THE findings from the latest dig to rediscover a lost medieval settlement will be revealed at open days next month.

The Hapton Big Dig excavation took place in April at the late-medieval deer park site near the village.

Funded by the Hameldon Hill Community Fund, the dig lasted seven days, and around 10 trenches were dug.

The aim was to discover findings from the lost settlement of Birtwisle.

Cllr Joan Oakland, the project co-ordinator, who also sits on Hapton Parish Council, said: “We hoped to find evidence of structure and buildings in the area we dug.

“We think the people who lived there were probably poor, so there won’t be much gold or silver found.

“But we’re looking at buildings and the size of them.

“Currently we don’t have anything officially catalogued and but we hope to have it soon and discuss it on the open day.”

A joint project by Bluestone Archaeology CIC and Hapton Heritage Community, the group’s open days will coincide with the Hapton Heritage Festival.

Bluestone archaeologists will be on hand to show interested visitors around the site.

They will ask questions about the results and what has been found so far across the project.

Last year the project discovered the exact spot were Hapton Tower had stood during the 16th century.

The group found dozens of pieces of pottery, bones, flooring, mortar and flint from the site.

The tower was built by Sir John Towneley in 1510 and seen as a headquarters for hunting which took place in Hapton Park.

Speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph last year, Rob Philpott, a Bluestone Archaeology director, said: “The dig has been fantastic and I’m really pleased we’ve been able to find out where the tower is, we all knew it was here but we could not say for sure until we found evidence.”

Cllr Oakland said: “It’s so exciting, it’s been a fantastic project to be apart of.

“It’s changed the way I look at the landscape, I will look over the hills and never see it the same again.

“We want to get all of Hapton behind this and we are working with the nearby primary schools.”

The open days will be on Saturday, June 9, and Sunday, June 10, and the site will be open to the public from 11am to 5pm. Email Cllr Oakland to register interest, joanlakeland@outlook.com.