More secrets of mystery Norman castle uncovered

Students from Manchester and Cardiff have been taking part in the Snodhill Castle dig

A team of student archaeologists have uncovered more secrets at a castle.

Marks left by stone masons and the remains of a hidden gate were found at Snodhill Castle in Herefordshire.

Tim Hoverd, the council's archaeology projects manager said the finds gave an idea of the cost and strength of the Norman castle.

The dig was at the site of chapel inside the castle and the finds suggested a substantial building, more on a par with a small church, he said.

Mr Hoverd said: "We should be able to trace who these masons were and when they were working in the county or nearby."

The trust which runs the castle has previously said it5 believes it has found the site of a Royal Free Chapel, a church belonging directly to a monarch.

Archaeology students from the University of Manchester and the University of Cardiff have been working at a dig at the western end of the site.

The discovery of a postern gate was "remarkable" archaeologist Tim Hoverd said

Mr Hoverd said the remains uncovered suggested a substantial building, larger than a typical private chapel and more on a par with a small church.

Snodhill Castle is thought to have derived its name from "Snowy Hill"

A fortified and concealed gate, known as a postern gate was also discovered by the team and Mr Hoverd said: "A lot of it's been robbed away but what they've left shows how well it was built and how much money it must have cost."

He called the find "remarkable" and said he believed the castle would have looked formidable to would-be attackers at the time.

Tim Hoverd said it should be possible to trace the masons who made these marks on the stonework

Jonathan Goodwin from Manchester University, has dug at the site before and said this year's dig had been a "gold mine" compared to others.

He added: "The site itself is quite a mystery, over there there's a wall without a door.

"It's clearly a chapel, but there's a few mysteries to unveil."