Archaeologists are set to dig around the settlement and stream that gave a town its name to try and find houses dating back more than 800 years.

Excavation work is set to begin in Manor Gardens in Borough Lane, Eastbourne, to try and find traces of buildings dating back to the 13th century.

The work is set to take place near the Bourne settlement and stream which give the town its name and is part of a council-backed project to discover more about the history of Eastbourne.

Eastbourne Borough Council lead for tourism Margaret Bannister said: This is yet another exciting project looking at our rich heritage in this part of Eastbourne.

“It will be wonderful to see exactly what the archaeologists discover, and I am sure visitors that pop along to the excavation will benefit from finding out about the history of the area.”

Works as part of The Big Dig project will be held in Manor Gardens from February 26 for a week.

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The Big Dig aims to uncover the development of a downland settlement from a small farming community to a thriving conurbation through community test-pitting across the town of Eastbourne.

The excavation works will include test pits in Borough Lane and in the Parsonage in St Mary’s Church.

Archaeologists believe that traces of buildings dating back to the 13th century may still be on the sites after the area was cleared to create Manor Garden in the mid-18th century.

Visitors can attend the excavation in Manor Gardens on Tuesday, February 26 and Wednesday, February 27 between 10am and 4pm.

The dig is taking place in conjunction with the National Trust, Changing Chalk and the National Lottery.

It is also part of the Blue Heart Project which looks at innovative ways to predict and mitigate the impacts of flooding in Eastbourne and southern Wealden.

Eastbourne takes its name from the Bourne settlement and stream which developed into the town it is today from four separate hamlets surrounding the stream.