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The Massacre in the Cellar (Hopton Castle) | Series 17 Episode 5 | Time Team

Time Team Classics・40 minutes read

Time Team investigates the brutal siege at Hopton Castle during the English Civil War, aiming to uncover the castle's layout and solve the mystery of the defenders' fate. Evidence of combat, 17th-century artifacts, and signs of warfare confirm the team's presence in the Civil War era, challenging initial assumptions and revealing a complex defensive structure with ongoing investigations into potential cellar locations.

Insights

  • Time Team aims to uncover the appearance of Hopton Castle during the brutal English Civil War siege, focusing on the layout and potential mass grave locations of the murdered defenders, shedding light on the war crime aspect of the event.
  • Discoveries at Hopton Castle challenge initial assumptions, revealing a complex structure with defensive walls facing outward, earthworks instead of a moat, and evidence of a high-status building collapse during the siege, prompting further exploration to understand the site's significance in the conflict.

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Recent questions

  • What historical event occurred at Hopton Castle?

    Siege during English Civil War

  • What is Time Team investigating at Hopton Castle?

    Castle's appearance during siege

  • What evidence of combat was discovered at Hopton Castle?

    Musket balls and signs of warfare

  • What structures did geophysical surveys suggest at Hopton Castle?

    Potential cellar and moat

  • What unexpected details were found during the archaeological dig at Hopton Castle?

    Defensive curtain wall and earthworks

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Summary

00:00

Uncovering Hopton Castle's Brutal Civil War Siege

  • Hopton Castle was the site of a brutal siege during the English Civil War, with the defenders surrendering and being murdered.
  • Time Team aims to uncover the castle's appearance during the siege and potentially solve the mystery of the defenders' fate.
  • The castle's tower is the only surviving structure, prompting the team to investigate the rest of the castle's layout.
  • The team, led by a castles expert, plans to address the war crime aspect of the siege.
  • Archaeology offers a chance to verify the historical accounts of the siege, particularly from Colonel Samuel Moore, the garrison commander.
  • The team searches for the castle's original shape, focusing on ramparts and moats to understand the layout.
  • Evidence of combat, like musket balls, is discovered, aligning with the Civil War period.
  • The team explores potential locations for the mass grave of the murdered garrison, considering a cellar or a muddy ditch.
  • Geophysical surveys suggest possible structures, including a potential cellar and a moat that could hold clues to the garrison's fate.
  • Discoveries of 17th-century artifacts and signs of warfare confirm the team's presence in the Civil War era, with ongoing investigations into potential cellar locations.

15:56

Unexpected Discoveries at Castle Site Excavation

  • Initial assumptions of a straightforward archaeological dig at a castle site are proven wrong as more confusing details emerge.
  • Expectations of a moat and solid wall for defense are challenged by the actual findings.
  • Instead of a massive curtain wall, a building with a defensive curtain wall facing outwards is discovered.
  • The shape of the castle differs from the simple one imagined, with a small wall surrounding the inner bailey and earthworks instead of a moat.
  • A high-status building with roofing deposits suggests a collapse during the Civil War siege.
  • The possibility of bodies being removed by relatives after the massacre is discussed, but Welsh-sounding names among the defenders imply difficulty in relocating them.
  • Evidence of a serious fight in 1644 includes intense burning, a human tooth, and earthworks built for defense.
  • A gold coin from the 16th century is found in the cellar, raising questions about its origin and connection to the garrison or their killers.
  • A cannonball weighing nine pounds, likely from a demi culverin, indicates the use of artillery during the siege.
  • Further exploration is planned to uncover more details about the burnt dwelling house and its significance in the siege history.

31:54

Bloody Siege: Uncovering Hopton Castle's Secrets

  • Investigating the bloody siege at Hopton Castle during the English Civil War
  • Concentrating on a trench where significant finds were made, including a gold coin and cannonball
  • Multiple trenches open, exploring various areas of the castle
  • Uncovering evidence of the siege in a brick dwelling house with a cellar
  • Discovering evidence of burning and musket balls in the area where attackers breached the castle
  • Royalists bombarding the castle, breaking down defenses and leading to hand-to-hand combat
  • Defenders setting the brick mansion on fire before retreating to the tower
  • The tower being vulnerable due to a window close to the ground, leading to surrender
  • Despite not finding mass graves, piecing together the last stand of the defenders at Hopton Castle
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