Volunteers from a Suffolk charity have been unearthing the fascinating history of an Anglo-Saxon royal settlement buried beneath Rendlesham – and feeling better for doing it.
Suffolk Mind volunteers have been taking part in the Rendlesham Revealed community archaeology project, run by the Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service.
The project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, was awarded a grant of £517,300 for the four-year scheme.
Martin Smith, 55, from Aldeburgh, said: “I love it here. I was quite apprehensive beforehand, but as soon as you meet everybody and relax it just opens up in front of you.
“It feels like a real privilege to be part of it — it’s incredible. It’s quite mind-blowing, the people who lived here are gone but not forgotten.”
Nev Midwinter, 47, from Thetford, said the project had boosted his confidence so much, he decided to volunteer at this year’s London Marathon.
“I think this project is epic, it’s absolutely brilliant,” he said.
“It’s so good for our mental health, it really helps you relax and take your mind off things.
“You are treated just like a member of staff, you feel like one of them.
“The first day I was here I was very nervous, I was shaking.
“Now I’m doing things I never thought I would.
“There’s no way I would have started my voluntary job at the museum, and I certainly wouldn’t have been able to volunteer at the London marathon.”
This summer saw the second year of community excavations at Rendlesham.
Significant discoveries made this year included the discovery of the foundations of a large timber royal hall, built for the first Kings of East Anglia over 1,400 years ago.
The excavations are supported by Cotswold Archaeology Suffolk and Professor Christopher Scull.
Faye Minter, from Suffolk County Council’s Archaeological Service, said: “The site at Rendlesham is the largest and wealthiest settlement of its date known in England and the excavation of the hall this year confirms that it is the royal residence first recorded by Bede in the 8th century.
“The work at Rendlesham tells us about the people that lived here from all levels of Anglo-Saxon society and what their daily lives were like over a thousand years ago, for a period of hundreds of years.
“We have really enjoyed welcoming the Suffolk Mind clients to the site and into our team, they have all contributed to the investigation of internationally significant archaeology with much enthusiasm and we look forward to working with them again as the project progresses.”
Jon Neal, chief executive at Suffolk Mind, said the project has engaged staff, volunteers and people who use their services.
He added: “It has helped raise their confidence and made them feel part of something really special.
“We would like to say a big thank you to the team at the dig for making our volunteers feel so welcome.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here