VOLUNTEER archaeologists have returned for a three week dig at Gueswick Hills, near Cotherstone, in the hope of finding a prehistoric settlement.
Led by Altogether Archaeology (AA), exploratory trenches were first dug on top of the hills in October 2019 after a magnetometry study found anomalies under the ground.
That dig uncovered shards of pottery and a carefully-carved spindle whorl, but it was not enough to establish the age of the possible settlement.
Martin Green, fieldwork lead for AA, said: “The problem with the spindle whorl is they were used over a long time, but probably before the conquest. The bits of pottery are very crude – the kind of stuff they would have been using before the Romans arrived.”
AA chairman Tony Metcalfe said any interesting items found during the latest dig would be sent for carbon dating thanks to funding from the Council for British Archaeology, in Yorkshire, as well the County Durham Community Foundation.
Within hours of the start, Eleanor Williams, an archaeology graduate from York University, had uncovered what might have been a pendant with a design etched into it.
Volunteers marked out the areas for the dig on Sunday, August 1, and began to remove turf the following day.
Later, they will be led by professional archaeologist and former English Heritage inspector Rob Young.
The site, which belongs the owners of Doe Park Farm, Stephen and Alison Lamb, first became of interest about four years ago.
A variety of things brought it to attention, including when ordinary people were encouraged to look at the results of a laser survey of Teesdale.
At about the same time, Harriet Sams, a local archaeologist, developed an interest in the area when she walked her dog up on the hills.
Ms Sams went on to lead the 2019 exploratory dig before moving to France.
Previously the site, which has a recorded bronze-age cairn at its highest point, had been considered important by leading Teesdale archaeologist Dr Ken Fairless before his death in 2018.
Mr Metcalfe said: “He discussed the site with us about four years ago. His daughter and grand-daughter will be digging with us.”
Equally of interest are the terraces leading up the hill, which had previously been thought to be medieval.
Mr Green said advancements in technology meant more accurate tests could be carried out to calculate the age of terraces, by being able to determine when last the soil had been exposed to light.
He said similar tests carried out on sites in Northumberland had returned interesting results.
“In fact they are older than anyone thought and they are, in fact, pre-historic.”
The terraces at Gueswick Hills have since gained international attention with a team based in Norway having taken samples during the coronavirus pandemic.
Led by Prof Tony Brown, the group has sent the samples to Salzburg, in Austria, for testing.
Mr Metcalfe extended his thanks to the Lamb family for their support during the dig and is inviting the public to visit the site to learn more about it.
The dig will be open to the public each Tuesday and Wednesday between 2pm and 3pm.
Anyone interested can email Mr Metcalfe at altogetherarchaeology.gmail.com for details.
