[10] The site has now become a large medieval archaeology project, at times involving some 90 archaeologists and assistants at once[5] a total of several hundred over the years of the work.

[11] Researchers and students, coming from several countries, have uncovered evidence of the defensive walls guarding the city and the town's three streets, which met at one end.

Remains of fire, the arrowheads and crossbow bolts tell of a violent struggle c. 1270 and the many coins and other items suggest the residents left hurriedly.

Stephan reported finding a broken roll of coins in the corner of one cellar and in other houses, sterling from Canterbury, pennies from Corvey and pfennige from Mecklenburg and Pomerania.

[5] Many of the houses had a furnace or foundry where the archaeologists found that large bronze bells, iron wheels, book clasps and jewelry had been cast, also metalsmiths where swords, lances, building hardware and nails were forged.

[14] The trenches that were dug for this purpose went to the natural bedrock and revealed numerous postholes, as well as ceramic finds pre-dating the church, providing researchers with evidence of a community.

It will be part of a recreated medieval environment showing the town as it would have looked in 1230,[18] with buildings for work and business, animal stalls and garden area and costumed portrayals of village life.

[18] The German state of Lower Saxony purchased the castle at Nienover in 2005, but sold it to Mireille van Meer, a Dutch horse breeder.

[8] Stephan, who spent twelve years researching and excavating the site, criticized Hartmut Möllring (CDU), state finance minister, for selling the castle at a "fire sale price" without bothering to secure the rights to continue the scientific work to its conclusion and ending "a unique opportunity in Germany" to investigate an untouched medieval site.