A reminiscence of my first ever week as a volunteer on an excavation in the
early 60s. The site was at Wolvesey Palace, the residence of the Bishop of
Winchester in Winchester. In the grounds of the existing late 17th century
palace is its medieval predecssor. It was quite clear that the gatehouse of the
medieval castle had been used as a dump, certainly in the 18th century. After
vegetation and loose rubble were cleared there was, at least in one room, a
thick layer (memory says over 30cm) of whole and fragmentary 18th century wine
bottles. A comment, no doubt, on the 18th century Anglican episcopate.
 
Peter Northover
Dept. of Materials, University of Oxford
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