This podcast captures some of the fun and public excitement from a recent open day at Birmingham's most Medieval site 'Weoley Castle'.

Hear the crowd laugh and cheer supporting two knights fighting to the death! (gouge his eyes out !), get to know a little more about a typical medieval meal, hear about some of the discoveries made from the site. We also caught up with members from Birmingham's young archaeology club (YAC). Not to be missed.

One thousand years ago, the area now known as Weoley Castle was, like most of the British Isles, covered in forest and woodland. Small areas had been cleared for farming by the Anglo-Saxons who had also settled in Nordfeld (Northfield).

The first "Weoley Castle", or fortified manor house, was built in the 13th century (about 1260). The land was in the possession of the Fitz Ansculf family and it's lords, who owned it from 1066 to 1322.

The final private owner of Weoley Castle and it's estate was James Coddington Ledsam. He lived more or less as a recluse in a big house "surrounded by an eight foot brick wall and approached by a long tree-lined avenue (Prinncethorpe Road) from near the gates of Lodge Hill Cemetery."

Princethorpe Junior and Infant Schools are now built on the site of "The Big House".