And so the rains came to St. Hilda’s chapel, bringing a somewhat damp close to the archaeological dig season in picturesque Kildale. What mysteries lie behind those enigmatic stone footings — which bear more than a passing resemblance to a garden feature than to any sacred structure — must now remain hidden for yet another year. The grandly dubbed ‘cloisters,’ a few lengths of cobbles whose architectural dignity one can only admire from a great distance, will also continue to keep their secrets.
As for that earliest chapel, once so graciously bestowed upon the Augustinian Canons by the benevolent Sir William de Percy to pray for the health of his soul – well, it remains as stubbornly elusive as the manorial grant itself. Not that we are entirely without discoveries, of course. How refreshing it was to find medieval window lead for once, instead those ubiquitous pottery shards. But among those shards, one or two dating to the ‘Romano-British’ period were triumphantly unearthed, though any more substantial signs of earlier occupation remain as scarce as the ever-elusive ‘natural’ – that Holy Grail of stratigraphy which continues to evade us, despite our finest trowels and an earnest desire to see it.
But let us not lose heart! For, like all good military campaigns, this one will resume in the Spring. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day. We shall be back, with trowels sharpened and breath suitably baited, ready to unearth further ambiguities from beneath the layers of rain-soaked clay of Kildale.
For a more serious take on what we’re up to, check out this excellent website: http://www.hvcparchaeology.org.uk/
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