Lecture and online exhibition to reveal Holderness history unearthed by construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm
- Second Dogger Bank Wind Farm archaeology lecture to take place in Woodmansey, East Riding of Yorkshire.
- New online exhibition to give public access to historical finds in their local area.
- Artefacts uncovered include Anglo-Saxon, Roman, Iron Age and Bronze age remains.
Local residents are invited to attend a detailed lecture about the archaeological excavations and discoveries unearthed during the construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s onshore cable route.
Taking place on Monday 25 November at Woodmansey Village Hall from 6-8pm, this event offers the community a chance to learn about the history of Holderness and shares insight into how new infrastructure projects can lead to unexpected glimpses into ancient times and lives.
Led by archaeologists Rebecca Jarosz-Blackburn and Matt Walker from AOC Archaeology Group, the lecture will delve into a range of finds unearthed along the 30km corridor that houses the underground cables transmitting renewable energy from the North Sea to the wind farm’s two onshore convertor stations off the A1079 near Beverley. The free event is open to all and will conclude with a Q&A session.
The lecture will cover:
- An overview of archaeology in Holderness and what archaeological results can tell us about those who lived here
- How archaeology is excavated and recorded and what archaeological works were undertaken during the construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm
- Significant discoveries, including an Iron Age Roman settlement uncovered near Leven and an early medieval surprise of an Anglo-Saxon long hall structure between Beeford and Skipsea
Dogger Bank Wind Farm has commissioned the production of replica artefacts found during the construction of the cable route. Created using a technique known as photogrammetry, the replicas are hand-painted and 3D printed to accurately recreate the look and feel of the very artefacts found during excavations. These artefact reproductions will be used by local schools for education purposes and include replicas of a 6,000-year-old Neolithic flint arrowhead, an Iron Age or Anglo-Saxon glass bead, an Iron Age to Roman bone comb and pottery fragments likely to date back more than 2,000 years.
For budding archaeologists these replica artefacts will be available to handle before the lecture from 5.30pm until 6pm in a special drop-in session for anyone aged over 6 years. The replicas will also be able to view and handle following the talk and presentation.
Community Engagement Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Rachel Palmer, said:
“Safeguarding historical evidence has been a critical part of our preparation work on Dogger Bank Wind Farm. We’re delighted we’re now able to share these exciting findings with the people who live in the towns and villages where this work was undertaken.
“This second public event coincides with the launch of our online exhibition, giving the public first-hand access to this treasure trove of historical findings. It’s our great privilege to be able to finally share our findings and answer some of the previously unknown questions about life in Holderness long ago. ”
AOC Archaeology Group is one of the most experienced heritage companies in Britain and was contracted by Dogger Bank Wind Farm as specialist archaeologists. Their analysis has been supported by a wide team of artefact and period specialists.
An online exhibition detailing historical finds from the construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm can be accessed by visiting www.doggerbank.com/archaeology. The online exhibition features an interactive map to explore 22 excavated sites alongside a wealth of information about AOC’s work in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
Project Manager for AOC Archaeology, Rebecca Jarosz- Blackburn, said:
“Archaeology is all around us and it’s important that when we build for the future, we ensure our past is protected. I’m really looking forward to sharing what we found during Dogger Bank construction by both meeting the community at Woodmansey and showcasing our discoveries and finds online.
“I hope our online archaeological exhibition and the option to zoom in and see exactly where discoveries were made brings East Riding’s rich history to life. There are more artefacts that we are still analysing and as our understanding becomes clearer, adding to our online exhibition means we will be able to share these with a wider audience.”
Woodmansey Village Hall was chosen for this event due to its proximity to the wind farm’s convertor stations near Beverley. The event is supported by Woodmansey Parish Council and Woodmansey Village Hall.
AOC Project Manager Matt Walker, who grew up in East Yorkshire, also has a local connection to the Dogger Bank project. He said:
“At Dogger Bank, one of our main research aims was to try and narrow the current date ranges for handmade prehistoric and Roman pottery in the region by using radiocarbon dating.
“It is the scale of this project across the region, coupled with funding for radiocarbon dates, that gives us a really meaningful opportunity to add to this research theme and advance our understanding of Holderness thousands of years ago.”
“What we discovered during the archaeological investigations for Dogger Bank offers a deep insight into communities who lived in Holderness many centuries ago and, as a person proud to call this area my home, this feels very special to me.”
AOC and Dogger Bank Wind Farm are currently considering options for permanently locating the original artefacts once they’ve been fully analysed, with a preference to find a home close to where they were unearthed.
Set to be the world’s largest offshore wind farm once complete, Dogger Bank is situated over 130km from the Yorkshire coast and will produce enough renewable energy to supply electricity to six million homes in the UK annually. The wind farm, a joint venture between SSE Renewables, Equinor, and Vårgrønn, produced first power in October 2023.
The first two phases of the wind farm will transmit renewable energy into the national electricity network via the Creyke Beck substation near Beverley, close to the site where the project has built two onshore convertor stations over the last four years.