LEICESTER, ENGLAND—Excavations in the heart of Leicester have provided a window into nearly 2,000 years of the city’s rich history, according to a statement released by the University of Leicester. The archaeological work is being carried out by University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) as part of a project aimed at renovating the city’s central market square. Among the oldest discoveries were two well-preserved Roman buildings, a rare Roman kiln, and the 1,900-year-old burial of an infant. These finds have offered new insights into domestic life and industry in the Roman town. The team also uncovered layers dating to the Anglo-Saxon and early medieval periods, including surfaces associated with the city’s very first market. “It’s like looking at a slice through an archaeological cake,” said ULAS archaeologist Gavin Speed. “We can see multiple market surfaces, each representing a different generation and some 800 years of market activity.” Perhaps most intriguing are the remnants of a dungeon once described in the mid-sixteenth century as “a most vile prison.” The structure is believed to have been part of a civic building called the Gainsborough Chamber, which served as a venue for judicial proceedings, mayoral business, feasting, and celebrations until it was demolished around 1748. The ongoing work has helped historians and archaeologists trace the development of the important public square and to follow the city’s evolution from the Roman era to today.
