Ancient remains have been unearthed as part of the £1.5billion port project in Stanford-le-Hope (Essex, England). A team of 40 archaeologists have discovered a salt extraction site dating back 2,000 years to the Iron Age as part of the excavation work.
The remains, including buildings, pottery, money and animal bones, were discovered by archaeologists working for port developers DP World.
     Marcus Pearson, environment manager at London Gateway, said discoveries at the site will be on show at local museums. He said: "The excavation is one of the largest to be investigated by archaeologists in Essex for over 100 years. Experts from Oxford Archaeology have been working on an area of farmland next to Mucking Creek, three miles away from the proposed dock. Katrina Anker, from Oxford Archaeology, said: "The site provides a unique history into late Iron Age and Roman salt-making, which was an important industry in the Thames Estuary between 2,300 and 1,700 years ago.
     The work has to be done to compensate for mudflats lost when the Thames is dredged to allow for bigger ships. In a few weeks time their work will then be filled in and the sea wall breached by the end of the year.

Source: Thurrock Gazette (16 September 2009)