A new archaeological dig is set to take place at the site of a Norman structure.

The excavation will start on May 21 at the site of the structure in Priory Park, Priory Road, Chichester and is set to end on June 3.

This will be the seventh one conducted at the site and has been organised by Chichester and District Archaeology Society and Chichester District Council.

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The council's own archaeologist James Kenny will be leading the project.

There will be a special public day on June 1, during which Mr Kenny will give talks throughout the day at 10am, 12pm and 3pm about the team's discoveries at the site over the years.

Members of the public have also been invited to watch the dig at any time.

Last year, the team of archaeologists discovered the foundations of walls which were associated with a building that was part of a medieval Franciscan Friary that stood on the site.

The finds included a buttress on the south-east corner of the building.

The remains of a ditch that surrounded the central mound, or 'motte', of Chichester's Norman castle, together with a masonry structure associated with it were also found last year. 

The team believed this could have formed part of a defence structure.

James said: "A series of geophysics and ground-penetrating radar scans carried out in 2022 indicate that the Norman wall connects to a large, rectangular masonry structure that may be part of the bridge or its defences.

"Following last year's exciting finds, the aim of this year's dig is to investigate this further and increase our understanding of the motte.

"Some people may not be aware, but the motte and bailey castle was probably built directly after the Norman Invasion in 1067 or 1068 by Earl Roger Montgomery. He was one of the most important Norman barons, in charge of most of what would become West Sussex.

"Only a small part of the motte remains today, but back then it would have been a significant structure - four or five times bigger than it is today - and probably comparable in size to the one at Arundel Castle.

"Chichester's castle was intended to intimidate the urban English population and to dissuade them from rebelling against their new Norman lords."

Councillor Adrian Moss, leader of Chichester District Council, said: "The painstaking work that has been carried out by the team over the last few years has been so exciting to see, and I know that residents have been absolutely fascinated by their discoveries.

"Last year it was amazing to think that the wall associated with the Norman castle hadn't been seen by another human since the Middle Ages.

"We're really looking forward to welcoming the team on site later this month and following their progress."