Worcester is one of England's great historic cities, with a history of
occupation that goes back to the Iron Age. It was a Roman ironworking
and industrial centre, though some houses had mosaics and other
architectural evidence. From 680 Worcester was the ecclesiastical centre
of the Hwicce and later a defended Mercian burh. The medieval city had
many parish churches and monasteries, a castle and city walls, and a
stone bridge across the Severn. Refortified in the Civil War and the
first and last battles of the war were fought here. More recently, the
city has been an important centre for the production of porcelain. The
Archaeology of Worcester in 20 Digs takes the reader on a journey
through a selection of the most ground-breaking or unusual
archaeological discoveries made in the city.