Archaeologists from the University of York have arrived in Skipsea in East Yorkshire, England, to excavate the remains of a medieval wooden hall.
The excavations uncovered a medieval wooden hall 5 meters wide and 16 meters long, surrounded by large ditches.
To gain new insights into the size and shape of the hall, the purpose of the hall and the surrounding landscape, the team plans to dig further and is being marked with posts.
The hall is located adjacent to a 13 meter high mound that is assumed to have once been a motte and bailey fort. But carbon dating has revealed its age to be 1500 years before the Norman Conquest in the Iron Age.
Dr. Jim Leary from the Department of Archaeology at the University of York said: “The unearthing of wooden buildings dating to the period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the arrival of the Vikings, often referred to as the Dark Ages, is a major piece of research. This is an incredibly rare and important discovery.
“The discovery at Skipsea is particularly interesting because we know that the area was in the hands of Harald Godwinson, the last Anglo-Saxon King of England, and later became the seat of the Lords’ estates following the Norman Conquest in 1066.”
Skipsea was once home to three freshwater lakes; Skipsea Bail Mere, Skipsea Low Mere and Skipsea Withow Mere, connected to the River Hull by a network of tributaries. These lakes (long since disappeared) began in the Mesolithic period 10,000 years ago and continued into the medieval period.
Mesolithic stone tools, animal remains, bone harpoons, Bronze Age buildings and the lakes have been of constant interest to population groups and therefore archaeologists throughout history. Neolithic and Bronze Age buildings and pathways are known on its edges, providing further insights into prehistoric life.
Dr. Elaine Jamieson from the Department of Archaeology at the University of York said: “The discovery of these structures highlights the importance and excitement of our ongoing excavations, providing a unique window into this little-known period of history.”
Archaeologists will be excavating at the site throughout May and first year archaeology students from the University of York will join the team to uncover more of the history.