Ancient remains found at new Leicestershire park-and-ride site

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Communities and also in Local Government

Archaeological excavations at a proposed park-and-ride site in Leicestershire have found evidence of human burials, the county council has said.

The excavations at the site in Enderby have been done by the University of Leicester Archaeological Services commissioned by Leicestershire County Council.

A county council spokeswoman said the dig had found evidence of a track way, farming activity and the remains of three human burials from the later Iron Age or early Roman period.

The skeletons were found next to a pair of ditches.

Pottery and other artefacts from the ditches appear to date from the 1st century AD, around the time of the Roman invasion of Britain.

The spokeswoman said the human burials were found on the western side of the track parallel with the road, and had been badly damaged by ploughing.

The discoveries follow similar finds at a nearby Grove Farm development, north of this site, which found two Iron Age farmsteads.

The dig has taken place in advance of a £9m park-and-ride scheme on the site which is due to open in autumn 2009, providing a 1,000-space car park with an indoor waiting area, toilets and a security office.

The finds from the excavation will be displayed at the terminal building, along with finds from the Grove Farm site.

Current excavations are expected to last until the end of the month.