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Time team follows line of New Tyne Crossing

A team of archaeologists will begin digging along the line of the second Tyne vehicle tunnel on Monday to see if they can find significant traces of the past. Eight trenches around 10ft deep will be dug – six in Jarrow and two near East Howdon. The archaeologists, from Durham University, will have between six and eight weeks to find out what significant history, if any, lies hidden underground.

This initial archaeological investigation is being carried out well in advance of work beginning on the New Tyne Crossing in 2008 to enable a full evaluation of any significant historical finds that occur, and to ensure that work on the second tunnel is not held up.

Councillor Tom Hanson, vice chair of Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority, said: “It’s timely to do this now so the New Tyne Crossing can be delivered on time. It will be interesting to see what - if anything - we can discover of the history of this part of Tyneside as a result. The excavations may well tell us more about the early industrial era of Jarrow and East Howdon.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .