Updates
Follow all the archaeology action from onsite at Lytham Hall as it happens.
Farewell to Lytham Hall for 2026!
We’ve reached the end of our 2026 dig exploring the secrets beneath Lytham Hall and its historic parkland!
This season, we were joined by a brilliant team of budding archaeologists of all ages, who got hands-on with history, learned key archaeological skills and discovered some real artefacts along the way.
Now, our experts will analyse all our finds (from pottery to UFOs – that’s Unidentified Ferrous Objects!) to learn more about their age, origin and what they can reveal about the many layers of life at Lytham – and how this stunning estate has changed over time. We can’t wait to share what they uncover!
...And after! We have a fab, thick chunk of pottery!
Before...
The finds keep flowing for DigClub - like this pottery and glass!
We're loving the vibes (and finds, like this sherd of pottery!) from DigCamp today!
The finds are coming through for DigClub!
Day two at Lytham Hall, and we’re welcoming our next group of junior archaeologists to the trenches!
Our DigClub crew have been doing a cracking job excavating today, getting hands-on with real archaeology and uncovering clues about the history of the estate.
Finds so far include this lovely bit of glazed pottery, and a rather mysterious lump of UFO…
Archaeology may often uncover things that feel out of this world, but don’t worry – this isn’t extra-terrestrial! It’s an “unidentified ferrous object”, a piece of metal containing iron in need of a little more investigation.
Watch today's Venturers in action!
Here’s Tony working on the upper section, joined by John, Nicola, Jeanette, Dan, Fiona and Carol – with our DigClub junior archaeologists hard at work in the background!
Enter the DigCampers!
Today’s the day!
Not only are we kicking off this week’s dig, but we’re welcoming our first cohorts of promising young DigCampers!
These budding archaeologists are joining us to build real skills and put them into practice, as they uncover genuine finds that will help us piece together how the Lytham Hall estate has changed over time.
Archaeology doesn’t have an age limit – and you’re never too young to make an incredible discovery!
A bird's-eye view of Trench 5 as we get started!
Why are we here?
Despite major changes across the 18th and 19th centuries, from shifting boundaries to redesigned parkland and the expansion of nearby Lytham St Annes, much of Lytham Hall’s past is still waiting to be discovered…
Aerial imagery, LiDAR (detailed aerial surveys taken of the ground’s surface using lasers) and earlier research hint at suspected forgotten features across the Hall’s grounds, including:
- Early garden features, including the estate’s historic Knot Garden
- An 18th century sunken boundary known as a ha-ha, keeping grazing livestock out of sight while preserving the illusion of uninterrupted rolling gardens
- A suspected 18th century ice house used to store imported ice for food preservation
- Evidence of early medieval activity related to agriculture
- The site’s earliest known building – a 12th century Benedictine priory founded by monks from Durham, who established a self-sufficient community at Lytham
Who knows what traces of early life on the estate might still lie beneath Lytham Hall’s surface? Could we trace the original garden paths? Chance upon a hidden wall of the ice house? Or even stumble across signs of early priory life?
Follow our progress
Follow the latest archaeology action from Lytham Hall as it happens.
