Shrewsbury Castle Dig Diary: Day Four

Day four of the dig at Shrewsbury Castle saw the archaeology getting really complicated. At our end of the trench it was mostly a continuation of day three, working down in the hope of getting back to older layers and artefacts. There were good signs early on in the day with the discovery of some of the first late medieval green glazed pottery. However, at one end an unusual context containing plenty of late pottery turned out to be a ditch for a water pipe put in during the 1920’s. It may be that the medieval evidence has been disturbed previously and therefore is present in upper layers, higher than we might have expected. With plenty of information coming in Nigel and Dai have taken levels and we have prepared the trench for proper photographs tomorrow morning.

Dr Nigel Baker and Dr David Williams taking levels as University Centre Shrewsbury Volunteers work on in the foreground

Today has been a very good day out of the trench. Where levels of interaction with the public have been high all week today has been particularly busy. We have been cleaning finds yesterday and today which have been displayed to the public, sparking many a conversation with the volunteer team all day until the rain came. The glass wine seal has been a huge hit. It has been both satisfying and rewarding for volunteers and members of the public as we have been able to really engage visitors in explaining why we are digging and visitors young and old from tour groups to language students and families have been able to learn about the history of the Castle in a visual way.

Dr Morn Capper, University Centre Shrewsbury, with new volunteer Kathryn Bailey discuss early finds with the pubic

Tom Bowen, University Centre Shrewsbury, writing on behalf of all volunteers working on the excavation at Shrewsbury Castle.