Can you dig it?

Volunteers from the Southwick Society will be digging with the help of experts from Archaeology South East.

The cottage is a 14th century open hall and was probably built for a bailiff running the estate for the monks of Reigate Priory, who owned the land.

Society secretary Nigel Divers said: "This is very exciting project as nobody has ever carried a comparable dig in Southwick. It would be good to find a medieval rubbish put as it could tell us so much about the people who lived in the area then.

"We might find signs of an earlier house or even Roman remains, as the site of Southwick's villa is so close.

"We will soon be restoring the west wing of the building, which was partially demolished 30 years age. The excavations are intended to save any archaeology that might be damaged by building work and to tell us more about the history of Southwick.

"The Roman villa has been excavated, but nobody has ever investigated medieval Southwick. We are making a trip into the unknown."