THE community of Caistor has shown it really "digs" getting involved in local archaeology.
A community dig was held as part of the Lincolnshire Wolds Festival of Archeology – and it proved to be a big success.
Enthusiasts, some experiencing their first real dig, joined with experts to see what they could unearth about the town's past.
And, while nothing Roman was discovered, there were plenty of bits and pieces from more recent times.
The dig was led by Zoe Tomlinson, community archaeologist at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln, who said she was delighted at the local community's support for the two-day dig.
As reported, it was run in partnership with the Down Your Wold project, the Community Archaeology Group and Caistor Arts And Heritage Centre.
Zoe said: "We have found some Victorian medicine bottles, dating from about 1880, some coins from the 1930s and other bits and pieces.
"Six schools came to see what was going on, forty volunteers signed up and it has been a great event."
Archaeologist Charles Simpson said other finds included a "very nice early Victorian inkwell dating from about 1830, a thimble from the same era and some 1940s toy cars."
The dig took place off Cromwell View, within about 200 yards of the Roman wall, which can be seen at the southern end of the churchyard behind the parish church.
Nearby is Caistor Grammar School, and sixth form history student Katherine Briggs was among those digging.
A second event took place in Walesby, which was only open to village residents, where a small preliminary excavation was made to gain an idea of the contents of an archaeological site.
This Saturday – to mark the end of the Lincolnshire Wolds Archaeology Festival – a heritage walk will set off from Caistor Heritage Centre at 2pm.
Between 11am and 3pm the Caistor Metal Detector Group will be at the centre, where they will be available to chat to anyone who is interested in their work or joining the group.
Also present will be David Robinson, chairman of the North East Lincolnshire Archaeological and Local Historical Society. There is also a display throughout this month at the Arts And Heritage Centre about the archaeology of Caistor.
For more information about the Lincolnshire Wolds Festival of Archaeology, visit www.down-your-wold.co.uk or call 01507 609740.
To contact Caistor Heritage Centre, call 01472 851608.
