A week into the project and the team has been making good progress. To recap we now have five trenches open across the longhouse examining a range of features. At present excavations within  Trench A are on hold while we open up some additional areas but work in Trench B continues where the ever present Perry soldiers on, rejoined by Steve today. Advantage was taken of a brighter spell to undertake the trench photos before the two began removing the section of wall that may have been the threshold.

Meanwhile in Trench C Ann and Justin returned to continue work excavating their slot through the north-eastern end of the wall, while Louise returning for another season, took on the excavation of the section through the north-western wall. Yesterdays wet weather had prevented the continuation of our sondage in this trench but after tea break work resumed with a clean up of the section. With the apparent absence of a floor surface within the southwestern half of the building this area now represents our best hope for any kind of internal features and we may yet extend this trench to take in more of the north-eastern cell.

De-turfing had been completed in Trench D yesterday and Linda and Jane were tasked with the recording today, producing a fine plan of the wall in this area and completing the photogrammetry and general photography with the same skill.

De-turfing was completed in Trench E first thing this morning and Liz, Unity and Bob have been cleaning this area with the hope of identifying the relationship between the crosswall and the enclosure wall. If time permits we may yet extend this trench in our hunt for an entrance but for now we have plenty to deal with in recording what we have.

As you may have noticed from some of the photos being posted there are some quite incredible panoramic views from our site on Scar Grange. When the weather is right you can see for miles and after a wet start a drier period made us think perhaps the forecast had got it wrong today. At lunch we were treated to an impressive low rainbow from the north, but of course where there is a rainbow there must be rain and a persistent deluge eventually made us retreat to the tents and then down the hill.

We will return tomorrow with dry clothes and a renewed vigour!