EXCITING glimpses from the past have been unearthed during an archaeological dig which took place at Morwellham Quay recently.

The quay, mainly known for its importance during the industrial revolution, has a far longer history and a team of volunteers, led by archaeologist Robert Waterhouse, has been working to discover the age and location of the first dock at Morwellham.

Documents show there was a port on the site as early as 1240 ? it could even have been used by the Vikings when they raided Tavistock Abbey in 997AD.

Anthony Power, director at Morwellham, said: ?This is a dig we started during National Archaeology Weekend in July.

?The first layer of the quayside is from the 19th century, which still has the remains of the railway line. They?ve been down through successive layers and the earliest signs we can find, some pottery, dates from about 1680.

?The archaeologist thinks possibly there was a quayside, but that it was under what is now the road and obviously we can?t dig that up.?

Anthony said layers of coal, limestone and sea sand were evident at the dig, the latter which was brought up to Morwellham and used as fertiliser on the land.

In the coming months, attention will be turning to the Ship Inn, where the inside roof timbers date from around 1470.

There is documentary evidence to say that the land around it, owned by a Matillis De Lega, was rented by one William Walreddon, for five shillings a year in 1240.

Anthony said: ?This is an exciting project ? the archaeologist is looking to see if the roof is on the shell of the original building.

?We don?t know what it was actually originally used for. There are buildings around from the same time which are the same shape ? one in North Devon was a sort of customs house, which would fit in here, and there are also medieval church houses, like the one at South Tawton, which are quite similar in appearance.

?The 1240 list says Matillis keeps the house on the quay for herself ? whether it was where she actually lived we don?t know.?

The prospective parliamentary candidate for West Devon and Torridge, David Walter, recently joined the archaeological dig at Morwellham.

Mr Walter said: ?From what we know already, Morwellham has a fascinating history ? it would be wonderful to add to our knowledge of its past by discovering more.?