Millom History Society celebrates a successful year

The society hosted a range of events last year including Medieval Millom, Millom Castle and the English Civil Wars, and a nostalgic film night with Cumbria Film Archive.

The beginnings of 2023 marked the unveiling of their inaugural book, "Millom and District: Prehistoric Past".

2024 could also see the publication of "Millom Castle, the Huddlestons and the English Civil Wars," a timely release corresponding with the siege of Millom Castle's 380th anniversary in October.

A grant from the government's Levelling Up programme in Spring facilitated geophysical surveys in the vicinity of the church and castle.

More recently, the Society gained funding from the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeology Society for specialist drone surveys of certain fields.

These include the location where two brothers struck upon Bronze/Iron Age axe heads.

The bronze axe head (Image: Andy Deakin)

The surveys, scheduled for Spring 2024, will take in Millom Castle and reveal a robust 3D model to scrutinize any Civil War remnants and relics from various periods.

There are hopes for an ambitious follow-up, with attempts to secure funding for a large-scale community archaeology dig.

Success would see volunteers trained to find evidence in trenches earmarked by previous surveys.

Jan Bridget, the chair of the Society, said: "As Old Millom has been inhabited since at least the Bronze Age and possibly earlier, we could find anything but are especially looking out for evidence linked to Prehistory, Roman, Medieval and the Civil Wars.”

The project could take place in the summer, if funding comes soon enough, with Digging for Britain having already shown an interest.