Historic finds at Exceat Bridge site

FRAGMENTS of pottery thought to date back thousands of years have been unearthed as work on a new bridge begins.

Before construction of a two-lane bridge designed to improve traffic flow at Exceat can begin, archaeologists are working on the site to ensure any historical items are recorded and preserved.

Archaeologists have dug a number of trenches at contractor Jackson Civil Engineering Group’s base and uncovered what is believed to be Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman pottery. 

Experts believe the finds might be evidence of an Iron Age field system or settlement and further digs are needed across the site to establish whether there are any additional remains. They will also be digging at the site where the new bridge will be built

While archaeological work continues, Jackson is working with East Sussex County Council to ensure construction can begin as soon as the site is ready.

The new two-lane bridge will be built offline meaning work can begin whilst the existing bridge remains open to traffic.

Whilst no full road closures are planned this year there will be some disruption as heavy machinery and material is brought onto site under road movement orders and details of these will be shared in advance.

Cllr Peter Griffiths, the county council’s lead member for transport and environment, said: “We’re keen to see construction work on the new bridge begin as soon as possible but the archaeological work is extremely important, and we need to ensure every effort is made to record and preserve the history of this site.

“Once built, the new two-lane Exceat Bridge will make a huge difference to the public, removing the pinch point on the A259 on an important route between Seaford and Eastbourne, improving travel times and reliability across our road network and supporting economic growth.”

The project is being funded by £19.18million from the UK Government and money from the county council’s capital budget.

Further information about the Exceat Bridge project can be found at About the Exceat Bridge | The Exceat Bridge | live.eastsussexhighways.com

Ends.

Karen Bowles

Tuesday, 16 June 2026