THEY might not look like much but these rare historic artefacts unearthed at Worcestershire's County Museum last week date back to medieval times.

The remains of a mortar, the hearth to a 14th century oven and pottery were discovered by archaeologists during refurbishment work at the Hartlebury Castle-based site on Thursday.

The artefacts were believed to have belonged to the castle's kitchen, next to the great hall.

David Kendrick, collections officer at the museum, said: "It was a great surprise to find such an unexpected medieval artefact along with so many others. Some of the finds are of excellent quality, which helps to shed further light on what life was like in the castle in the medieval times.

"The artefacts will be a good addition to the County Museum, as it shows part of the castle's history."

Malcolm Atkin, county archaeology officer, said: "The discovery of what we believe is the kitchen of the medieval palace is an important find, which sheds new light on the layout of the building.

"It is a counterpoint to the grandeur of the great hall and reflects the everyday routine of life in the palace."

The archaeology team from Worcestershire County Council was on site to make sure no important artefacts were accidentally damaged during the installation of a new glass lift.

Each item will be removed or recorded and reburied so the improvements to the museum can continue.