ANCIENT artefacts dating back over 900 years have been found in a garden in Brent Knoll. The historical Saxo-Norman finds were uncovered after a routine excavation of the site as part of a planning application. Seven years ago the previous owners of the

ANCIENT artefacts dating back over 900 years have been found in a garden in Brent Knoll. The historical Saxo-Norman finds were uncovered after a routine excavation of the site as part of a planning application. Seven years ago the previous owners of the property in Church Lane had applied for planning permission to build an additional house in the grounds. As part of the conditions they had to have a test dig on the site. It revealed a high concentration of bones, which led them to believe there might be a settlement.Current owner Gary Cavill, aged 39, lives in the house with his wife Tanya and their four children. Gary, a teaching assistant at Brent Knoll Primary School, said: "Before building could start we had to get a certificate from the Historic Environment Department at Somerset County Council. So in December and January the Avon Archaeological Unit (AAU) carried out a dig."It found whet stones for sharpening knifes, a coin, a stone heath used for cooking and various bits of bone and pottery. The AAU has taken them all for examination but workers told me they think the finds are from the 10th or 11th Century."Andrew Young, of the AAU, said: "The main activity on the site is provisionally dated to the 11th or 12th Century, what is often called the Saxo-Norman period. "It seems to reflect a domestic settlement, probably part of a simple rural dwelling. Evidence from the analysis of the artefacts, animal bones and environmental items, for example plant and food remains, will provide a great deal more detail. "Later medieval activity also appears to be present in the form of a large ditch. This activity does not appear to date from much later than the 13th Century."Gary added: "The AAU has taken everything it found away to be analysed. After that the finds will probably go to Taunton Museum. "I'm hoping some will be able to go to King John's Hunting Lodge, the museum in Axbridge. It would be nice to keep some of the stuff fairly local. We might also keep a few things. I don't think the broken pottery will be worth much, but we would like to hang on to some as a keepsake.