Roman Key Handle Unearthed in Eastern England Archaeologists have discovered a bronze key handle that shows lions were used in executions in Roman Britain. The handle, which depicts a “Barbarian” wrestling with a lion, was discovered beneath a Roman townhouse in Leicester’s Great Central Street. It also shows figures of four boys cowering in terror. …

Archaeology breakthrough as ‘flabbergasted’ researchers make Cerne Abbas Giant origin find Over the centuries the huge, naked, club-wielding giant carved into a steep hillside in Dorset has been thought prehistoric, Celtic, Roman or even a 17th-century lampoon of Oliver Cromwell. After 12 months of new, hi-tech sediment analysis, the National Trust has now revealed the …

Medieval Castle Remains Uncovered in England Archaeologists have discovered the ruins of a castle that they believe dates from the 13th century. They’ve been working on a mound of land in Wem, Shropshire, that belongs to Soulton Hall, an Elizabethan mansion. The hall was built in the 16th Century, but experts believe the castle remains …

Anglo-Saxon Sword Pyramid Found in England A gold and garnet sword pyramid lost by a Sutton Hoo-era lord “careening around the countryside” on his horse has been discovered by a metal detectorist. The Anglo-Saxon object was found in the Breckland area of Norfolk in April. Finds liaison officer Helen Geake said the garnets are Indian or …

Canterbury Cathedral stained glᴀss is among world’s oldest According to recent research, stained glᴀss windows in England’s famous Canterbury Cathedral might be centuries older than previously thought, with some panels dating back to the mid-12th century. If accurate, the colourful panes would have witnessed the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in the cathedral by followers …

‘Jurᴀssic Pompeii’ yields thousands of ‘squiggly wiggly’ fossils Palaeontologist Tim Ewin is standing in a quarry, recalling the calamity that’s written in the rocks under his mud-caked boots. “They tried to protect themselves, adopting the stress position of pulling their arms in,” he continues. “But it was all in vain; you can see where their …

Discovery at Dartmoor mine rewriting more than 1,000 year’s worth of history A new discovery at a Dartmoor mine in England dates human activity there back potentially by more than 1,000 years. Initial examination of waste deposits at Kelly Mine, an iron ore mine near Lustleigh, reveals that iron-smelting occurred there far earlier than the …

The architect believes Stonehenge once had a thatched roof to form the temple One of the biggest mysteries surrounding Stonehenge is how any of it is still standing, given the predations of souvenir-hunters and vandals including the great 17th-century architect Sir Christopher Wren. He paid many visits to the ancient monument on Salisbury Plain and …

Can 4.5 Billion-Year-Old Meteorite Hold Secrets of Life on Earth? Scientists are set to uncover the secrets of a rare meteorite and possibly the origins of oceans and life on Earth, thanks to Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) funding. Research carried out on the meteorite, which fell in the UK earlier this year, suggests …