AN ARCHEOLOGY enthusiast is renewing his campaign for a dig in Birkby.

A host of archaeological interest has been focussed on two Huddersfield sites recently.

Now Stephen Priest, of Aspley, has suggested that Grimescar Woods may also hold hidden treasures.

In 1958, a kiln was discovered in the woods by school pupils. It operated as a tilery for the fort and dated back to 100AD.

Retired optician Mr Priest said: “I believe that the kiln may have supplied far more than just the roofing tiles for the fort.

“It may well have provided materials for many building projects much further afield.”

In a recent planning report put forward by Graham Bruce from On-Site Archeology, he wrote: “Many of the materials required for use within the fort were produced at the Roman industrial site discovered within Grimescar Woods.

“Tiles for use in the fort building and bath-house and pottery vessels were produced at this location.

“These products would have been brought to the fort along Roman Road 712.”

Trenches have currently been dug at Lindley Moor as archeologists hope to find remains of the road.

Mr Priest said: “Part of the trackway connecting the kiln in Grimescar woods to the Roman road from that York to Chester road is still visible to this day.”

“I feel that Grimescar Woods has not been explored to its full potential. There is evidence of buildings only 80 yards away from the kiln and I know previous digs did not include an 80 yard radius.”

“The problem is in order to do an archeological dig you need a large amount of money and expertise. I urge anyone who is interested in this to get involved.

“Clearly the full extent and nature of the Roman site in Grimescar Woods can only be determined by an excavation.”

Mr Priest, who is involved with several conservation groups, also campaigned for the dig in 2008.

Amateur archaeologists from the Huddersfield and District Archaeological Society recently campaigned to raise money for a dig at the Slack Fort in Outlane.

In June, Granville Clay, fieldwork co-ordinator of Huddersfield and District Archaeological Society, said: “We have found good evidence that the Romans were active at Slack for much longer than anyone previously imagined. This is the result of years of effort by dedicated amateur archaeologists.”

Mr Clay did not want to comment about the Grimescar Woods site.