Items from the Iron Age found at site of Roman villa in Norton Disney
An archaeological dig on the site of a Roman villa has unearthed items dating to the Iron Age.
The two-day excavation was carried out off Folly Lane, Norton Disney, after controversial plans were submitted for an animal rendering plant nearby.
It was conducted by volunteers from Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group, supported by local archaeology company Allen Archaeology.
Richard Parker, the group’s secretary, said: “We found some good examples of Iron Age pottery and an ancient nail, plus soil samples were taken for further analysis to get detailed environmental information.
“The other major discovery was archaeology in the form of ditches, which appear to link with the Roman villa field and the site of a proposed rendering plant over the road.”
Lincoln Proteins Ltd resubmitted a planning application for the plant at Villa Farm in February after redesigns to accommodate previous planning issues.
Lincolnshire County Council’s planning committee unanimously refused initial plans in February 2020 following concerns over heritage and location.
There were fears the facility would overshadow the Lancaster Bomber gateway sculpture being built off the A46.
“A report will be written now and passed to Lincolnshire County Council as evidence to show how damaging a rendering plant would be to the wider local archaeological site, particularly the Roman villa,” Mr Parker said.
“We would like to thank everyone who donated money and equipment to support this excavation. We could not have achieved such a great result without their support.”
The six-hectare site was discovered in 1933 and was excavated in 1934 and 1935. Over the years, artefacts and remains have been found dating back as far as the Bronze Age.
In 1989, a bronze figurine of a mounted Roman warrior was uncovered, which is now in the British Museum.
The archaeology group made a successful application to Historic England in August 2020 to extend the boundaries protecting the site after it was discovered the villa was much bigger than previously thought.
