Trenches at Middleham Castle

Explore the open archaeological data from our digs at Middleham Castle

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  • MDC
  • 4
  • A continuation of trench 2, given a new trench number to make it clear it was excavated in separate seasons and for clarity on site.

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Contexts

  • Context: MDC_4000
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    • Turf and topsoil in trench 4. Moderately loose dark greyish brown silt with occasional small to medium sized sub angular sandstone chunks.
    • Nat Jackson
    • 23-3-2021
  • Context: MDC_4001
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    • Gravel layer visible across most of trench. Compacted light grey brown sandy silt with 40-50% inclusions of small sub angular pieces of gravel. This gravel layer covered the entire area of the trench, with the exception of the approx 1.00m extension into the southern LOE, a previous 2019 trench, where only backfill was encountered.
    • Ben Swain
    • 24-3-2021
  • Context: MDC_4002
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    • Cut of 2019 trench 2 excavation, partially visible within trench 4. L-shaped 2019 trench with vertical sides and a flat base. The break of slope at the top and bottom was very sharp.
    • Ben Swain
    • 24-3-2021
  • Context: MDC_4003
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    • Backfill of 2019 trench 2 excavation, partially visible within trench 4
    • Ben Swain
    • 24-3-2021
  • Context: MDC_4004
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    • Rubble layer across most of trench 4. Compacted mid greyish brown sandy silt with 40-50% small to medium sized sub angular sandstone pieces, occasional larger pieces.
    • Ben Swain
    • 24-3-2021
  • Context: MDC_4005
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    • Rubble layer to West of trench 4. Same as 4004. Compacted mid greyish brown sandy silt with 40-50% small to medium sized sub angular sandstone pieces, occasional larger pieces.
    • Ben Swain
    • 24-3-2021
  • Context: MDC_4006
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    • Crushed Mortar spread to East of trench 4. Moderately compact light yellowish brown silty sand with 30-50% inclusions of crushed mortar.
    • Ben Swain
    • 24-3-2021
  • Context: MDC_4007
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    • Crushed mortar layer to south west of trench 4. Moderately compact light yellowish brown silty sand with 30-50% inclusions of crushed mortar.
    • Ben Swain
    • 31-3-2021
  • Context: MDC_4008
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    • Silty Layer with rubble, beneath rubble layer 4004 (outside of building). Soft mid greyish brown sandy silt with 30% small - medium limestone rubble including thin longer potential roof tiles.
    • Ben Swain
    • 7-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4009
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    • Silty Layer with rubble, beneath rubble layer 4004 (inside the building). Soft mid greyish brown sandy silt with 20% small - medium limestone rubble including thin longer potential roof tiles.
    • Ben Swain
    • 8-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4010
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    • Stones blocking up entrance way through walls 4023 and 4024. Compacted mid greyish brown sandy silt with 50-70% inclusions of medium to large sized sub angular sandstone pieces. Substantial worked masonry stones.
    • Ben Swain
    • 8-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4011
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    • Brown/yellow mottled moderately soft friable clayey silt layer between walls 4026 and 4027. Moderately soft friable dark yellowish brown clayey silt with 10-15% charcoal inclusions and occasional mortar flecks.
    • Ben Swain
    • 12-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4012
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    • Silting deposit with charcoal. Moderately compact dark grey brown clayey silt with regular charcoal and mortar flecks. Charcoal rich possible occupation deposit
    • Ben Swain
    • 12-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4013
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    • Orangey yellow mottled layer above possible occupation deposit 4012. Moderately compact light yellowish brown silty clay with frequent charcoal and mortar flecks
    • Ben Swain
    • 12-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4014
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    • Rubble possible foundation layer running underneath wall 4023. Very compact dark grey brown silt with 15% charcoal flecks, 40-50% medium sized sub angular sandstone rubble.
    • Ben Swain
    • 12-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4015
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    • Yellowish brown mottled layer
    • Ben Swain
    • 13-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4016
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    • Rubble layer (remains of the 2019 trench 2 section in the SE corner of the trench). Friable mid yellowish brown silty clay with 20% sub angular stones with patches of charcoal and mortar
    • Ben Swain
    • 13-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4017
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    • Layer between walls 4025 and 4026 within 2m slot. Compacted mid yellowish brown silty sand with occasional charcoal and mortar flecks.
