You might think that the only henges in Britain are to be found in the south and that the only archaeology in Lancashire is its industrial archaeology.  However, everyone knows that, along with all the Roman stuff (see David Ratledge and Lancashire’s Roman roads), the region is also dotted with the remains of Bronze Age and Neolithic activity.

After being pointed at a circular feature in a field, Wigan Archaeological Society discovered what could be the only known henge site in the County.  The Society’s chairman, Patrick Maloney, was back in Bolton this month, to give us an update on the latest season’s excavations at the Aspull Ring Ditch.  The ring ditch is approximately 47 m in diameter and 1.75 m deep, resembling a classic henge earthwork (though the outer bank, if it existed has possibly been destroyed by ploughing).

The Wigan team have discovered many fascinating finds from a puzzling, stone spheroid (a bit like a fossilised tangerine!) to mysterious, parallel striations in stones that could be artifacts, fossils or a combination of the two.  Perhaps most exciting of the fins so far are the various pottery collared urns, containing cremated human remains.  Micro-excavation of these urns has revealed them to contain the remains of several people and might have been family or communal burial plots.

Carbon dating suggests that, following the original neolithic earthworks (~2,500 BC), the site was used for another 1,000 years, though the Bronze Age, as a burial site.  Wigan Archaeology have discovered six different burial types, in the urns, clay-lined pits and also in a stone burial box (cist), which will be excavated in a later season.

Probably the best thing to do is to read Wigan’s Aspull Ring Ditch blogs, which provide detailed accounts, plans and sketches of what they have found.  Patrick said that the Society is also happy to take on more volunteers.  So, if you are interested in getting stuck into some spectacular Lancastrian archaeology, please get in touch with Bill Aldridge here.