Thursday 27 May 2010

Local News

 Yum! a new Roman fort at Long Sandall and a great picture of Scaftworth fort - which is in Nottinghamshire but I'll let them off this time :) : 
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history+%2526+heritage/archaeology/art79156

"Cropmark Landscapes of the Magnesian Limestone of South and West Yorkshire by Ian Roberts with Alison Deegan and David Berg is available from Archaeological Services WYAS, PO Box 30 Nepshaw Lane South, Morley, Leeds, LS27 0UG. £15 (£3.50 post and packaging)."

Heeley Farm in Sheffield are looking for more volunteers for their roundhouse project too:

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/localnews/Reed-all-about-it-farm.6322685.jp

Wednesday 26 May 2010

Localish Digs for 2010!


Nottinghamshire County Council don't seem to have updated their archaeolgy pages since 2009 so I went searching for the localist digs this year I could find.  Most have cost only the last 2 from ilovethepast seem to be free?

Navenby Roman Settlement, Lincolnshire
14.6.10–23.7.10

This season the successful Lincoln Archaeological Field School will begin exciting new excavations at the Roman roadside settlement of Navenby, south of Lincoln. The Field School provides students with accredited training and tuition in archaeological methods and techniques including: excavation, recording, photography, surveying (plus DGPS), geophysics and finds & environmental processing. The Field School is open to students taking archaeology, anthropology or related degree programmes and who want accredited field work experience (20 UK, 10 ECTS or 5 US credits). Participation is for a minimum period of 6 weeks, application deadline 7 May. All training, tuition and examination fees, lunch and daily transport to and from site included in fee. Accommodation is available in the University College's halls of residence at additional cost. Volunteers are also welcome at a rate of 160GBP per week, including basic training and lunch. CBA East Midlands visit 20.5.10. For more information contact Craig Spence at Senior Lecturer, (History and Heritage Studies), Director Lincoln Archaeological Field School, Department of Culture and the Environment, Bishop Grosseteste University College, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN1 3DY, tel 01255 583775, email craig.spence@bishopg.ac.uk, web www.bishopg.ac.uk/field-school. Training is provided in the form of included in fee. Accommodation is provided in the form of BandB for extra 697GBP. Meals are provided in the form of included in fee. The cost is £980.
 
Manor Lodge, Sheffield
21.6.10–30.7.10

The Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, England will be offering fieldwork training at the Scheduled Ancient Monument at Manor Lodge. The focus will be on the location of the medieval and C16th hunting lodge, at amidst medieval parkland, and was only subsumed within the urban sprawl from the 1930s. One of the most well-known events in the history of Sheffield Manor Lodge was the period in the late sixteenth century when Mary Queen of Scots spent part of her captivity there. She was in the custody of George Talbot, sixth Earl of Shrewsbury and his wife, known popularly as Bess of Hardwick. Our excavations seek to illuminate this period of Sheffield's history, when the Manor Lodge was at the centre of events of national and international significance. Once the property passed into the hands of the Dukes of Norfolk the lodge fell into a ruinous state, and in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries a pottery kiln was constructed at the site, coal mining occurred and workers' cottages were built amidst the ruins. All traces of this industrial activity were stripped away in the early twentieth century, and one of our aims is to throw light on this aspect of the site's history. As well as running excavation training, we are offering four specialist field schools (cost 100-150 GBP per week) designed to introduce students to various aspects of post-excavation analysis: Environmental Archaeology (28 June-2 July); Human Osteology (5-9 July); Historic Buildings (12-16 July); and Material Culture (19-23 July). We can arrange great value accommodation in university halls of residence, and there are both single en-suite rooms (21.28GBP) or double en-suite rooms (25.53GBP). Prices per night. For more information contact Jerneja Willmott at Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, West Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S1 4ET, tel 0114 2222 900 (reception), email j.willmott@sheffield.ac.uk, web www.sheffield.ac.uk/archaeology/field-schools/manor-lodge-project.html. Training is provided in the form of included in fees. Accommodation is provided in the form of by application and for extra cost.. The cost is £100 per week.
 
