Scarborough Big Dig 2026
Land at Paradise, Scarborough, Scarborough, YO11 1TH
Saturday 23rd May 2026 - Tuesday 26th May 2026
The Big Dig 6 will take place between May 18th and May 28th 2026 from 9.15am to 4.30pm each day. We will excavate up to 100m2 on the green space at Paradise in Scarborough Old Town by St Mary’s Church.
What are we looking for?
The archaeological excavation is designed to give hands-on archaeological experience to people of all ages. We will explore the development of settlement in Scarborough Old Town. Some of the questions we want to try and answer about Scarborough Old Town are: Is there evidence for occupation of the area in the Roman period? Written evidence suggests that a settlement here was burned by Viking raiders; is there archaeological evidence for this settlement and the Viking attack? Does this earlier settlement form the basis for the borough established in the shadow of Scarborough Castle by Henry I? How does the area around St Mary’s Church develop after the establishment of the borough by Henry I in the twelfth century? What evidence is there for the important 12th to 14th century pottery industry in Scarborough?
The 2026 Excavation
The excavation this year will take place on open green space at Paradise, Scarborough, within a secure fenced compound and will extend the area we excavated between 2022 and 2025.
The programme for the first week of the excavation, Monday 18th May to Friday 22nd May, will concentrate on working with schoolchildren from local schools. Young people from schools in and around Scarborough will have the opportunity to excavate on a real archaeological site. They will also take part in other activities as part of their day at the Big Dig.
From Saturday 23rd May to Wednesday 27th May the excavation will be open for volunteers to take part. We will have 5 places available each day for volunteers - you can book either a morning session or an afternoon session or a whole day. No previous archaeological experience is required - we will show you what to do! And participation is FREE!
We are grateful to our sponsors and anonymous supporters for their generous support: Community Lottery Fund, Scarborough Museums and Gallery. Part of the Scarborough 400 celebrations.
What are we looking for?
The archaeological excavation is designed to give hands-on archaeological experience to people of all ages. We will explore the development of settlement in Scarborough Old Town. Some of the questions we want to try and answer about Scarborough Old Town are: Is there evidence for occupation of the area in the Roman period? Written evidence suggests that a settlement here was burned by Viking raiders; is there archaeological evidence for this settlement and the Viking attack? Does this earlier settlement form the basis for the borough established in the shadow of Scarborough Castle by Henry I? How does the area around St Mary’s Church develop after the establishment of the borough by Henry I in the twelfth century? What evidence is there for the important 12th to 14th century pottery industry in Scarborough?
The 2026 Excavation
The excavation this year will take place on open green space at Paradise, Scarborough, within a secure fenced compound and will extend the area we excavated between 2022 and 2025.
The programme for the first week of the excavation, Monday 18th May to Friday 22nd May, will concentrate on working with schoolchildren from local schools. Young people from schools in and around Scarborough will have the opportunity to excavate on a real archaeological site. They will also take part in other activities as part of their day at the Big Dig.
From Saturday 23rd May to Wednesday 27th May the excavation will be open for volunteers to take part. We will have 5 places available each day for volunteers - you can book either a morning session or an afternoon session or a whole day. No previous archaeological experience is required - we will show you what to do! And participation is FREE!
We are grateful to our sponsors and anonymous supporters for their generous support: Community Lottery Fund, Scarborough Museums and Gallery. Part of the Scarborough 400 celebrations.
