Attingham Unearthed: A new chapter in a 4,000-year story

This September, the National trust are inviting people to go beyond the usual visit to Attingham Park and take part in uncovering the history beneath your feet.

Attingham, a National Trust estate near Shrewsbury, has been shaped by people for over 4,000 years. Its landscape holds traces of an Iron Age settlement, a possible Anglo-Saxon palace, and part of one of the largest Roman cities in Britain, Wroxeter. These hidden stories, layered through time, are now being brought to light.

In 2023, a large-scale geophysical survey across the estate revealed some astonishing finding, including two Roman villas, a cemetery, and signs of Iron Age or Romano-British farms. Now, in 2025, preparations are well underway to investigate the estate further, uncovering new evidence, and inviting the public to take part.

Be Part of the Dig: From Guided Tours to a Five-Day Experience

This year’s excavation has been carefully chosen for its research value and how it fits with Attingham’s ten-year plan, combining archaeology, public engagement and conservation. There are several ways to get involved:

1. Book a Guided Tour of the Live Dig

On Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September, visitors can take a guided tour from the main Attingham site to an area on the wider estate where an active archaeological dig will be uncovering history just outside the walls of Wroxeter, one of Britain’s largest Roman cities. During this hour-long experience, the National Trust team will guide visitors around the trenches, explain the latest discoveries, and show how the team is piecing together thousands of years of history.

• Tours run hourly throughout the day
• Booking essential via the National Trust website

2. Join the Week-Long Archaeological Experience

From Monday 8 to Friday 12 September and from Monday 15 to Friday 19 September, participants can step into the trench and develop their archaeological skills with leading archaeologists to be part of the first significant excavation on the wider Attingham Estate.

Set within the stunning wider Attingham Estate and just a stone’s throw from Wroxeter Roman City (Viroconium Cornoviorum). As well as lying within the hinterland of one of the largest cities of Roman Britain, it is believed that the site may also conceal layers of history stretching back into the Iron Age and even earlier. Participants will learn from leading archaeologists, including Matt Williams who is a Time Team archaeologist, supported by Dr Roger White, who is the leading expert on Wroxeter Roman City and its hinterland, and National Trust archaeologists. Participants will also contribute directly to uncovering new stories about the Attingham Estate, Wroxeter Roman City, and what came before. 

• Learn from Matt Williams (archaeologist and Time Team contributor) and Dr Roger White, a leading expert on Wroxeter Roman City
• Includes hands-on excavation, training sessions, and behind the scenes talks
• Booking essential via the National Trust website

This experience is ideal for history enthusiasts, students, or anyone curious about archaeology. It’s your chance to take part in real research on a site that could rewrite what we know about this part of Roman Britain.

3. ‘Archaeologist for a Day’ – Now Fully Booked

The one-day taster sessions, where participants could spend a day on site with the team, have proved extremely popular and are now sold out. Those lucky enough to have secured a place will take part in excavating a 1 x 1 m test pit, supported by a National Trust archaeologist and experienced archaeology volunteers, that will explore further areas of the site to understand the area around this prominent Roman city. 

A Project Rooted in Community and Conservation

The excavation is part of a wider programme running throughout the year, bringing archaeology into the heart of community life. Alongside the dig, the project will support heritage events, learning sessions and opportunities for schools and local groups to get involved.

“This is more than an excavation,” says Suzy Watts, Archaeological Project Manager. “It’s a community endeavour. The Attingham Unearthed project is designed to open up access to archaeology and connect people with the landscape they live in. From local schools and youth groups to wider public involvement, we want this project to spark curiosity and inspire the next generation.”

A Place of Discovery, All Year Round

Attingham Park is a place where people have shaped the land, and been shaped by it, for millennia. Today, the estate offers miles of parkland, a vibrant walled garden, a impressive regency mansion, a large play area, and woodland trails.