If you are studying Archaelogy and would like us to arrange an Archaeological Dig for your team, please call 019467 25322. 

 

As a result of Rod & Barbara Davies continuing improvement of Gosforth Hall and its environs the opportunity to excavate the lawn immediately in front of the Hall arose. This was a significant site based on its close relationship to the churchyard and the Viking Cross. Based on the evidence of many early Christian sites, the post Roman settlement of Gosforth would have been situated around the church.

A centre of local administration and learning, the church would supply invaluable skills in exchange for protection from potential attack. Gosforth Hall in its present guise dates form the sevnteenth century; however, there is good reason to consider that parts of the building pre-date this date.

 

Archaeologist Clifford Jones has researched the Hall over a number of years and directed the excavation. Clifford considered there to be significant archaeological discoveries beneath the lawn that would provide a unique glimpse into the past world of Gosforth Hall and Gosforth.

 

Day 1 The removal of the top surface of the lawn reveals an early Victorian path through the gates.

  

Day 2 Beneath the path lies evidence of a cobbled courtyard

  

 Uncovering the Early Victorian Drain and signs of an early Hearth
 

 

Following further excavations a sunken floored Norse Hall was discovered. This has subsequently been carbon dated back to 920 AD. Not just the earliest, but currently the only Norse structure to be found in Cumbria.

This was filmed by Border TV for inclusion in a six part TV series about the Norse settlement of North West England and Ireland.

  

The picture below is of a reconstruction of Hall built in a similar fashion

to the one that once stood on the site of Gosforth Hall.  This has been copied with permission from http://www.hurstwic.org/index.html which is well worth visiting for information on how these early settlers would have lived.

 

 

This is a sketch of how the interior would have been laid out