Trenches at Middleham Castle

Explore the open archaeological data from our digs at Middleham Castle

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  • Trench 1 - 12x6m, Oriented N-S. Trench excavated to characterise the form, survival, use and age of the structural remains.

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  • Trench 1 was focussed on the eastern extent of a large east-west aligned building adjacent to the southern limit of the enclosure. The feature was visible as a well-defined earthwork which suggested the survival of a number of courses of masonry at the subsurface level. This structure was identified for investigation due to its east-west alignment within a complex known to contain one or more chapels. It was hoped that excavation would enable the characterisation of the form, survival, use and age of the structure. This information has the potential to contribute significantly to the narrative of this site. The east-west structure was excavated and was found to comprise a thicker north facing façade with a blocked doorway within the wall and a thinner north-south aligned wall which abutted the curtain wall. This established the curtain wall—which defined the southern extent of the manorial enclosure at this location–as being an earlier feature. The curtain wall measured c. 1.05 m thick and a collapse deposit had accumulated downslope along its southern face. External to the building was a pebbled courtyard. Excavation of the courtyard aided in establishing the construction sequence of the larger building. Beneath the courtyard to the northwest was the foundation of an earlier structure. This foundation was aligned on a different orientation than the large building, being north–north–east to south–south–west, whereas the larger and later building was constructed on an east–west alignment.

3-D Models

  • No models found for this item

Plan

  • No records attached.

Section

  • No records attached.

Features

  • Feature: MDC_10
    • Earlier structure underlying pebbled courtyard (1011)
  • Feature: MDC_11
    • Pebbled courtyard (1011)
  • Feature: MDC_12
    • Geology
  • Feature: MDC_13
    • Demolition spread over and within large building
  • Feature: MDC_14
    • Large east-west aligned building
  • Feature: MDC_15
    • Southern extent of the curtain wall enclosing the site

Contexts

  • Context: MDC_1001
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    • Topsoil. Mid greyish brown sandy silt with 10% inclusions of sub-angular stones ranging from 3-10cm. 1% snail shell
    • DigVentures
    • 5-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1002
    • file_image
    • East -West aligned wall within Trench 1. E-W aligned wall of coursed square flat faced limestone and gritty coarse grey/cream lime mortar.
    • Jacob Grout
    • 9-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1003
    • file_image
    • North-South aligned wall within trench 1. N-S aligned wall of coursed square flat faced limestone and gritty coarse grey/cream lime mortar.
    • Aimee Parker
    • 10-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1004
    • file_image
    • Layer of building rubble within the building walls. Mid yellowish-brown sandy clay with 80% angular stone and rubble inclusion (2-30cm) and mortar.
    • Heather Parker
    • 10-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1005
    • file_image
    • Layer of building rubble outside the building walls. Mid greyish brown sandy silt with 80% large and medium rounded stone inclusions (2-30cm) and <1% charcoal.
    • Sharon Dobson
    • 10-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1006
    • file_image
    • Layer under degraded sandstone within building. Mid brown silt, with moderate pebbles.
    • Michelle Leboutte
    • 12-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1007
    • file_image
    • Subsoil, mid greyish brown, sandy silt.
    • Beth Cochrane
    • 12-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1008
    • file_image
    • Southern extent of the east-west aligned wall curtain wall. E-W aligned wall of coursed square flat faced limestone and lime mortar. Max size of blocks 30x15x23cm.
    • Rachael Vallis
    • 16-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1009
    • file_image
    • Rubble layer outside curtain wall to the south of the site
    • Liz Greenwood
    • 16-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1010
    • file_image
    • Subsoil against curtain wall, mid greyish brown silty clay
    • Bern Spicer
    • 17-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1011
    • file_image
    • Pebbly layer underneath rubble outside the building. Mid greyish brown silty sand with 80% poorly sorted angular stone inclusions (15cm), rounded gravel and pebbles (8cm) and degraded sandstone.
    • John Cauchi
    • 20-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1012
    • file_image
    • Blockup of door, mid dark greyish brown, silty sand with 90% inclusion of poorly sorted angular stones (ranging 6-50cm), pebbles, and lime mortar.
    • John Cauchi
    • 20-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1013
    • file_image
    • Layer of degraded sand stone underneath rubble. Dark greyish brown silty sand with 90% inclusion of poorly sorted angular stones (ranging 6-50cm), pebbles, and lime mortar.
    • Lesley Jacobs
    • 21-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1014
    • file_image
    • Gravely layer underneath pebbles outside of building. Mid greyish brown sandy clayey silt with 40% sub angular gravel (<5cm), 10% mortar, <5% sub angular stones (<15cm) inclusions.
    • Brett Vallis
    • 21-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1015
    • file_image
    • Natural bedrock, fractured limestone bedrock
    • Barbara-Ann Whiting
    • 21-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1016
    • file_image
    • Degraded limestone and sand layer underneath pebbles outside of building. Medium, yellow, homogenous.
    • Susan Wilson
    • 21-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1017
    • file_image
    • Layer underneath construction material to the east of building. Mid greyish brown sandy silt with 5% angular gravel (3cm) inclusions.
    • Carl Hood
    • 21-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1018
    • file_image
    • Natural clayey layer overlaying bedrock. Mid greyish brown silty clay.
    • John Cauchi
    • 21-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1019
    • file_image
    • Layer underneath door block up. Mid reddish brown sandy silt with 5% gravel, 5% angular stones (5cm) and <1% charcoal inclusions.
    • Pandora Thoresby
    • 21-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1020
    • file_image
    • Discreet layer under pebbles adjacent to east-west wall. Mid greyish brown silt with <2% small stones and very limited sandy inclusions.
    • Susan Wilson
    • 21-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1021
    • file_image
    • Foundation of earlier building. Linear corner of building of coursed limestone blocks ranging from 14x8x8cm to 40x18x16cm. Aligned NNE-SSW, some faced stones, no bonding material evident.
    • Susan Wilson
    • 21-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1022
    • file_image
    • Ephemeral alignment of stones possibly forming a drain to the west of the door in wall (1002). Angular limestone and sandstone c.20x15x10cm aligned E-W. Rough coursing and rough finish, no bonding material evident.
    • Brett Vallis
    • 21-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1023
    • file_image
    • Threshhold of door. Single course of regular limestone blocks c.28x19x15cm facing N-S. No bonding material evident.
    • Jacob Grout
    • 21-8-2019
  • Context: MDC_1024
    • file_image
    • Layer of construction debris. Mottled cream/mid brown silt with angular limestone fragment inclusions.
    • Carl Hood
    • 22-8-2019
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