WORKERS have stumbled on the first medieval pottery site to be found in the Yorkshire Dales.

A team from Yorkshire Water, working on a £1.8m water pipeline, made their discovery at Healey, near Masham, North Yorkshire.

Small fragments of pottery were unearthed when preparation work began on the scheme to improve drinking water quality in local villages.

Northern Archaeological Associates, which has worked with Yorkshire Water on many projects, was called in to excavate the site, and its investigations revealed the remains of a medieval potters workshop, a first for the region.

The dig, which is being paid for by the water company, represents one of the largest archaeological investigations in Yorkshire for some years.

The artefacts found include remnants of a kiln structure located within the potters' workshop, which were discovered a metre below the ground, buried under about 100,000 pieces of pottery.

Archaeologist Phil Neal said: "This really is an amazing find. Never before in this area has pottery of such historical significance been found.

"The foundation of the potters workshop is currently visible, the kiln surrounded by a dry stone wall, it is magnificent to look at."

He said the site was a major discovery, and just by looking at some of the samples of pottery it was evident it was more than 500 years old.