Excavations at the Royal Bull’s Head Inn – Day 2 – October 14, 2014

Today, with the help of Harristown High School year 12 ancient history students,and their teacher and head of the Humanities Department, Sall’ee Ryman, we continued down onto the cobbled area that was exposed yesterday. It extended throughout the whole 4x4m square, so it appears to be quite a substantial and exciting feature.

We were also able to select a second square for excavation, this time a 2x4m square in an area also identified as having a strong geophys signal. Although early in the excavation, it has already yielded some interesting results. There appears to be a smaller cobbled feature in this square, as well as several interesting and as yet unidentified artefacts.

Additionally, we excavated in situ two Levy&Co London buttons dating to the 1870s, a 1906, Edward VII six pence, and
some oyster shell (saccostrea cucullata). The oyster shell is of particular relevance to the historical claims that the Royal Bull’s Head Inn was a fairly high class establishment and not just a ‘grog shop’. Having to be transported from Moreton Bay, at some considerable expense, the presence of oyster would go some way to bearing this out.

Once again, thanks to our volunteers Eddie Thangavelu, Mark Meara, Alyssa Madden, Leanne Bateman, Peter Stainton, Daniel Derouet and and Grant Mottram. Also Jillian Smith, Chloe Delaney and Wendy Van Der Spoel. And thanks again to Harristown High School for providing us with so much happy and enthusiastic labour.