A HISTORIC dig to find a lost village around the former Hapton Tower has been given a boost by the National Lottery.

Bluestone Archaeology CIC, in partnership with Hapton Heritage Committee, has received a £62,000 grant towards the ‘Hapton Big Dig’ project.

The scheme, led by local volunteers, will look to explore the ground surrounding Hapton Tower and locate the ‘lost hamlet of Birtwistle’.

Project director Steve Baldwin said: “We are delighted to have received the support of National Lottery players.

“We are confident the project will point us in the right direction and help us discover more about Hapton Tower and its relationship with the Towneley family and maybe even locate the lost hamlet of Birtwistle.”

The money has been awarded by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The project will take place in Deer Park in search for the medieval settlement first documented in 1193.

It is thought the building of Hapton Tower by Sir John Towneley at the site around 1510 led to the demise and sweeping away of the settlement.

Work will be taking place on the North-facing slops of Hameldon hill on land which once held the deer of the Townley family.

The project will start with a survey of the earthwork this month before the Hapton Big Dig archaeological excavations will start in June and run throughout the summer.

Local historian and Burnley councillor Roger Frost said: “It’s very good news that they’ve got this money, they should be able to do a pretty good job with it.

“Very little work has been done on the site before but they will hopefully be able to find out where it was.

“It will be intriguing to see what they find.”

The project will involve a display at the Towneley Hall Museum and libraries in Burnley and Padiham.