Anchors away! To the archive.

Very nice button with anchor motif

Two fragments of a finely made dish with decoration

We've been tagged

This very nice tag was unearthed this week

An important new addition to our wall collection

The H4 trench has unearthed a new section of wall which will add to our understanding of the location and dimensions of the house. This second season has seen a big leap in our progress to bring an important structure back into the life and memory of Stalbridge.

Always nice to get stoned.

Nice piece of worked stone came up to day.

Our hopes are not floored.

Great news at Stalbridge: the new trench has produced a floor surface, plus possible evidence of the 'Great Sellar'. The next few weeks will be concentrating on these features. An exciting addition to our site.

The site dog keeps an eye on things

The floor surface - with drain!

The green clay to the left seems to be cut by the orange rubble material to the right. 'The Great Seller'?

Quality materials

The quality of the materials used on Stalbridge House continues to be found. 

Nicely worked stone

Nicely shaped glass

It's been a trial...

Finishing off a trial trench then onto the main excavation to the north-west, where we will open a 5m square to see if the house wall runs in that direction and if it does we can open the area to 10m square by machine. Fingers crossed we get floor surfaces etc this time.

Trench Q awaiting back filling

Reducing the overburden of dumped material by hand - hard work

But worthwhile when more structures appear

"You want this taken down by hand?!"

Archaeology - what can you do? The walls we have dug at Stalbridge are good, but the house may run off them to the North-West, not the South-East! 
Local research and geophiz suggested the latter, but careful measurements (of the existing walled garden - it was extended) and reinterpretation of what looked like a classic 17th c. garden suggest the former, as this garden may actually be the house, as suggested by the old map (which we were skeptical of). 
It's 50/50, so a 5m square test pit is needed to find out. I was not a happy bunny yesterday morning, but now it could be quite exciting to have floor surfaces. 

[The drone shot north arrow is wrong]