A group of archaeologists working alongside the A14 have found what is believed to be the first beer brewed in the UK while working on a project to widen a major road.

The group estimated the discovery is from as far back as 400BC after finding charred residue that is believed to be from the beer making process.

Highways England Archaeology Lead on the project, Dr Steve Sherlock,
has said: “It’s a well-known fact that ancient populations used the beer-making process to purify water and create a safe source of hydration.

“But this is potentially the earliest physical evidence of that process taking place in the UK.”

The tiny fragments of residue were found by one of the 250 archaeologists on the MOLA Headland Infrastructure project, Lara Gonzalez, who stated: “I knew when I looked at these tiny fragments under the microscope that I had something special.”

Ancient beer isn’t the only thing that’s been found on the project – prehistoric burial grounds, a medieval village, and a woolly mammoth tusk were also discovered.