Sheffield Castle archaeology to star in BBC’s Digging for Britain TV show

The episode on what has been dubbed the “birthplace of the city” will air on BBC Two on Sunday, January 22, at 8 pm.

Archaeologists have investigated the Castlegate site in recent years to find out what life and the landscape were like centuries ago when Sheffield was home to one of the biggest castles in the north.

Findings by Wessex Archaeology located a substantial mound of redeposited alluvium which the team believed was almost certainly the remains of a classic motte and bailey castle from the Norman period.

Dr Cat Jarman, archaeologist and Digging for Britain presenter, said: “This is such an exciting example of how science can reveal the nature of a site that is otherwise completely lost to us.

“Sheffield Castle was once an imposing part of the local landscape and to find evidence of its substantial motte helps us understand the castle’s role in the city’s development.

“It’s also wonderful to be able to show these scientific methods on a popular programme like Digging for Britain, as they rarely make it to TV screens.”

Sheffield Council commissioned Wessex Archaeology to carry out digs on the site in 2018.

Councillor Julie Grocutt, co-chair of the transport, regeneration and climate committee, said she will be sure to tune in to the programme.

She said: “It has been so exciting to learn more about the secrets of Sheffield Castle, the birthplace of our city, throughout this project.

“As we progress with our plans to reinvigorate Castlegate and look towards the future, it’s fascinating to find out more about its origins and our city’s history.

“It will be fantastic to see the work Wessex Archaeology has been conducting on our television screens.”

Castlegate regeneration

The dig in 2018 was the first opportunity to understand what remained of the whole site, archaeologists said.

Eleven trenches revealed more of the city’s rich steel-making heritage along with a section across the full width of the medieval castle moat.

The castle’s history, including these findings, is hoped to be celebrated using Levelling Up funding secured by the council in 2021 to transform the wider area.

Detailed plans to spotlight heritage, culture and sustainability in Castlegate – including environmental and infrastructure improvements – are expected soon and the works are due to be completed by spring 2024.

History of Sheffield Castle

The 13th-century castle was once one of the biggest in northern England.

Historians from the University of Sheffield said it was a royalist stronghold during the English Civil War and due to its strength and reputation, parliament ordered for it to be completed destroyed in 1646.

Material from the castle was then incorporated into buildings across the city, such as Bishops’ House, Carbrook Hall and Norton Hall, they said.

Following demolition of the castle – steelworks, slaughterhouses and pubs were built in its place until new markets were created there in the 1920s and 1950s.

The Friends of Sheffield Castle hope to see its history preserved and displayed as a focal point in the future.