• Removing the topsoil<br />prior to digging
  • Cleaning and sorting<br />the many finds

Woking Palace Archaeological Project 2012

Digging Again - Week One

It’s September, the schools are back and the fourth season of excavations at Woking Palace is now well underway.

A team from QUEST arrived early in the month to carry out a ground penetrating radar survey of the proposed area of the trenches, one between the vaulted building and the Tudor Great Hall and the other close to the eastern arm of the moat. QUEST also brought along a new and improved resistivity meter mounted on wheels, which incorporate the electrodes. This new equipment is able to cover the large site more efficiently and with greater resolution than traditional resistivity meters.

Shortly afterwards the mechanical digger, with Tony Ryan at the controls, opened up the trenches to be investigated this year. With a slightly shorter period of time on site this year, experienced volunteers from Surrey Archaeological Society quickly tidied up the trenches ready for the arrival of those who had signed up for the “Dig for a Day” community archaeology scheme, led by Abby Guinness. Remains of walls and structures appeared very quickly and the directing team, led by Rob Poulton, from Surrey County Archaeological Unit have been kept busy analysing and recording the trenches.

Finds from this first week include more examples of the blue and white Valencian tiles that are particularly associated with Woking Palace. A large quantity of material from the demolition of the Palace in about 1625 has been processed by the finds team. The finds have also included sherds of medieval pottery that pre-date the Palace.

View the photographs on the Digging Surrey's Past facebook page (you do not need to be registered with Facebook to view the photographs).

Next: Week two progress report >>>

2012 topsoil removal
2012 week one digging
2012 week one digging
2012 surveying 2012 stripping turf 2012 Valencian tiles
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