There are doubts over whether a fresh hunt for King John’s lost treasure will reveal any riches - but some hopes for a “surprise” remain.
Land at The Marsh in Walpole St Andrew will be examined in the near future in a bid to see if any artefacts of significance can be unearthed before a new solar farm is built on the site.
The dig is one of the conditions placed upon developer Enso Green Holdings, which was granted permission to construct the facility after an appeal.
Archaeologists from the West Norfolk and King’s Lynn Archaeological Society (WNKLAS) have been entrusted with the hunt.
King John came to Lynn shortly before his death in 1216, and is reputed to have lost his treasures while crossing The Wash as he headed west towards the site of his death at Newark Castle.
Despite excitement over the latest search for it, there is some scepticism as to whether anything of note will be found.
Clive Bond, chairman of WNKLAS, told the Lynn News: “Whenever you do any field work in that part of Norfolk, you get local people talking about it.
“People are always inquisitive over whether something is still there, but you are looking at a landscape that has been reclaimed.
“It is a very difficult landscape to work in.”
However, Mr Bond does believe that there will be “something in that area which needs to be recorded”, although he is unsure what it may be.
“There is likely to be something there, but the likelihood of it being related to this time of King John is pretty unlikely,” he added, suggesting that it may be a one in a million chance.
Lynn historian Dr Paul Richards said: “It is something which crops up every time there is a development in that area. Everyone gets excited that they are going to find King John’s treasure.
“If he did have treasure, he would probably have spent it all.
“If anything is found, it would be sheer luck. How would you possibly know where to excavate?
“I am happy to be surprised, and I will be as interested as anyone else, but I just think it is just one of those folk stories.”
Planning permission to build on the site was granted by the Government’s Planning Inspectorate after an appeal, with West Norfolk Council originally refusing Enso Green Holdings’ proposals.
Work will result in the installation of a solar farm and battery storage facility with associated infrastructure.
Conditions stated that no work can commence until a Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) and a timetable for a programme and reporting of archaeological works were submitted to the borough council, which has now approved them.
The site, which is located to the west of Walpole Marsh, is made up of two large arable fields.
King John is remembered today through the statue of him in Lynn’s town centre, which was unveiled in 2016, and priceless artefacts such as the King John Cup.
Despite widespread stories about his wagon being lost to flooding in medieval times - resulting in the loss of his treasure in the marshes - there are some doubts over the reliability of these tales.
Dr Richards told the Lynn News he believes that if King John did have treasure, he would not have been carrying it with him through the marshes - and would have likely kept it safe at nearby Wisbech Castle instead.
Despite that, he admits that the latest search could unveil artefacts of some sort.
“Something could be found,” he said.
“For example, they might find a few wagon wheels. They might find a few bits and so on, if they were made of metal.
“But the idea of finding treasure is a different thing.”
Mr Bond said the WNKLAS dig is likely to be conducted using two main methods - field walking and metal detecting.
He believes it will primarily focus on the surface area of the land.
Archaeology advisors from Norfolk County Council and Lincolnshire County Council, both of which cover some areas of the site, have been involved in putting together the WSI.
Mr Bond said he believes this means they are confident that something of note will be found during the dig.
