Open day at community castle excavation in Torrington

Great Torrington has an exciting community excavation taking place, uncovering parts of its lost historic castle.

The digging has begun, and already the ground around the old castle is giving up its secrets. Interesting finds have already surfaced, mediaeval pottery, glassware, metalwork and possible building debris and the volunteer archaeologists are having a very positive experience involving themselves alongside the professional excavators.

A steady stream of visitors have been to the site to see what is being achieved, and many wished they had got involved – though the schedule for the community register for engagement had to be closed weeks ago.

The town’s Barley Grove car park, the adjacent ‘tump’ and bowling green have disguised the location of a sizable and important castle within the town’s centre. Mostly forgotten about and, as recently as the 1970’s, declared as of no historic importance, the castle is again becoming centre stage for the local community and a group of professional archaeologists are digging various trenches and pits to find out if anything remains of the castle’s heritage.

The dig began on Saturday, September 23, and runs for two weeks until October 8, and will enable over 100 members of the community and 120 school children to get involved in all aspects of a real excavation.

The dig has arranged a general open day on Saturday, September 30 (10am- 2pm), for all to come and see what has been found and question members of the team involved. The next day (Sunday, October 1) a specific family day has been set aside so that adults and their younger family members can get involved together - this is also fully booked up.

In a further exciting project, the team has been given permission to carry out a G.P.R. (Ground Penetrating Radar) search of the Bowling Green area adjacent, which is known to cover many building remains from later built parts of the old castle. This will fully complement the activities taking place across the older castle remains.

Local resident and lead archaeologist of the voluntary group Emily Wapshott said: "Torrington's Norman motte and bailey castle site has not received much specific research attention in the past and there is much we still don't know about the site. We hope to be able to gain a better understanding of what remains of the early earthworks and how they may relate to the areas under the bowling green, some parts of which have been previously excavated. The castle was the seat of one of Devon's great Norman Baronies, so deserves to be put back on the map!"

Funded with grants and partnerships from the various Torridge and Great Torrington councils, councillors and businesses, the Dig the Castle admin team have spent 18 months preparing the ground for this ambitious community project.

John Eeles, lead administrator, said: “The opportunity for the whole of the community to ‘do’ a bit of archaeology, in their own town, and learn more of the history of the place they live, is exciting, and allied to the recently opened Heritage Trail and website within the town, will provide a legacy for the town’s residents and visitors for the future.”

The dig is being run specifically by the community, for the community and is free to participate.