A major excavation of the site of Sheffield’s castle has begun and will be the first significant archaeological dig in the area for over two decades. The castle is thought to have been built between the 11th and 12th Century and was demolished at the end of the Civil War in the 17th Century. A team from Wessex Archaeology will excavate eleven trenches across the site to try to piece together its origins and history.
Local historian Lloyd Powell is seeking to raise public awareness of Sheffield Castle and its role in local history. At a packed meeting at the United Reformed Church, organised as part of the Off the Shelf literary festival, Powell explained the building and later destruction of Sheffield Castle and where some of the ruins can be found today. Powell is a member of the Friends of Sheffield Castle, a voluntary group that aims to protect and promote the archaeological site. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!