Iron Age (800BC - 43AD)
Within the parish of Holme-on-Spalding Moor the Iron Age period is represented with evidence of industry (iron production), settlement (round-houses) and transport (boat).
At this time the rivers Humber and Ouse were still tidal and, and the river Foulness, which meandered through the parish, now feeding into the Market Weighton Canal to join the Humber at Broomfleet.
At certain times of the year these rivers would flood, and the area would become a ‘wetland’.
Archaeological work has found settlements and industrial activities have mainly been concentrated on the slightly higher ground levels, where the flood water has not reached.
Settlement
Evidence of settlement within the parish includes round-houses. One was found in 2015 by PastSearch Archaeology in the Welham Bridge area.
Industry
Evidence of iron production has been made at several sites within the parish, in particular, a slag heap at Welham Bridge.
By the Iron Age deposits of “bog iron ore” had naturally formed along the banks of the River Foulness, this would have been the raw material used to produce the iron required for weapons and tools.
Also at this time there would have been a greater amount of woodland in the parish, which would have provided the fuel for the iron furnaces.
The slag heap was excavated in 1985 by ERAS and Durham University.
Quantities of slag have also been found on other sites along with iron age pottery and iron artefacts.
Transport
A log boat was excavated in 1984 by ERAS and Durham University and National Maritime Museum in the Hasholme area.
The boat was built from an oak tree which was almost 10m high before the first branches and about 800 years old when it was cut down.
Dendrochronology has put the felling date to be 322-277BC.
Further details about the Iron Age in Holme-on-Spalding Moor Parish can be found at: