Home Project Info History The River Wye Links   Hentland - excavation   Although Hentland is believed to have been the site of a Christian church before the arrival of the English in the area, an excavation here during weekends in Summer 1970 and 1971 failed to find any evidence of activity pre-dating the Norman Conquest.       Remains of  buildings of several periods were excavated. The earliest were wooden building represented by post-holes. This phase had been deliberately buried by a layer of soil before the construction of a stone building of the 13th century. This building which was only partially within the excavated area and was represented by one wall. There was also a 15th-l6th century building, the end wall of which remained in situ. This was replaced by a 17th century rectangular house, which was probably the manor referred to in documentary records.             The results of these excavations were published in the Herefordshire-based 'Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists Field Club' and a note appeared in the prestigious 'Medieval Archaeology'. The excavations were conducted by the Archenfield Excavation Group, who carried out much excellent work in the area in the 1960s and 70s. Further work on the site was done by Jane Wyatt to whom we are extremely grateful for access to her notes, plans and photographs. Back to TOP

Wye Valley history pages

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