WHAT MIGHT EXIST BELOW THE PLATFORM AT PIGGY’S HOLLOW?

WHAT MIGHT EXIST BELOW THE PLATFORM AT PIGGY’S HOLLOW?

 

PIGGY’S HOLLOW (The name of the Moated site in Evington’s Arboretum)

 

The monthly History and Heritage group that meet in the Parish Centre, welcomed Jo Instone-Brewer, an undergraduate at Leicester University studying Archaeology, to their April meeting.  Jo’s talk was titled, “What might exist below the platform of Piggy’s Hollow?” Jo gave some historical facts and speculated on the different possibilities for the site.

 

Piggy’s Hollow hasn’t been investigated except for a small trench in the 1970s that found lots of slate, which may indicate a manor house, a keeper’s lodge, a hunting lodge or even something else.  Jo explained that Piggy’s Hollow was built before the fashion for fortified houses where moats were a status symbol.

 

The site in the 13thand 14thCentury was a deer park with fishponds and moats inside.  Why were they there?  She compared Piggy’s Hollow with Bradgate Park where a gatekeeper’s lodge had been excavated.  Jo said it was bizarre that somewhere so obvious as Piggy’s Hollow had not been excavated before.

 

The planned geophysical survey in May had the following three probes: 1) Resistivity 2) Magnetometry and 3) Ground Penetrating Radar.

 

Resistivity is where an electric current measures the time to receivers.  If the object is dry and solid there’s lots of resistance.  If it is wet and not solid there is little resistance.

 

Magnetometry is where a magnet senses the polarity in the ground and compares it with the polarity of the Earth.

 

Ground Penetrating Radar (GRR) is where the radar in the ground sends back a picture.

 

Jo made a promise to Historic England that there will be no intrusive work done on the main site. Watch this space, because we hope we the next issue will bring you interpretations of this survey.

Evington Echo

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