Soulton

Tucked away in a field beside Soulton Hall, our dig site sits among the beautiful rolling Shropshire hills.

Just eight miles from today’s border with Wales, the manor itself dates back the 16th century, and the surrounding farmland is filled with Bronze Age, Roman, and medieval archaeology.

But it’s the large, rectangular mound next to the manor which is the focus of our excavation.

Despite being a protected scheduled ancient monument, and an iconic local landmark, little was known about its origins; there are no historical records to tell us who built it, when, or what for.

Like many ancient monuments, its story had long since been lost to time.

Sat in the middle of a moat, and strategically located along the main road to Wem where it controls a single crossing over the surrounding flood plain, it’s clear that this monument must have had an important role in the region’s turbulent history.

Would it be possible to recover it ?

DigVentures was invited to find out.

Thanks to our crowdfunded excavations, we now know that the monument and its surrounding moat are medieval; they’re over 750 years old dating back to the 13th century.

We also know that the moat contains many rarely preserved artefacts, including medieval leather shoe, and the water-logged remains of wooden most-bridge.

Excavation has also revealed plenty of other medieval evidence too, such as pilgrims’ trinkets, a medieval ampulla, a medieval necklace, medieval cups, bowls, and jug handles, and a medieval token, all dating to around 1250.

Geophysical survey has also begun to show the remains of even more structures and features lying just below the surface.