also planning events specifically for children, so that they can also get involved in exploring the North Pennines’ past.”

Anyone who has any ideas for work they would like to see included within the project should contact Paul Frodsham during February at the AONB Partnership office in Stanhope on 01388 528801 or email pfrodsham@northpenninesaonb.org.uk