Archaeologists want to discover if a Viking boat is buried underneath the car park of the Railway pub in Meols.
There has been speculation about the ancient boat for many years – but this is the first time a proper investigation has been carried out.
Around 100 narrow bore holes will be drilled across a wide area in front of the building later this month, to retrieve small samples of wood and other materials for carbon dating analysis.
Chair of Wirral Archaeology Community Interest Company, Dominga Devitt, said: “There has been intense local interest in this buried object for many years.
“It has been thought the boat dates from the Viking era but no professional investigation has ever been carried out to establish the truth, so everyone is really delighted at the prospect of what we might discover.”
The team have drafted in archaeologist Charlie Jones, who has spent many years researching the Battle of Fulford in 1066.
He will be joined by Professor Stephen Harding, a scientist who is an acknowledged expert on Viking settlements in Wirral.
Professor Harding said: “The boat is purported to be a very old wooden clinker (overlapping planks), a design of boat building that originated in Scandinavia, and is buried in waterlogged blue clay – a great preservative – and similar to the clay in which the famous Norwegian clinker boats, the Oseberg and Gokstad were deliberately buried.
“The position and depth suggest it is very old, when Meols was a vibrant seaport and Wirral hosted a large Scandinavian community.”
Lisa Jones, general manager of The Railway, said: “Team Railway is very happy to be part of this historic moment for Meols and supports the work of the Wirral Archaeology group.
“There is a buzz of excitement around this and we look forward to find out what is buried beneath the pub car park.”
The work is due to start on Saturday 18 February.