Time Team - Hunstrete Grand Mansion, Somerset - Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results

Wessex Archaeology

No structural evidence for the medieval manor house was recovered, although this is in accordance with the known clearance of the site for the construction of the Grand Mansion, and it is possible that some building stone from the medieval house was reused in the latter. A small quantity of residual medieval finds was encountered. The evaluation succeeded in recovering a partial ground plan of the Grand Mansion, comprising a substantial wall encompassed by a thinner wall on the same alignment, all well constructed of stone and apparently of a single phase of building. The outer wall is believed to have been a revetment, surrounding a void around the basement storey which acted as a light well to this storey, and which would also have allowed access to the house at this level. There is some evidence that this represented a re-use of the moat which is believed to have surrounded the medieval manor on the site.

The evaluation also showed that the house had a substantial and elaborate basement level complete with plastered walls and fireplaces, one of which showed evidence of use. Although the mansion is documented as being unfinished, it appears that at least the lower apartments had been decorated and furnished by the time of abandonment.