THE previously undiscovered remains of a North-East Roman settlement were packed with visitors yesterday.

The significance of the site at Faverdale, in Darlington, was discovered as a result of standard archaeological investigations for the development of a new Argos warehouse.

Robin Taylor-Wilson, of Pre-Construct Archaeology, who has been working on the site since July, said the eight-hectare area was packed with visitors yesterday eager to see the historic remains.

He said that the remains of Iron Age roundhouses, which pre-date the Roman remains, have also been found.

"The site would date 200BC to 400AD, but we can't be totally accurate on that yet," he said. "This is the first Roman remains to be uncovered in Darlington, but the site was definitely an Iron Age settlement before that.

"We think the occupation of the site continues into the Roman period and probably right through the Roman period, but we need to have all the pottery looked at by specialists before we can confirm that.

"It would have been an extensive settlement, but it's difficult to say how many people lived here."

Artefacts found at the site so far include pottery from both Iron Age and Roman periods, as well as pottery made by local people during the Roman period and items imported from Europe.

Pottery from the Iron Age is relatively scarce in the North-East, but it has been found in relatively large quantities at Faverdale.

There are also animal bones, as well as evidence of metalwork objects, brooches, tweezers, and quern-stones, which would have been used for grinding corn into flour.

A team of 30 archaeologists has been working on the site since July. They will finish their excavations next month.

Mr Taylor-Wilson said all of the items found at the site would be displayed in a museum.

"There are Roman settlements at Piercebridge and near Yarm, but in the town no settlement has been found before, so in that respect it is really exciting. It's a big site and a pretty big find. We are uncovering more and more as we go along."

During the open day, Pre-Construct Archaeology stewards conducted short tours of the site for small groups.