AN archaeological dig is currently taking place in Middlewich in a bid to find a Roman cemetery.

Experts from Oxford Archaeology North are excavating land in King Street industrial estate and are expected to stay on site until late August.

They are also hoping to make discoveries relating to Roman industry.

It follows tests on the site in 2008 which revealed evidence of cremation urns.

“That gives us a good indication that there’s something there,” said Kerry Fletcher, heritage officer for Middlewich Town Council.

“The Romans occupied Middlewich for 400 years so there’s got to be a cemetery somewhere.

“It’s a very complex site because as we dig it’s growing and growing in size.

“We still don’t know how big the Roman settlement was. This will go some way to answer that question.”

Fragments of Roman pottery have already been recovered from the excavation so far which are thought to be from the late 1st century.

Relics that are found could be on display at a two-day event in Middlewich library celebrating the town’s heritage.

Kerry and a team of volunteers have been working on a timeline from the pre-historic through to the first settlements and up to modern times.

It is called ‘Building a Picture of Middlewich’ and will be held on July 20 and 21 as part of the national Festival of British Archaeology.

Kerry added: “We have yielded some fascinating results and new understandings of the town.

“The festival gives us a chance to show the community the work we have been doing for the first time.

“We will also have rarely seen items that normally spend their time in storage.”

Some of the items include those that were given to the Grosvenor Museum by Charles Frederick Lawrence, antiquarian and clerk to Middlewich Council in the early 20th century.

Kerry said: “Items were found quite regularly in Middlewich at a time when archaeology was in its infancy.

“Many families had their own collections of Roman pottery found on their property.

Free Roman trails, lasting about two hours, will be running on both days.

For more information, contact Kerry on 01606 841379 or email heritage@middlewich.org.uk.

- The Building a Picture of Middlewich event will be held at the library on Friday, July 20, between 9.30am and 1pm and 2pm to 5pm and Saturday, July 21, from 9.30am to 1pm

- Roman trails start from 10am on Friday and 1pm on Saturday

- An open day is also being arranged for the dig site with a date yet to be announced.