Archaeology Live! 2010: Hungate, York
28.6.10–17.9.10

Annual community training excavations for the Archaeology Live! Event hosted by the Dig Hungate project of York Archaeological Trust. Excavations on the biggest site in York for 25 years, part of the Hungate (York) Regeneration Ltd development. The 2010 season will concentrate eastern side of the site where archaeological features from the Viking and Medieval periods disturb an area where Roman burials and cremations have been found. Trainees can come for as little as one day or for several weeks. There is a minimum age limit of 16. During Archaeology Live! the archaeology will be excavated and recorded by the trainees; the trainers teach and assist when required. It is a field-based training programme where people learn by doing the excavation, and by discovering and recording the archaeology themselves, rather than by classroom based tuition. See also Forum and Facebook Group. Please get in touch regarding longer courses. Main YAT office on 01904 615505. For more information contact Toby Kendall at Training Dig, York Archaeological Trust, 47 Aldwark, York, North Yorkshire YO1 7BX, tel 07908 210026 (mob), email trainingdig@yorkat.co.uk, web www.dighungate.com/. Training is provided in the form of on-site included in fee. Accommodation is provided in the form of self catering single rooms (extra).. The cost is £50/day 190/week.
 
Monk Bretton Priory Community Archaeology Project
4.7.10–1.8.10

The Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield will be working in and around the scheduled site. Founded in 1154 by the Cluniac order, the priory became an independent Benedictine house in 1281. Following the passing of the Act of Suppression the priory was dissolved on 30 November 1538. In 1580 the land was sold to George Talbot 6th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford who converted the priory into a private residence for his fourth son Henry. The Monk Bretton Community Archaeology Project will be running a programme of survey and excavation in an around the scheduled area of the ancient monument. Work will be concentrating on identifying features above and below ground that relate to the 16th-century Talbot mansion.. We can arrange great value accommodation in university halls of residence, and there are both single en-suite rooms (please contact for prices). For more information contact Hugh Willmott at Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, West Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S1 4ET, tel 0114 2222 900 (reception), email monk.bretton@sheffield.ac.uk, web www.sheffield.ac.uk/archaeology/field-schools/monk-bretton.html. Training is provided in the form of included in fee. Accommodation is provided in the form of at extra cost. Meals are provided in the form of lunch included. The cost is £100.
 
Creswell Crags, Nottinghamshire
16.8.10–28.8.10

Limited number of places via CBA East Midlands for MEMBERS ONLY. Volunteers (6 per week) must be able to commit for a whole week (six days). Places allocated on first-come-first-served basis, so book early for this rare opportunity. Please send your name, a summary of your relevant experience (if any), the week you are available and contact details. Work led by Dr Paul Pettit, University of Sheffield. Results of the previous seasons of excavation will be in the next volume of Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire, due to be published in late spring 2010. For more information contact Daryl Garton at 12 Collington Street, Beeston, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG9 1FJ, email daryl@dgarton.plus.com, web www.britarch.ac.uk/cbaem. .. The cost is £contact.

these are from Ilovethepast:
 
Sudbrooke
Location
Sudbrooke Lincolnshire
Type
Organization
Opening Dates
7th July - 1st August 2009
Entry
Volunteers Welcome
Contact
Contact Name
Craid Spence
Address
Lincoln Archaeological field school
Dept of Culture & Environment Studies
Bishop Grosseteste University College
Lincoln
LN1 3DY
Website
Email
craig.spence@bishopg.ac.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Telephone
01522 583 775
Our summer dig is open to everyone. All training will take place on site in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.

The site will be in a rural situation in Lincolnshire not too far from Lincoln itself. We currently plan to continue the excavation at the Roman villa/farmstead site that we worked on during 2005 and 2006. There have been a number of previous surveys conducted at the site by various groups the results of which clearly suggest it is a Roman villa complex of some substance. The finds from the site include Roman pottery (1st C - 4th C), box-flue tile, tesserae and fragments of painted wall plaster. This year’s investigations are one part of a larger project which is planned to continue for a number of years.
 
