| Abstract: |
Report on a series of excavations, watching briefs and other interventions at Carisbrooke Castle between 1921 and 1996, concentrated mainly in 1959--69 and 1976--82. The castle is the only medieval fortification on the Isle of Wight. The earliest use of the hilltop was for a sixth-century Saxon inhumation cemetery including one very rich burial, followed by a settlement consisting of large timber buildings and a timber fortification in the Late Saxon period. The first castle following the Norman conquest consisted of a ditch and bank cutting off one corner of the Late Saxon defences, which was replaced by the present motte and bailey around 1100, with stone defences added by 1136. Two domestic buildings associated with the first use of the motte and bailey were identified. The castle appears to have assumed largely its present internal plan in the thirteenth century. The excavations provided evidence for modifications to the defences in the fourteenth century and to the domestic buildings in the later-sixteenth century, and the transformation of the castle into a modern artillery fortress between 1587 and 1602. The excavations have produced good stratified sequences of medieval and post-medieval artefacts, particularly pottery, and revealed indications for the diet and food sources of the users of the castle. Includes French, German and Spanish summaries and a glossary. Separately authored reports include |
