Funding secured for excavation to unlock secrets of Bronze Age Flag Fen site
A £700,000 grant will fund a new excavation at Flag Fen, a Bronze Age site near Peterborough, to preserve its 3,500-year-old timber causeway and platform threatened by groundwater changes.
A major excavation at Flag Fen Archaeology Park near Peterborough will begin to uncover and record more of the Bronze Age site’s history, offering deeper engagement for visitors. The project focuses on the site’s western post alignment, aiming to interpret and experience the nationally significant remains more effectively. Flag Fen’s unique timber causeway and platform, built 3,500 years ago, are among the few surviving Bronze Age structures of their kind globally. The site also supports diverse wildlife within its ancient landscape.
The excavation is funded by a £700,000 grant from the Countryside Stewardship Heritage Service, a partnership between Defra and Historic England, announced by Farming Minister Stephen Morgan during a site visit. The project aims to address severe threats to the site’s organic remains, including ancient worked wood, caused by degrading groundwater and drying peat. Volunteers from local communities, universities, and returning survey participants will receive training to support the excavation and future site leadership.
The funding seeks to remove Flag Fen from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register by revitalising the site and developing it as a heritage destination. This initiative supports Peterborough’s economic development and strengthens community connections to its prehistoric past. The excavation will help explain why Bronze Age settlers constructed the monumental wooden causeway, addressing gaps in understanding of their climate adaptation 3,500 years ago.
Around 40% of Flag Fen’s buried archaeology is at risk of loss within months due to environmental changes, making the excavation urgent. The causeway exemplifies human ingenuity in adapting to marshland formation during a period of climate change. The project will enhance Peterborough’s cultural profile and provide educational opportunities for families and visitors to explore ancient archaeology.