North Lincolnshire Community Archaeology
Type
Organization
Opening Dates
Various in 2010
Entry
Volunteers Welcome • Open to the Public
Contact
Contact Name
Alison Williams
Address
North Lincs Museum, Oswald Rd, Scunthorpe, N Lincs, DN15 7BD
Email
alison.williams@northlincs.gov.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Telephone
01724 843533
Volunteers are doing a five-year programme of investigations. Guided by museum staff and professional archaeologists, each year we will focus on one of the parishes along the bank, and arrange a variety of archaeological surveys. Volunteers can attend demonstrations and training to enable them to learn the techniques we use to detect, map and understand sites.
For example, we plan to fieldwalk a number of sites where we suspect buried settlements dating from the Roman period (43AD – 410AD) are located, at Alkborough, Whitton, Winteringham, South Ferriby and Barton. Collecting, identifying and dating the pottery from the ploughsoil will provide the evidence, and this will help us to draw a picture of life on the Humber estuary in Roman times. See our Community Archaeology Project page for more information about fieldwalking.
Geophysical surveys are planned at the sites fieldwalked by the project volunteers and at other known sites, for example the manor house site at Winteringham.
We'll need volunteers to survey and record the physical remains of the old brick and tile yards, cement works and chalk quarries that have shaped the landscape of the South Humber Bank at Barton and South Ferriby. This industrial heritage will be researched and interpreted for the wider public.
Fancy volunteering? Anyone can join in and become a volunteer. We are happy to involve individuals and groups interested in heritage matters. If you would like any further information about the project please contact Alison Williams on 01724 843533, or email alison.williams@northlincs.gov.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 

Monday 24 May 2010

Tonight's committee meeting was good fun as ever, Kevin Leahy's Staffordshire Hoard talk fetched in quite a lot of money which can be used for future projects. There was an update on the grant we are going for as well as updates on the upcoming events and talks.

Got the latest Friends of Firbeck Hall newsletter which detailed some of the news on the present owners going into administration. Hopefully this means the hall can be saved for future generations.

The Heritage Inspired "Explore Our Heritage" season is nearly on us again. The following areas are covered:
Barnsley 05/06 June
Sheffield 12/13 June
Doncaster 19/20 June
Rotherham 26/27 June
On 3rd July Pat McLaughlin is doing a guided tour of north Nottinghamshire churches this costs £12.50. Further details are available from www.heritageinspired.org.uk

Did anyone watch Time Team last night? Was there a Roman vexillation fort on that geophis that didn't even get a mention?

Sunday 23 May 2010

A few Recent News Articles from the Area

I'll be trying to keep people up to date with the local history/archaeology news on the blog, here's what I've picked up on this morning. If you find anything you think should be included please feel free to put it in the comments:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/nottingham/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8682000/8682884.stm

"Researchers at the University of Nottingham are using laser technology to work out the exact shapes of all Nottingham's sandstone caves.

Over the next two years they plan to produce a virtual fly-through tour of the 450 caves to put online for cave lovers across the world to enjoy..."


http://www.thestar.co.uk/doncaster/Explorers-go-behind-the-scenes.6268870.jp

"A DONCASTER family became history explorers for a day after winning a competition run by Doncaster Council's Museum Service..."


http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/news/Roman-heritage-lost-forever-cemetery-work-goes-ahead/article-2134614-detail/article.html

"Worried residents fear part of Lincoln's rich Roman heritage could be lost forever.After years of debate, work is soon to commence on a new cemetery in the Long Leys Road area of the city.But with a short archaeological survey unearthing millennia-old finds, some householders fear the City of Lincoln Council is pushing ahead with plans too quickly..."

With this and the new Lincoln East by-pass about to obliterate the edge of a barrow cemetry it makes you wonder what the City of Lincoln Council are playing at!

Saturday 22 May 2010

Welcome

Welcome to the blog, this is the part between having a Facebook site and eventually getting a full website!

The weather is hot and sunny and perfect for going out looking at sites. Last night we went for a wander up to the Roman Ridge at Blyth. Roman it is not! It's most definitely the edge of the park pale which was abandoned in 1509.

On Wednesday we looked long and hard for St. Edwin's Cross in Birklands, near Edwinstowe. It is a poor shrine to the man and chapel which was disolved in 1538 by Henry VIII. The site marks the spot where Edwin died in the battle of Hatfield. Once loved enough by the medieval kings of England the site is now marked by a lampost recrafted as a cross and a slate headstone explaning what it is. This could really do with a more substantial monument - perhaps in the shape of a Anglo-Saxon styled cross and bench with some grassland and flowers. Methinks it's time for a campaign!

As I write I'm busy looking into the Roman past of the area for a project which should come to fruition in September.

Hope you're all havig a lovely time this weekend and enjoying the sun. For those members who come across the blog - the Committee meeting's on Monday :)