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➤ Time Team's Top 3 FUNNIEST Digs!

Time Team Classics・48 minutes read

The Mansion restoration uncovers a medieval Hospital beneath, with Mick Aston finding Anglo-Saxon Pottery in the garden. The site's history evolves from Roman to Anglo-Saxon origins, revealing an Anglo-Saxon house and Neolithic enclosure, challenging initial assumptions.

Insights

  • The Mansion is undergoing restoration to unveil a medieval Hospital buried beneath it, with Mick Aston's discovery of 10th Century Anglo-Saxon Pottery in the garden sparking a search for the hospital and Anglo-Saxon settlement in the vast garden, leading to the immediate excavation of part of the hospital under the front lawn using radar technology.
  • Despite initial confusion and intrigue among archaeologists regarding their findings, a detailed exploration reveals an Anglo-Saxon house dating back to 650-850 A.D., shifting the focus from Roman to Anglo-Saxon origins in the area, ultimately uncovering unexpected features like a possible shaft and a stash of Flint, offering a deeper understanding of the site's history.

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Recent questions

  • What significant discoveries were made during the restoration of The Mansion?

    Mick Aston discovered 10th Century Anglo-Saxon Pottery in the garden, leading to a search for a medieval Hospital and Anglo-Saxon settlement. Radar located part of the hospital under the front lawn, prompting excavation. Phil uncovered a potential medieval Hospital wall and chapel, hinting at its layout. Mick's team found late Saxon pottery in the vegetable garden, indicating a settlement. A potential Anglo-Saxon house was discovered, revealing layers of occupation.

  • What challenges did archaeologists face during the excavation process at The Mansion?

    Uncertainty arose among archaeologists about their findings, leading to confusion and intrigue. A trench near the house proved inconclusive, causing uncertainty about the hospital's layout. The possibility of a wonky chapel with one side aisle was considered, prompting a final trench to uncover more information.

  • What was the focus of the team's exploration at Long Furlong Farm?

    The team found a Neolithic dwelling on Long Furlong Farm, shifting focus to the ring Barrow for further investigation. Their first significant discovery, possibly a burial, indicated the site's association with death and ancestors.

  • What unexpected features were discovered during the excavation at the site?

    The team found unexpected features, including a possible shaft and a stash of Flint, leading to a deeper understanding of the site's history. The ditch on the site appeared wider than projected, causing concern about its location and the Barrow's center.

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Summary

00:00

Medieval Hospital Uncovered in Mansion Garden

  • The Mansion is being restored to uncover a medieval Hospital beneath it.
  • Mick Aston discovered 10th Century Anglo-Saxon Pottery in the garden.
  • A search for the hospital and Anglo-Saxon settlement begins in the vast garden.
  • Radar locates part of the hospital under the front lawn, prompting immediate excavation.
  • Phil uncovers a potential medieval Hospital wall and chapel, hinting at its layout.
  • Mick's team finds late Saxon pottery in the vegetable garden, indicating a settlement.
  • A potential Anglo-Saxon house is discovered, with features suggesting domestic use.
  • Roman and early Saxon pottery help date the site, revealing layers of occupation.
  • Stewart identifies a possible Saxon road and medieval Hospital boundary wall.
  • Uncertainty arises among archaeologists about their findings, leading to confusion and intrigue.

16:16

Uncovering Burford Priory's Mysterious Anglo-Saxon Origins

  • Mick promised to tell the story of Burford Priory but the garden poses more questions than answers.
  • Archaeologists found a medieval hospital, but questions about its shape remain.
  • A trench near the house proved inconclusive, leading to uncertainty about the hospital's layout.
  • The possibility of a wonky chapel with one side aisle is considered.
  • A final trench is dug inside the present-day chapel to uncover more information.
  • A Roman coin with unique features hints at an early Anglo-Saxon settlement.
  • Evidence shifts the focus from Roman to Anglo-Saxon origins in the area.
  • A detailed exploration reveals an Anglo-Saxon house dating back to 650-850 A.D.
  • The story of a Saxon settlement evolving into a town over a thousand years is narrated.
  • Reassessment of a prehistoric site by John Paul leads to the search for Neolithic houses, with challenges in locating them.

31:25

Excavating Neolithic site reveals burial and Flint

  • The team is conducting experiments to understand how people may have lived in a landscape.
  • They are expanding trenches on both farms to continue excavations.
  • John Paul did not fully excavate the site, so the team is picking up where he left off.
  • They found a Neolithic dwelling on Long Furlong Farm.
  • Focus shifts to the ring Barrow for further investigation.
  • They find their first significant discovery, possibly a burial.
  • The site is not a settlement but likely associated with death and ancestors.
  • The site was significant due to the presence of Flint, a precious commodity in prehistoric times.
  • The team conducts a comparison between Mesolithic and Neolithic axes to understand their efficiency.
  • The team discovers unexpected features, including a possible shaft and a stash of Flint, leading to a deeper understanding of the site's history.

48:28

Neolithic Enclosure Uncovered with Roman Influence

  • The ditch on the site appeared wider than projected, causing concern about its location and the Barrow's center.
  • A Roman coin was found in a Bronze Age Barrow, indicating Roman veneration for prehistoric monuments.
  • Phil excavated the original ditch, revealing Bronze Age pot fragments and evidence of cremation burials.
  • Post holes at the bottom of the trench suggest a palisade around the Barrow, an uncommon feature in Bronze Age monuments.
  • Stone tools found by Phil hint at Neolithic craftsmanship, potentially adding a thousand years to the Monument's history.
  • The site, initially thought to be a Roman Temple or Bronze Age Barrow, was revealed to be a Neolithic enclosure with a palisade and ditch, dating back 5,000 years.
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