Medieval hall discovered in Northern England - Medievalists.net

"Excavations led by the University of York are taking place in a field known as Sparrow Croft, around 225 metres from the castle site, on the Holderness coast in East Yorkshire. They have revealed evidence for substantial Anglo-Saxon buildings and specialised activity-including what may be a malthouse, a timber tower, and a large hall linked to feasting and assemblies. The investigation forms part of a six-year research project that began in 2023."

"Among the most striking finds is the remains of what archaeologists believe to be a medieval malthouse, dated to around AD 750-850. According to the team, the structure included a drying oven and an adjoining clay floor, once housed within a timber-framed, wattle-and-daub building-features consistent with a place designed to process grain into malt, a key step in brewing. Malthouses of this type are considered uncommon survivals in England,"

"Close by, researchers uncovered a square, sunken feature lined with timber and mortar. They interpret this as the cellar or foundation of a wooden tower, potentially serving as a watchtower, a bell tower, or even a tower-nave church. As with the malthouse, the team notes that such structures are rare, and that rarity is part of what makes the Skipsea evidence so significant for understanding the late Anglo-Saxon landscape."

Excavations at Sparrow Croft, 225 metres from Skipsea Castle on the Holderness coast, have revealed substantial Anglo-Saxon buildings and specialised industrial activity predating the Norman Conquest. Finds include a medieval malthouse (c. AD 750–850) with a drying oven and clay floor within a timber-framed wattle-and-daub structure; a square, sunken timber-and-mortar feature interpreted as a cellar or foundation for a wooden tower; and a large timber hall associated with feasting and assemblies. The malthouse and tower foundations are rare survivals often linked to higher-status sites and organised production supporting elite households and lordship. Investigations continue as part of a six-year research project begun in 2023.

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