Archaeological excavations in Somerset have revealed evidence of a প্রায় 6,000-year-old wooden trackway, likely used by early Neolithic communities to cross the area’s waterlogged marshes.
The excavation, carried out on behalf of Somerset Wildlife Trust and the Species Survival Fund, uncovered the ancient structure preserved beneath layers of peat at Honeygar—Somerset Wildlife Trust’s first rewilding site.
The team was initially commissioned to assess the condition of a known prehistoric trackway, a Historic England scheduled monument believed to date to around 4,600 years ago. During this work, however, archaeologists identified a second trackway approximately 1,000 years older. Constructed from birchwood poles and brushwood, it has been radiocarbon dated to between 3770 and 3640 BC.
Trackways were raised wooden walkways designed to traverse marshland environments that once covered large areas of the British Isles, enabling movement across otherwise inaccessible terrain. The peat-rich conditions at Honeygar have enabled this structure to survive for millennia, along with preserved remains of the flora and fauna that once characterised the wetland ecosystem.
However, these environments are increasingly under threat. More frequent droughts linked to climate change are putting peatlands—and the archaeological material they contain—at risk. Conservation work at Honeygar focuses on maintaining stable water levels to prevent peat degradation while safeguarding the site’s historic features.
The oxygen-poor conditions within peat create an environment highly favourable for preservation, safeguarding not only wooden structures but also pollen, plant remains, insects and microscopic organisms. Together, these materials form detailed archives of past environmental conditions and human activity over extended timescales.
Environmental archaeologists are now examining soil samples from the site to reconstruct former landscapes and ecological dynamics. The results are expected to deepen understanding of the area’s historical development while supporting ongoing efforts to restore its wetland ecosystem.
Bruce Eaton, Senior Project Manager leading the excavation said: “Having grown up locally, I have always viewed the Moors as a very special place. To be involved in a project which not only aims to restore valuable habitat but will also protect vulnerable archaeology has been a privilege. This discovery further adds to our knowledge of Somerset’s complex ancient landscape.”
The excavation forms part of Somerset Wildlife Trust’s long-term, 50-year project to restore Honeygar following decades of intensive farming, with the aim of creating a biodiverse wetland and preserving its lowland peat.
Sources : Wessex Archaeology
