One-day exhibition to showcase discoveries from Pork Pie Way

Get a sneak preview of some of the fascinating object found during construction of Pork Pie Way

Residents and visitors are invited to uncover thousands of years of history at a special one-day pop-up exhibition showcasing remarkable archaeological finds discovered during the construction of the Melton Mowbray distributor road – now officially named Pork Pie Way.

Taking place at Melton Carnegie Museum on Friday 22 May from 10am to 3pm, the free, family-friendly event will offer a rare glimpse into how the local landscape has evolved, from prehistoric times to the present day.

The exhibition is suitable for all ages and invites visitors to explore the hidden stories beneath Leicestershire’s landscape in an engaging and accessible setting.

It will feature an extraordinary range of artefacts unearthed during construction work on the £131 million road project, revealing a rich and varied past.

Highlights include prehistoric flint tools such as a Palaeolithic hammerstone dating back to around 12,000 BC, a Late Mesolithic blade, a Neolithic knife, and an Early Bronze Age barbed and tanged arrowhead.

Visitors will also be able to view pottery spanning centuries, including an Early Bronze Age Beaker vessel, Late Prehistoric and Roman Iron Age (Belgic) pottery from around AD 40, Samian ware stamps, and Saxon pottery dating to around AD 600.

Other fascinating finds include Roman coins, a brooch, a bone pin, a glass bead, and Saxon loom weights and a spindle whorl – and oldest of all, a fossilised vertebra from a Jurassic ichthyosaur -an enormous marine reptile that swam in the area’s ancient seas over 200 million years ago.

Visitors attending the exhibition will have the opportunity to meet archaeologists and specialists involved in the project, learn more about the excavation process, and ask questions about the discoveries. Most of the artefacts on display will also be available to handle.

Friday’s event offers a unique “sneak preview” of the finds before they are sent away for cataloguing and conservation, ahead of being allocated a permanent home, which is yet to be determined. Alongside the artefacts, a series of display boards and visual materials will help tell the story of the excavation and bring the site to life.

Visitors are encouraged to drop in throughout the day to explore the exhibition and uncover the fascinating stories hidden beneath Melton Mowbray’s landscape.

The one-day exhibition complements the fascinating permanent displays on show in the museum, which tell  the story of the area from pre-history to modern times.

 More information about Melton Carnegie Museum, including opening times and further details of the permanent displays, is available on the Melton Carnegie Museum

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