Archaeology breakthrough: Inside the stunning discovery made during UK excavation
Archaeologists have discovered the remains of an "exciting" discovery during an excavation in West Sussex.
Archaeologists have discovered the remains of an “exciting” discovery during an excavation in West Sussex.
Experts working in Chichester’s Priory Park uncovered the remains during the excavation which is set to finish on Monday.
This dig began on May 21 and marks the seventh in Priory Park in recent years, which previously discovered the remains of a ditch, now the focus of this year’s excavation.
A Roman house and its accompanying baths have been found in previous years. Decorative floor tiles from the late medieval period and roof materials believed to be from the Tudor period are also among previous finds.
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An open day is being held on Saturday for people to visit and hear about the discovery, and members of the public can watch the dig until June 3. Talks will be given at 10am, midday and 3pm on Saturday.
The team from the Chichester and District Archaeology Society discovered the remains of a Norman military causeway that would have led to the city’s 11th-century castle. Norman soldiers would have used it as a means of protecting the castle, crossing it on wooden beams over the masonry via foot, horse or with carts. The beams would then have been removed so invaders would not be able to cross the motte.
The archaeologists' work this year was informed by a series of geophysics and ground-penetrating radar scans carried out in 2022.
James Kenny, Chichester District Council's archaeologist said: "The castle was probably built directly after the Norman Invasion in 1067 or 1068 by Earl Roger Montgomery.
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"He was one of the most important Norman barons, in charge of most of what would become West Sussex."
Kenny, leader of the project, said the bridge is “an exciting discovery because this is the first time since the Middle Ages that people have been able to view what would have been a very impressive military defensive system."
The team found key architecture that would have formed the bridge’s structure, including a “robust corner block - or ‘quoin’ - made of limestone, which would have been imported for the purpose”. Putlog holes, into which oak beams would have been inserted to help form a scaffolding system, were also discovered.
He added: "The structure is extremely impressive and solidly constructed."