Excavations at Verdmont

This week we have been excavating at Verdmont House. We have made excellent progress in only three days, opening ten test pits and completing five of them. We have found a wide range of artefacts. These have included early 18th century slipware and tin-glazed earthenware, various bits of 18th and 19th century glass and miscellaneous earthenware, and both large and small mammal bones.



The main focus of our excavations has been at Verdmont Cottage, thought to be the site of the kitchens and/or slave quarters and/or stables. Today part of the building is a house rented out by the Trust, and part of it is storerooms for the grounds maintenance team.

We have excavated nine test pits to the west of this building, recovering artefacts that have been discarded from the kitchen and/or slave quarters.


The scene on Monday - Trenches 1 and 2 being opened up...


Trench 3 in foreground, Trench 1 being excavated behind


Cher (right) and Tom (left) in action on Trenches 8 and 6 respectively


Emma hard at work digging through rubble in Trench 7


Katie breaking the ground on Trench 9


Paul trowelling under the palm tree in Trench 10