Explore Elizabeth Castle with the experts

Saturday 07 July 2018

Islanders are being invited to find out more about one of the island's most important historic sites with a team of experts from York University.

A team of 19 people from the Department of Archaeology, including staff and 14 students, have been working at Elizabeth Castle all week to excavate parts of the Castle Green, and carry out restoration surveillance work on the Barrack's Hospital.

The team are in the island as part of a collaborative project with Jersey Heritage. Part of the fieldwork project is to record, document, and analyse the development and use of the Hospital Block. The information collected by the team will be used in the future to manage the site better, as it is currently not utilised as much as it could be. 

The team were also tasked with undertaking small-scale trench excavations to record and analyse the remains of the lost 18th-century barracks block on The Green. While the building has long been demolished, it is still clearly visible through geophysical investigation.

Lovely sunny day to start work on the #ecjp2018 Come and talk to any of our lovely team to find out what we're up to each day! #loveyourcastle @loveheritage pic.twitter.com/guvoGmCVTt

— Elizabeth Castle Jersey Project (@ECJProject) July 2, 2018

The York University team arrived in Jersey on 2 July and got to work straight away on building recording, geophysical investigation, excavation and digital heritage. They also carried out archival research, which they had started off while still in England.

Dr Matt Jenkins, Associate Lecture at York University, explained: "This is the first time an archeological projects is really trying to tell the story of the day-to-day life of the buildings. Elizabeth Castle is a really great place to tell the story, not only of the army but also of the relationships between the castle and islanders."

Listen to one of our buildings survey team Richard explain the work he is doing today in the amazing hospital building #ecjp2018 @loveheritage #loveyourcastle pic.twitter.com/YWM6Howvzs

— Elizabeth Castle Jersey Project (@ECJProject) July 3, 2018

After a week of digging, the team has uncovered some interesting finds. Dr Jenkins says: "We have found a metal button from a uniform, probably from the Ordinance, which is reasonably rare. We also found a key. In the hospital building we have gotten down to cobble stones.

"We have also researched archive images which show what the barrack looked like. You sometimes had eight people sleeping in a room there, it wasn't the most ideal conditions but it is a fascinating place to research. It's a great opportunity to tell the story of the site but also to teach our students who have come here with us."

Video: A metal button from a uniform and key were among the first finds this week.

As part of their collaboration with Jersey Heritage, the team will also be taking part in the Public Archeology Days this weekend. They will tell islanders about their tools and excavation techniques as well as what they have been up to this week. Junior Archaeologists will also be working with the team this morning at 10:00 and various activities, including geophysics, excavation and building, are scheduled from10:00 to 15:00.

The doors of the Hospital, which is not usually open to the public, will be open for the weekend with staff taking visitors on guided tours. Kids will be able to take part in archeological activities and play with tables of Lego to have a go at reconstructing the site.

"It's a great day to come and experience the work what we do," said Dr Jenkins.