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Image Credit: Archaeological Research Services
Bypass Excavations Reveal Marine Fossils and Roman Farming Landscape
Before construction began on a 7.1 km bypass around the town of Melton Mowbray, archaeologists carried out large-scale investigations along the planned route. The excavations covered 25 hectares across 11 locations and uncovered evidence of human activity and environmental change spanning nearly two millennia.
Among the most striking finds were fossils of marine reptiles dating to the Lower Jurassic period, approximately 200 million years ago. Two ichthyosaur specimens were identified, including vertebrae and a remarkably heavy snout that was initially mistaken for a stone. Specialists believe these remains were transported to the area by glacial movement in prehistoric times. The fossils will be displayed in a local museum.
The archaeological record also revealed long-term settlement and farming activity. Flint blades, pottery fragments, and the bones of aurochs — an extinct species of large wild cattle — were recovered. Near a nearby river, pits containing six cremations dating to the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age were discovered.
Later occupation layers showed a complex rural landscape during the Roman period, including a large farmstead, burial trenches, and evidence of Mediterranean-style agriculture such as vineyards and orchards. Roundhouses associated with this phase were also identified.
The sequence continued into the early medieval period, with traces of an Anglo-Saxon settlement consisting of sunken-featured buildings, ditches, and pits.
Many artefacts recovered during the project have been transferred to regional museums, where they will be made available to the public after conservation and study.
Published on: 15-02-2026
Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie
Source: BBC