SIMULTANEOUS excavations of two village castles have revealed that one may never have been occupied.

The archaeological digs are taking place at Longtown castle and the lesser known Ponthendre castle, which is just half a mile away towards Clodock.

The Longtown and District Historical Society is working with Herefordshire Archaeology after winning £78,300 funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Martin Cook, from the historical society, said: "It's too early yet for analysis but both sites are giving unexpected results.

"Our key question was why do we have two castles in one village?

"It now looks as if there is a strong possibility that the castle at Ponthendre was abandoned before it was ever finished.

"We have exposed impressive earthworks that would have involved a massive investment in labour but so far have no evidence that they were ever occupied."

But he said they had found evidence for flint tool making below the ramparts, which proves that people were living in the area at Ponthendre back in the Stone Age.

At the other site on Castle Green they found medieval archaeology on day one in the form of two iron arrowheads, one leaf shaped and designed to cause maximum damage to animal or human flesh, the other a slim “bodkin” designed for armour-piercing.

Since then they have found a selection of medieval cooking pots and evidence for metal working.

Mr Cook added: "Our team of excavators, made up of volunteers led by Herefordshire Archaeology, have done a truly impressive amount of work and have shifted about 35 tonnes of earth so far.

"The volunteers range from 12 to 80 and are mostly from the local area but one came over from Alaska with his daughter and spent the first week of his holiday on the dig."

The digs finish next week and started on July 4.