News Beat
Digging For Britain films Roman discovery at Offerton, Sunderland
A television crew waded into the mud of the River Wear last summer to document what is now recognised as one of the most significant Roman industrial sites ever uncovered in the North East.
The Digging for Britain team spent a full day at Offerton, near Sunderland, in August 2025, one of only a handful of days each month when low tides make excavation possible.
Their visit will place national attention on a discovery that local amateur archaeologists had long hoped for – but never expected on this scale.
Members of the Vedra Hylton Community Association had been investigating the area for years, convinced that traces of Roman activity lay hidden along the riverbank.
They originally hoped to find evidence of a Roman crossing. Instead, a chance discovery of unusual stone objects set off a chain of events that revealed something far larger – a Romano‑British manufacturing site where whetstones were produced on an industrial scale.
More than 800 whetstones have now been recovered, making it the largest known collection of its kind in North West Europe.
The Digging for Britain crew, led on site by presenter Dr Tori Herridge, arrived to capture the excavation in progress.
Tori spent time with lead archaeologist Gary Bankhead, discussing the significance of the finds and the “secrets hidden in the mud and silt” that have reshaped understanding of the region’s ancient past.
Gary explained how the volume of whetstones, combined with the discovery of stone anchors, points to a busy riverside industry supplying tools potentially across the Roman Empire.
Tori also joined Durham University archaeology student Orlagh Carlin in one of the trenches.
Orlagh has been a key member of the excavation team, working alongside other students to catalogue and analyse the material emerging from the riverbank. Their work has helped confirm that the site was not a small‑scale workshop but a major production centre connected to wider Roman trade networks.
Before the television crew arrived, the Offerton team had filmed a series of dig diaries, documenting key moments in the excavation.
Tori was particularly interested in footage showing the discovery of ten stone anchors, strong evidence that boats regularly stopped at the site.
She joined the search for an eleventh anchor, donning waders and boots while divers Duncan Ross and Jezz Davies searched the riverbed.
When the divers located a promising object, the production team set up a live link to Gary so he could join the moment of discovery.
Tori’s excitement as she was handed the find by diver Duncan was evident as the moment was captured on camera.
Tori also asked about everyday objects that might confirm the site’s Roman origins.
She was shown an item uncovered by metal detectorist Charles McKinnie, a find that caught her attention – but the details of that particular artefact will be revealed in the broadcast.
At the end of the day, Tori returned to discuss her findings with the programme’s lead presenter, Dr Alice Roberts, reflecting on a site where investigations are still in their early stages.
With much of the riverbank unexplored, archaeologists believe there is still more to uncover.
Gary said: “Being featured on BBC’s Digging for Britain was an incredible opportunity to share our Roman discoveries with a global audience.
“I only wish more of the spotlight had fallen on the community volunteers and Durham archaeology students whose dedication behind the scenes made it all possible.”
For the Vedra Hylton volunteers, the broadcast marks a moment of vindication. What they suspected for years – Roman activity on the Wear – has now been confirmed on a scale few imagined.
The Digging For Britain episode featuring the Offerton dig will be broadcast on Wednesday, January 28 at 8pm on BBC2. It is also available on iPlayer.
