THE findings from two archaeological digs on the edge of Yorkley will be revealed at an open day on Saturday May 21.

From 11am to 3pm local people are invited to see what a team of volunteers, led by archaeologists from Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service, have discovered at Woodland Place.

Archaeologist Robin Jackson says: “We’re investigating two separate sites. The first is a rectangular enclosure defined by a bank and ditch. We aren’t entirely sure what this was, but we think it could be around two thousand years-old, as a similar site in Ruardean turned out to be a Roman fort or farm.

“Our second site is about half a mile away. We’ll be looking at the heavily overgrown remains of walls, tracks and other features representing all that is left of the settlement of Tomlin. Tomlin is shown on 18th and 19th century maps but by the early part of the 20th century it had been abandoned. Survey work will try and match the ruins up with what is shown on the old maps.”

Archaeologists will also be encouraging volunteers to research the people who once lived in Tomlin by using census records, births, marriage and death certificates and other sources. They even hope that they may find out why the site was abandoned.

The open day will include tours of the site, activities for children, information about the results of the project so far and a display of any artefacts which have been recovered. It is part of the Foresters’ Forest Programme. Go to www.forestersforest.uk for details.