Get your hands dirty uncovering ancient secrets alongside real archaeologists in this fun digging adventure!

The Nene Valley is famous as a place of Roman activity, so when engineers cut a water pipeline across Sacrewell Farm in the 1970s, it wasn’t a huge surprise that they hit some Roman archaeology.

But this wasn’t just any Roman archaeology, it was a vast Roman villa and industrial site on the north bank of the River Nene, right where fertile farmland meets outcrops of limestone and ironstone, placing it right at the heart of the Nene Valley network.

While those early investigations have given us a tantalising glimpse of the site’s potential, much of the villa, and its story, were never excavated.

Now, half a century later, our goal is to finish what they started, and to see what else this site can tell us about the Nene Valley.

When: 22 September – 04 October 2026

Where: Sacrewell Farm, Cambridgeshire

Who: These places are open to people from refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds, as well as those on a low income or facing other financial or social barriers. No experience or archaeology knowledge required – just curiosity and a desire to try archaeology or find out more!

Cost: This event is free for eligible participants – generously sponsored by Nibble.

Booking is essential.

Got kids? We welcome any children aged 12+ as long as they book with an adult!

Investigations across the Sacrewell landscape have already revealed:

A small Roman terracotta male head of unknown, mysterious purpose

The unmistakable hallmarks of a Roman villa, including limestone floors, painted wall plaster, and roof and flue tiles

Evidence that the villa may have survived fire, repair, and change, including charred flooring and reused walls

A small kiln-like chamber, possibly used for malting or drying grain

At least eight iron-smelting furnaces, complete with slag, fired clay and raking areas, hinting at large-scale Roman industry right beside the villa

During our two weeks of excavation, we’ll carefully remove layers of history together to reveal more of Sacrewell’s secrets.

With guidance from our top team of archaeologists, and with your interest and involvement, you can help us piece together this mystery.

Description supplied by the event organiser.