    • Ben Swain
    • 13-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4018
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    • Layer between walls 4024 and 4025 within 2m slot. Moderately compacted mid yellowish brown silty sand with 10-15% small to medium sized sub angular sand stone pieces, occssional charcoal, CBM and mortar flecks.
    • Ben Swain
    • 13-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4019
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    • Layer beneath 4009 internal to building
    • Ben Swain
    • 13-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4020
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    • Rubble possible foundation layer running underneath wall 4023.Moderately compact dark grey brown silt with 30-40% inclusions of small to medium sized sandstone sub angular pieces, regular charcoal flecks.
    • Ben Swain
    • 13-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4021
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    • Brownish layer butting up against walls underneath (4016). Firm mid red/ orange brown sandy silt with 20% small limestone/ mortar chunks and sub angular stones. Same as (4032)
    • David Wallace
    • 13-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4022
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    • Sandy yellow layer. Soft mid yellowish brown sandy silt with 10% very small sub angular stones, cbm flecks and charcoal.
    • David Wallace
    • 13-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4023
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    • N-S and E-W aligned wall in trench 4. Dolostone, 0.22x0.20 representative size of materials, very rough/ poor finish of stones, random uncoursed, wall foundation, north and south faces visible, occasional whitish lime mortar patches and mostly unbounded.
    • Ben Swain
    • 14-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4024
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    • E-W aligned wall in trench 4. Dolostone, 0.23mx0.20m approx average representation size of materials, very rough/ poor finish of stones, random uncoursed, stone wall foundation, north and south faces visible, Occasional patches of whitish lime mortar and predominantly unbonded.
    • Ben Swain
    • 14-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4025
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    • E-W aligned wall in trench 4. Dolostone, 0.31x0.15 largest stone visible size of materials, roughly finished, random uncoursed, wall foundation, north and south face visible, occasional areas of whitish lime mortar and mostly unbonded.
    • Ben Swain
    • 14-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4026
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    • E-W aligned wall in trench 4. Dolostone, 0.21x0.22m average size of materials, roughly finished, random coursed, two courses visible, wall foundation, north and south faces visible, northern face may have been partially robbed and occasional patches of whitish lime mortar visible.
    • Ben Swain
    • 14-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4027
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    • E-W aligned wall extending from eastern LOE, abutting wall 4040. Dolostone, 0.30x0.20m average size of materials, roughly finished, random coursed, wall foundation, north and south facing, whitish lime mortar with occasional small gravel inclusions.
    • Ben Swain
    • 14-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4028
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    • Firm brown clay under 4021, potentially made ground. Hard mid orange/ red brown clay with very rare small sub angular stones and small sub circular limestone chunk. Vast majority of layer clean.
    • David Wallace
    • 14-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4029
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    • Greyish limestone layer under 4021. Soft light whitish grey sandy silt with rare small sub angular stones. Similar to 4030 but may have been left from 2019 excavations
    • David Wallace
    • 14-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4030
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    • Greyish limestone patch under 4021 similar to 4029. Friable light whitish grey sandy silt with <10% small sub angular stones.
    • David Wallace
    • 14-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4031
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    • Light brown silty clay layer beneath 4015, a possible made ground. Compacted light greyish brown silty clay with 5-10% charcoal flecks, occasional small rounded pebbles.
    • Ben Swain
    • 14-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4032
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    • Very dark charcoal layer under both 4022 and 4029. Very dark black brown silty sand with 40% small chunks of charcoal and 10% small sub angular stones and limestones lumps. Same as (4021)
    • David Wallace
    • 14-4-2021
  • Context: MDC_4033
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    • Reddish brown sandy clay layer with coal flecks, potential natural. Very compacted, mid orangey brown, clay, 10-15% small coal pieces and flecks, occasional small rounded pebbles. This natural layer consisted of a glacial till with bands of coal and clay, including rounded pebbles.
    • Ben Swain
    • 15-4-2021
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