Human remains found at former police HQ could be 2,000 years old

North Yorkshire Police's ex-HQ at Newby Wiske Hall was originally built in 1684

Human remains found in the grounds of a former police headquarters in North Yorkshire could date from about 2,000 years ago, archaeologists have said.

Bones and a human molar were found together with several artefacts by builders at Newby Wiske Hall, near Northallerton, in April.

The Grade II-listed mansion was North Yorkshire Police's headquarters from 1976 until 2017 and has since been acquired by PGL children's activity holidays.

Early research work had identified that fragments of a pot found with the remains dated from the late Iron Age or early Romano-British periods, PGL said.

Builders installing drains outside the mansion first spotted the remains on 14 April, buried about 3ft (1m) beneath concrete and close to what had previously been the police canteen.

Permission for a full exhumation was later granted by the Ministry of Justice.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, PGL said work to examine and study the remains was still at an early stage.

"Early examination of the accompanying pottery potentially links it to the late Iron Age or early Romano-British period," a spokesperson said.

The period runs from 100BC and 43AD respectively.

"This is very exciting and only adds to the significance of this wonderful site," the spokesperson added.

York Archaeology said the fragments were believed to have been from a coarse ware vessel, such as everyday pottery jars, dishes and bowls which were used for cooking, storage and transporting goods.

Newby Wiske Hall was opened as a district police training centre in 1954 and became the North Yorkshire force's headquarters in 1976.

PGL had initially agreed to purchase the 17th Century mansion in 2017, but the £2.5m deal was only concluded in 2021 due to legal issues.