Offchurch
In 2020, a team of 42 archaeologists worked on two main areas of excavation to the north of the village of Offchurch in Warwickshire. They discovered an Iron Age and Romano-British settlement.
Slide 1 of 3: Archaeologists observing the South Site.
Slide 2 of 3: Archaeologists excavating the South Site.
Slide 3 of 3: The Church of St. Gregory.
Uncovering the site
The archaeological work at Fosse Way is one of over 100 sites that is helping us understand more about our history. Nestled between the looping curves of the River Leam lies a landscape 2000 years in the making. From Iron Age trackways to railways and canals, networks of travel and communication have long traversed and transformed the Warwickshire parish of Offchurch. The Church of St. Gregory is a Grade II* listed building. Although nothing of the Saxon church survives, the nave and chancel date from the 11th–12th-century, and the tower is 15th century. Excavation here in 2020 revealed an early chapter of this story.
A small enclosed settlement of roundhouses was also found within the North Area. The site was occupied in the Middle Iron Age (400–100 BC). The village may have been the site of a palace of King Offa of Mercia, one of the seven Saxon kingdoms, which occupied the area of the present day English Midlands. The name of the village means ‘Offa’s church’.
Digital Story Map
Use this digital story map produced by MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) below or open it in a new window to remotely explore the archaeology of the site, and to see what it tells us about the changing landscape over time.
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Sharing the discoveries
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In Your Area Map
The map displays information about our archaeological sites along the route.
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