More than 300 graves have been discovered at one of the largest Roman cemeteries ever found in the United Kingdom.
The remains of the ancient Roman burial site were uncovered during excavation work for the construction of a 33-kilometre-long road in Cumbria, England. The discovery was made while work was underway to widen the A66 road between Penrith and Scotch Corner.
Archaeologists began investigations in 2025 ahead of the road expansion project. Although experts had been aware since the 1960s that the area had links to Roman-era settlements, they had never previously had the opportunity to carry out large-scale excavations at the site.
The findings provide valuable insight into burial practices from the early Roman period. Dr Lauren McIntyre confirmed evidence of around 340 graves, indicating that both cremation and burial were practiced at the cemetery.
According to experts, the site may be even larger than what has been excavated so far, suggesting that further discoveries could still be made.
