Baysgarth House Museum has launched a new exhibition showcasing the archaeological history of Barton and the surrounding area. Local archaeological work has uncovered the unseen worlds of the past and now is your chance to take a peek.

Archaeology is an incredibly interesting pursuit to be involved in and a thing which Barton has been at the centre of for a long time now. From Roman treasures to Anglo-Saxon ruins, Barton is blessed with a bounty of archaeological finds. The Archaeology: Uncovering Our Past exhibition puts this on display to the public in the most stark and charming way. It includes a wide range of actual finds and items from digs presented before our eyes in a series of displays.

The Castledyke South display focuses on one of the best documented Anglo-Saxon cemeteries and burial sites ever uncovered in England. The treasures on display in this case date from the sixth and seventh centuries, giving people a look into the lives of our ancient ancestors.  The pieces also provide a glimpse into the interesting and demanding, but ultimately rewarding digs that have been uncovering these pieces since 1939.

Of course, archaeology and the investigation of days gone by go on at all levels with significant results. The numerous finds of a local metal detectorist have shed light on local people and places through history. Now they are available to view in Baysgarth House, showing just how much one person can do with commitment, effort … oh, and a metal detector.

Easily accessible clay pits and an ideal trading position in the Humber Estuary mean that Barton has always been a big producer and user of pottery. These finds occupy another display, ranging throughout the ages and focusing on a craft where art and industry come together.

Not all finds can be hung on a well-defined peg though. Indeed, it’s worth taking a look at a range of different finds together to get an idea of what archaeologists are faced with, and the wide range of worlds they reveal through their work. That’s exactly what the general displays aim to do. It shows visitors a range of finds and artefacts from various digs to give an overview of archaeology in and around Barton.

The exhibition will be open to the public at Baysgarth House Museum, Caistor Rd, Barton-upon-Humber DN18 6AH from 12pm to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday during January and February, then at the same times from Thursday until Sunday during March, April and the first weekend in May.  Admission is free.