Archaeological project in Blandford gets lottery grant

Pupils from schools in Blandford visited the excavations in 2008

An archaeological scheme to investigate an area of Blandford in Dorset where ancient settlements have been found has been given £23,100 of lottery cash.

In 2008 a dig was carried out on the site earmarked for the new Milldown Primary School in the town.

It found evidence that the site was lived on between the end of the Stone Age and beginning of the Bronze Age, between 5,000 and 4,000 years ago.

The money will pay for further research into signs of settlements in the area.

The Blandford Schools and Communities Project will bring together schools and local groups with archaeologists at events where they can learn more about Milldown's past.

During the excavation a large number of flint tools and indications of pits and ditches were discovered.

Nerys Watts, the Heritage Lottery Fund's head of region for the South West, said: "We are delighted to be supporting this exciting project, which will enable Blandford's whole community to gain a real sense of its history.

"In particular, it is great to see so many young people given the opportunity to investigate their heritage and ensure that it is preserved for future generations to learn about and understand."

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