Another visit by Mathew Morris who has over the past few years presented lectures at the Guildhall and during “Covid” some ZOOM lectures. Tonight’s lecture is LIVE at the Guildhall.
Mathew has worked for University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) since 2004, excavating a wide range of rural and urban archaeology across the Midlands, from the Prehistoric period through to the Industrial Revolution. He graduated from the University of Leicester in 2003 with a BA in Archaeology and an MA in Landscape Studies. His interests include urban archaeology, community archaeology along with Roman and Medieval archaeology. In his spare time he helps run the Leicester Fieldworkers and the Leicester branch of the Young Archaeologists' Club.
Sites linked with the medieval Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem are commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller. Their sites are largely unexcavated in the UK – making this a rare opportunity at Castle Hill to explore this type of monument.
The rectangular earthworks at Castle Hill are thought to be the site of a medieval Knights Hospitaller monastic complex, dating from around 1240 to 1482. Within the enclosure are smaller earthworks which may be the remains of internal buildings whilst outside is a fishpond and dam. We plan to dig several trial trenches inside the enclosure, with the help of members of the public, in the hope that we can finally discover the date and function of this monument.
