Our experts have helped uncover evidence of a Roman industrial hub on the banks of the River Wear, at Offerton, near Sunderland.
Excavations discovered over 800 whetstones (stone bars used to sharpen bladed tools and weapons), and 11 stone anchors. The dig was led by the Vedra Hylton Community Association and supported by our Department of Archaeology.
The discovery is the largest known whetstone find of the period in North West Europe. It places North East England firmly within Roman Britain’s sophisticated manufacturing and trade network.
The excavations, which took place across six months in 2025, are featured in the new series of Digging for Britain on BBC Two and iPlayer.
To confirm the finds were Roman, our archaeologists analysed the sediment layer containing the whetstones, using Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) testing.
OSL measures when minerals such as quartz were last exposed to sunlight. Over time, these minerals build up a tiny store of energy while buried. When stimulated with light or heat in the laboratory, the minerals release this energy as a faint glow, which tells experts how long they have been underground.
The results of the OSL testing showed that sediment samples taken directly below the whetstone discovery were dated to 42-184AD. The sediment sample taken from the whetstone layer was dated to 104-238AD – during the Roman period in Britain.
Whetstones were vital tools in every aspect of Roman life – from the domestic and commercial to the agricultural, industrial, medical, and military.
The abundance and condition of the whetstones discovered by the team indicate Offerton was likely a major production hub in Roman Britain.
A corresponding sandstone outcrop on the opposite side of the river, suggests that this could be the first Roman site found in Britain where stone was deliberately quarried for whetstone production.
Alongside the 800 whetstones excavated, the team believe that there are hundreds, possibly thousands, more that remain buried within the riverbank.
The whetstones include examples in various stages of production, from roughly worked pieces still bearing tool marks to examples with smooth surfaces and finished edges.
The team also found 65 ‘doubles’ – whetstones still conjoined prior to splitting – along with a rare ‘treble’.
The recorded whetstones are all damaged and were likely discarded during production as they no longer met the required length. The Roman Army was particular about the uniformity of its equipment.
Five stone anchors were also unearthed by the fieldwork team during 2025.
Six stone anchors had been recovered in the adjacent stretch of river in 2022. This brings the total to 11 – the largest number of stone anchors ever found at any northern European river site to date.
The team believe the anchors could have been used by river going vessels transporting slabs of sandstone across the river for whetstone preparation.
As well as whetstones and stone anchors, the team also discovered:
Collectively, these discoveries could extend the known timeline of human activity along this part of the River Wear by over 1,800 years.
Natural riverbank erosion exposing previously unrecorded whetstones.
Eleven bar-shaped whetstones found/recorded on the north foreshore.
Stone anchor found on the south side foreshore.
Drone image of trench 2 at low spring tide. It revealed many small finds and a section of an early stone wall.
A pair of ‘double’ whetstone lying in the foreshore mud.
A single bar-shaped whetstone showing tool mark.
A group of whetstones recorded in situ foreshore mud. Image credit: Keith Cockerill
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