PICTURES: Centuries-old cemetery unearthed during archaeological excavations at Clare Castle Country Park

Visitors gained a rare insight into the centuries-old history of Clare Castle Country Park during a community archaeological dig at the weekend.

As part of a three-week project, a team of volunteers have been working alongside experts from Cotswold Archaeology Suffolk to excavate the inner bailey of the park’s historic castle, which dates back to the 11th century.

Members of the public were invited to see the project in action during an open day on Sunday, when guided tours of the site were hosted throughout the event.

Jo Caruth, project manager at Cotswold Archaeology, said visitors were intrigued to learn about what the dig had uncovered.

“It went very well,” she said. “We had a lot of visitors and there was a lot of high energy.

“People commented about how they had walked their dogs on the site but hadn’t been aware of what was below their feet.”

Over the past weeks, the group has focused on the inner bailey of the castle, where a possible pre-Conquest religious house was previously discovered. Experts were keen to further their knowledge about the late Saxon occupation, as well as the 11th and 12th century domestic buildings on the site.

The most recent excavation has shed light into key parts of the site.

“We know there was a late-Saxon pre-Norman cemetery on the site,” added Jo.

A public talk is set to be staged later this year, when the project’s findings will be presented.