Town’s hidden history revealed by dig project

An archaeological dig to discover the hidden history of an area of Southwell has come to an end.

Members of Southwell Archaeology worked with Nottingham University to investigate what lay underneath the Burgage.

The group suspected the earthworks in the area could have formed part of an Iron Age fort.

Instead, they discovered the remains of a Medieval settlement dating from between the 11th and 13th centuries.

They reached their conclusion after digging 21 test pits.

Mr John Lock, chairman of South–well Archaeology, said he was pleased with how the investigation, funded by a lottery grant, had gone.

He said: “We have not found anything like King Richard or pots of gold but that doesn’t matter to me and my members.

“The project was meant to look at the earthworks on the Burgage and as it happens we have never come in to the earthworks, but I think it was entirely right that we focused on the part of the story that we have.

“It isn’t an Iron Age hill fort as far as we know at the moment but what we have got is a wonderful little story about the history of the town.”

Mr Lock said the latest dig had not revealed any new evidence.

He said: “The evidence still appears to point to a medieval planned settlement laid out in regular plots around a central village green.

“At one end was a chapel dedicated to St Thomas the Martyr and at the other end a hall, which the records call Toad Hall, probably a corruption of The Old Hall.

“A number of test pits revealed significant cobbled areas and a large amount of 12th and 13th century pottery in situ.”

Mr Lock said the next stage of the project was to clean and sort the various pieces of pottery found on the site.

He said: “The group is very fortunate that, with the support of an Arts and Humanities Research Council connected communities award and Nottingham University, we have secured the services of Jane Young, a pottery expert.

“The finds from the test pits have to be washed and sorted. Then and only then can Jane and other experts look at them and we hope fill in some of the missing parts of the story.

“So far all of the evidence still seems to suggest that this part of the Burgage may have been mainly small cottage plots and small holdings built as a new extension to the adjoining township of Southwell.

“In the 18th and 19th centuries many of these small cottages were demolished to make way for the large houses one sees today.”

Mr Lock said although the project was nearing an end he was looking forward to what the future will hold for the archaeology group.

He said: “We’re going to have a celebration towards the end of October when we have produced the final report, so that is all very exciting.”