Will excavation unearth historic past of Southam?

Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service are digging 11 trenches around Southam library and Victor Hodges House until December 10 for housing association Orbit Homes, which plans to build ‘independent living’ flats for elderly people on the site.

But while Orbit wants excavations to yield interesting finds, the company hopes they will not delay the £10 million project.

Development manager Graham Spencer said: “I hope they don’t find anything too exciting; that would delay the programme of work.”

Warwickshire County Council asked Orbit to carry out the dig before it submits plans for the scheme, which will include a police office.

Project manager Tom Vaughan admitted nobody was sure what would be found on the site, identified as the centre of medieval Southam.

He said: “There is the potential for some Anglo-Saxon deposits. Until we get some holes in the ground, nobody knows for certain.”

In contrast to the modern buildings, Mr Vaughan said the original site would have been heavily built up, but with stone reused, only foundation 
trenches, pottery, refuse and post holes might remain.

He added: “I would certainly hope we find something very impressive and some of the earliest remains of buildings in the town.”