£700k grant to fund urgent work at Bronze Age site

A government grant of £700,000 will fund an archaeological investigation at a Bronze Age site, amid concerns about the "catastrophic loss" of evidence.

The work will take place in the remains of a 3,500-year-old timber causeway at Peterborough's Flag Fen archaeological park, which is on Historic England's heritage at risk register.

A report to a Peterborough City Council cabinet member highlighted "a pressing need to investigate, sample and record key information" along part of a row of postholes, known as a post alignment.

"The western-most area of the post alignment is at greatest risk of catastrophic loss and so investigations are required to recover information before it is too late," said the document.

A £696,498 grant from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs would fully fund the investigation, said the report by Jamie Fenton, the city council's culture, sports and leisure partnership manager.

"Despite the evidence of decline, the evaluation excavations demonstrated that the site still has great potential to increase the understanding of the post alignment and recover vital evidence," it added.

Chris Wiggin, a Liberal Democrat councillor with a responsibility for the environment, has recommended the council approves the funding.

Work will only start once a procurement process to find a suitable contractor has been completed.

The council describes Flag Fen as a "globally significant" Bronze Age site. It includes a 1km (0.6 miles) timber causeway.

It has been owned by Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery since 2011.

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