Site Event/Activity record ECH2873 - Beeston Castle Excavations 1968 to 1973

These excavations, directed by Laurence Keen, were principally intended to clear modern material and display more of the medieval structure of Beeston Castle, and is one of two major programmes of excavation carried out at Beeston Castle and hillfort. This event represents several phases of excavations under this programme. In the Inner Ward it was hoped that excavation might reveal medieval walls surviving to a greater height. Although levels were intended to be reduced to the top of the medieval ground surface, in the event there was so little in situ medieval occupation that the excavations were carried through to bedrock in most areas. Eighteen trenches were excavated in total. Labour for most of the work in the Inner Ward was provided by the castle's direct labour team, and by HM Borstal and a local prison, with archaeological supervision (1, 2). The excavations in 1968 - 1971 were focused on the immediate vicinity of the circuit of the castle walls that define the inner ward (2). Only in 1972 and 1973 were full archaeological teams engaged. Large quantities of spoil from the excavations of the well in 1842 and 1935 were removed by labourers after being initially identified by archaeological trial trenching. Some small-scale work was carried out in the Inner Ditch in 1972. A trench in the Outer Ward was excavated in 1972 and the two southern towers of the Outer Gateway were partly excavated in 1973 (1).