Wyddial Hall Manège

From the 20th to the 25th October 2016 an archaeological excavation was carried out at Wyddial Hall, Hertfordshire in advance of the construction of a manège. This excavation revealed the presence of medieval features mostly dating from the 11th to 12th centuries consisting of ditches, a post built structure and a large pit. These features may represent a period of settlement at the site when the village of Wyddial had been larger than its present size. The development of the estate and the clearance of settlement for parkland and farmland saw the end of both this section of the village and other areas of settlement represented by cropmarks in the surrounding landscape.
Artefactually, aside from the medieval pottery and animal bone recovered from the features, of particular interest was a mid-late 14th century rowel spur recovered from the topsoil. This item suggests a higher status of use of the land in this later period and may support the idea of an earlier manor on the land now occupied by the present Hall.