Excavations at Bamburgh: New Revelations in Light of Recent Investigations at the Core of the Castle Complex

Abstract

The article documents the results of a series of investigations undertaken by the Bamburgh Research Project (BRP) within the Inner Ward of Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland between 1997 and 2010, using resistivity, ground penetrating radar survey, and limited excavation. Throughout the course of the investigation around the ruins of the medieval chapel, material evidence was found of Romano-British activity. Furthermore, stone structures of pre-twelfth-century date were revealed. Two phases of a possible early medieval defensive wall were identified beneath the north wall of the current chapel structure, and a stone building was found beneath the main body of the church which may represent part of the church of St Peter, mentioned by Bede.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Bamburgh Research Project is indebted to the late Lady Armstrong and to Francis Watson-Armstrong for allowing and supporting our work in Bamburgh Castle. The project would also like to thank Ron Bewley, Chris Calvert, Michael Orde, Des Taylor and the staff of Bamburgh Castle together with the Bamburgh Heritage Trust and Bamburgh community for their encouragement and assistance over many years. The financial support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, Royal Archaeological Institute, and the Mick Aston Fund of the Council for British Archaeology is gratefully acknowledged.

The authors would like to thank the four anonymous referees, whose contributions helped meld a disparate series of archaeological interventions into a coherent site narrative. All errors remain our own.

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

Five supplementary files for this article are included on the Archaeological Journal’s online platform (Kirton and Young 2016, S01–05). These are the Pottery Report (Vaughn 2004 and 2013; Kirton and Young 2016, S01), the Plant Macrofossil Analysis (Drew and O’Brien 2006 and 2014; Kirton and Young 2016, S02), the Animal Bone Report (Gidney 2006 and 2014; Kirton and Young 2016, S03), Skeletal Report (Groves 2015; Kirton and Young 2016, S04), Small Finds Report (Garlick 2014; Kirton and Young 2016, S05).