Delight for diggers as building’s site revealed

A two-week archaeological dig in Teesdale has proved hugely successful.

Volunteers from Altogether Archaeology descended on land next to the abandoned churchyard near Brignall last week.

A previous, small-scale dig 20 years ago exposed stones that looked like they belonged to a building.

And that hunch was confirmed within the first few hours of the latest archaeological dig, which ended on Friday, allowing the volunteers to replace the soil over the weekend.

Alan Newham, of Altogether Archaeology, said: “We were absolutely over the moon by what we uncovered on the first day.

“In fact, by the first morning of the first day we had exposed a building, and it makes such a difference to the team, it was a real boost.”

What the exposed building was has yet to be established, but pottery dating to the 11th and 12th centuries, the time of the Norman Conquest and the rule of William The Conqueror, has been uncovered.

The dig site is situated in an extremely historical location, just a short distance from the former Roman Camp at Greta Bridge, the old medieval village of Brignall and next to the abandoned St Mary’s Church, which is believed to date back to the 13th century.

Alan believes the site’s location next to a stream at the bottom of sloping fields is a classic location for an Anglo-Saxon religious site and that the building they’ve uncovered could have monastic links.

He said: “It’s an ideal location for an early-medieval minster. There may have been a church and separate buildings for workshops and sleeping accommodation; it would have been devotional, it would have been a religious establishment – that’s the assumption.”

Alan’s colleague Tony Metcalfe thanked the landowner Andrew Watson for allowing them to dig on his land and said he was hopeful that Altogether Archaeology could return next year.

“We knew there was something here, but we’re shocked at what there is and how good it is,” he said.

“Surveys indicate there are more buildings to be uncovered and, all being well, we’ll return next year.”