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Students find medieval artefacts on archaeological dig

A group of Year 9 students at took part in Cambridge University’s Higher Education Field Academy and participated in an exciting archaeological dig.

A group of Year 9 students at took part in Cambridge University’s Higher Education Field Academy and participated in an exciting archaeological dig.

The students, along with peers from Springwood High in King Lynn , spent two days digging one of 12 test pits at the Norfolk Hospice site, where a 900 year old well has been unearthed.

The ancient well was discovered during the building of the hospice in Hillingdon, along with several flint arrowheads and tools.

During the dig, the students found what was suspected to be several pieces of medieval pottery.

Teacher Jacob Keet said:  “Students found numerous pieces of Anglo-Saxon pottery, Victorian plates and medieval roof tiles.  Aided by Time Team’s own Carenza Lewis, students were able to dig a test pit, identify objects that they had found and present their findings to Cambridge University.”

Mark Shea, commercial director at the Norfolk Hospice said: “It is wonderful to be part of a project which helps young local people develop skills for the future, whilst discovering the history of both the hospice site and our local community. Everyone at the hospice is looking forward to finding out more about how our new site was used in the past.”

On the third and final day of the academy the students visited Cambridge University where they saw how their findings fit into the wider historical picture, and how will  help historians to see in more detail the nature of human settlement across Norfolk.  They also had lunch at a Sydney Sussex College, where Oliver Cromwell studied and found out more about how to apply to university.