Medieval finds prompt dig at planned road site

Plans have been submitted for an archaeological excavation on the site of a proposed relief road after medieval features were found.

The documents state that a programme of archaeological evaluation undertaken prior to the planning application for the road and wider industrial works in Howden, confirmed the presence of the features "of medieval date", on parts of the site.

In June 2023, East Riding of Yorkshire Council's planning committee approved plans for a £49m scheme to create the road in Howden to link the A614 Thorpe Road with Station Road.

If human remains are found on the site they may need to be removed to ensure they are treated with dignity.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service the documents also state "the site lies within an area of known archaeological activity, from the prehistoric through to the post-medieval periods".

The documents suggest it is unlikely that any Roman artefacts will be found as "archaeology from the Roman period is relatively sparse in and around Howden". However, they also state that, "Roman coins have been found in the wider vicinity of Howden".

The relief road project has been designed to reduce congestion by diverting traffic away from the town centre, with joint funding contributions from local housing developers and the council.

Adam Holmes, director of infrastructure and facilities at the council, said: "When it's complete, we hope the relief road will be a huge benefit to Howden by taking some larger traffic away from the congested town centre, and will also be a help to drivers by providing a new, quicker route."

Dr Helen Fenwick, senior archaeology lecturer at the University of Hull, said work like this was standard practice at any major development that may uncover archaeological features.

She added: "The area to the north of Howden would have been the focus for a number of small settlements in the medieval period."

The results of the proposed excavation will be presented as a report, including recommendations for any further work required.

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