Test Pit 3:         High Street

1st June 2013

By Martin Cuthbert

Test Pit 3 was located on the west side of the High Street at its northern end, just south of “Castle Mound”, a scheduled ancient monument. The property once formed a stable block relating to a neighbouring property.

The purpose of the castle mound is still unknown. Was it a Medieval motte and bailey castle? A prehistoric or Saxon burial mound? We hoped this test pit could answer these questions.

To put it bluntly sadly it didn’t.

A huge build up  (1.05m) of modern made ground, containing brick, mortar, tiles and blue and white china underlay the topsoil. This test pit was either located in a large pit, that has been backfilled with modern rubbish. or the area has been terraced prior to the construction of the stable block.

A huge thank you to all our volunteers, Pauline from LBDAHS and of course Ann and Ernie for letting us dig a hole in their garden.