AN EXHIBITION is taking place this weekend to showcase the archaeological finds from a dig at Weymouth’s landmark North Quay site - with hope this will encourage further excavations.

Archaeologists found the remains of a medieval house among other finds, including a cannonball, coins and numerous artefacts, on a small excavation at the site.

Some of the unearthed items will now be going on display at the Old Town Hall in Weymouth's High West Street from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, November 6.

The original excavation attracted a lot of interest with ‘hundreds’ of people watching on, and the team behind the work are hoping they will go along to the exhibition to learn more about the history of the area.

“We’re looking forward to the exhibition as there has been so much interest from residents that it inspires us to put on the event to record their memories,” said Richard McConnell, director of Context One and supervisor of the North Quay investigation.

“I hope a number of people turn up to get a better idea of what life was like.”

The exhibition is behind held as part of celebrations to mark the 450th anniversary of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis being officially combined by Royal Charter

Archaeologists who worked on the dig hope it builds further appetite for a larger excavation of the site, currently home to an eyesore former council office block which is earmarked for demolition and transformation into luxury housing.

Mark Vine, an ex-archaeologist, author and historian, who led the volunteer group which helped with the dig, said: “It’s the medieval centre and the only site left in town that we could find out how old Weymouth is.

“But, it's not just an old mediaeval street, it's also a battleground where 200 people died in one night, at something called the Crabchurch conspiracy in the English Civil War.

“Once that site is destroyed there's nowhere else you could give future generations that information and that's why it's important.

“That's why the county archaeologists said it would be a crying shame if a dig didn't take place before the North Quay offices were redeveloped.”

Mr Vine said that there is hope that the council is going to allow us to dig about ‘25-30%’ of the site, with the idea that the exhibition will enhance calls for further investigation there.

However, Mr McConnell says Context One, which specialise in archaeological evaluation and recommended the original four trenches to be dug, said they are ‘still very much in the dark’.

He said: “I think there is hope that any development will carry an archaeological condition, what that looks like we do not know at the moment.

“I think there is a general consensus there will be further excavation but the details of that are off in the distance.”