Middleton Hall Excavation - Trench I (2) 2011

Description

This photograph was taken a few days after Trench 1 was first opened. Again in the centre of the trench you can clearly make out the linear feature of light brown soil which has been more defined as the uppermost deposit within this feature has been removed. As the excavation progressed this feature became more perplexing as it went deeper and deeper and our initial interpretation of it being associated with Waun Las Farm where incorrect. It was becoming apparent that this feature had been in filled with some demolition material meaning it was later than the demolition event itself which helped back the theory that it was associated with the farm (Austin & Dollery 2011). However as the excavation progressed no dating associated with 20th century had been discovered within this deposit which would be expected if the feature was associated with the farm. In fact what was more surprising was that all the dating material that was being discovered dated from the 19th century meaning this feature it had to date to this period or later, the lack of 20th century dating material meant that this feature had to predate the 1930’s farm (Austin & Dollery 2011). The excavation in this trench progressed slowly as we were unsure of the survival of the archaeology and we were quite conscious not to over dig any of the features.

Austin, D. & Dollery, J. The Excavation. In Austin, D [Ed] 2011 Paradise Lost In Search of a Garden before the Garden: Middleton Hall. Report of project conducted in 2011. Heritage Lottery Fund.

• http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/about-2/history-of-the-gardens/ (link opens in new window)