Leicester Conference 1998 Courtrooms and Undercroft
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OCTOBER Welcome to the all-new Newsletter. We have a new design and layout (not quite finalised!), a new Editor, Lesley Collett, and hopefully some new features to come. We kick off with Richard Sheppards report on the recent Conference, held at his own former University. with its 12th century timber roof, its Leicester Conference 1998 courtrooms and undercroft. After a wander to the top of the castle motte, It was with great interest that I Come Saturday morning we were in we were encouraged to visit the excellent motored down to Leicester for this for a treat. Transported to a lecture hall Jewry Wall Museum. This stands next to years conference, not having seen much on the university campus, our first a remarkable Roman wall, that somehow of the place since my student days back speaker was Victor Ambrus, one of the survived the awful road scheme which in the 1970s. Although the traffic has regulars on Time Team. Although Victor tore the heart out of the historic town in grown out of all proportion, thankfully rarely opens his mouth on the the 1960s. Although the centre of the place has changed very little, including programme, he spoke to us about his Leicester has been badly affected by the I am pleased to say, our venue, Beaumont long experience of historical illustration, later 20th century, our guides introduced Hall, where I was resident for three years. the pressures of working for Time Team us to many of the citys treasures, and a Half of our contingent came early producers, and the value of keeping up sense of the towns history. on the Friday and were able to see the with life drawing. This was peppered with The evening lecture by Dr. Graham diversity on offer in the city, as revealed amusing anecdotes and the chance to see Morgan presented the conservators on the Belgrave Road. Also known as the some of his pencil drawings at first hand. viewpoint and how it overlaps with that Golden Mile, the area is renowned for Its a shame he is not a member. of the finds illustrator. His talk proved its jewellery shops and Asian cuisine. A The next speaker, Steve Dobson, to be thought-provoking, not least number of delegates took the spoke about trends in computer because Graham mentioned the potential opportunity to do a little shopping, visualisation in archaeology. This dangers of handling chemicals on coming away with unusual kitchen continued the mornings theme of the conserved objects. He spoke as one who utensils and bags of sweets. The Jain importance of making archaeological appreciates objects for their intrinsic Temple (the only one outside India) data visual for the layman. Steves worth, not just for their cultural impressed delegates with its beautiful examples included interactive computer significance. Graham then joined us for marble sculptures, stained glass windows, models derived from intensive laser wine in a 20th Anniversary celebration. and the intriguing religious thought scanning, (Giya Project), from total On Sunday, our host, Debbie Miles behind it. For some worshippers this even station survey (Hopi Indian pit-house), Williams, had several of her students means avoiding potatoes in their diet, as and photo-modelling for more realistic come for a portfolio session. Members they are considered live beings. effects (Castell Henlys). Whilst many of of Council were assigned to each Once settled in, we started the Friday the views on show were impressive, VR participant on a one-to-one basis, and night proceedings with the usual still has problems with monotonous comments and advice offered. All agreed introduction to the local archaeological textures, a lack of human scaling and in that it was a useful exercise with practical scene, with a talk by Neil Finn on the justifying the use of powerful computers value for the students concerned. This multi-period site of Eye Kettleby. Here, for limited output. was followed by an enthralling lecture by the University of Leicester Archaeology Following a thankfully brief AGM, Ian Meadows of Northamptonshire Unit has been studying a large area since we now set out on our guided tour of Archaeology, who unfolded the sequence 1993, finding features varying from Leicester in the rain. Nick Cooper did of events that led to the discovery of a Neolithic pits to Anglo-Saxon structures. his best to explain the development of rare Anglo-Saxon helmet on a gravel After this tour through the millennia, we the city from its pre-Roman beginnings, quarry site. A natural speaker, Ian retired to the bar to drink and swap contending with peoples brollies and proceeded to show how the helmet, gossip, amongst faces familiar and new, noisy traffic. His route took us down the initially hidden within a lump of the latter including several friendly and Georgian New Walk, and into the heart corrosion, gradually came to light enthusiastic students. Also in the bar was of the town where we glimpsed some through X-rays and painstaking a gathering of local Tories, one of whom of the older buildings that have survived conservation work. His slide showing two was foolish enough to try discussing the modern era. Richard Buckley took glum-faced managers from the gravel politics with the Oxford contingent - over at Leicester Castle, where we were company Pioneer, peering down at this dangerous indeed! allowed to view the interior of the Hall, lump, was particularly memorable. The 2 Association of Archaeological Illustrators and Surveyors company did eventually pay for all subsequent conservation, and the helmet, Job Seekers 1999 Conference only the fourth to be found in England, When the Association is asked to Following our offer to arrange next is now called the Pioneer Helmet. advertise jobs to its membership we years conference, Margaret and I spent Our final speaker was Michael would like, in the future, to be able to a few lunchtimes descending upon Brammen from the Association of target those members who are actively various Halls of Residence around Illustrators. Michael outlined the work of seeking a new position or freelance Reading. As a result, we now have a the AOI and what it offers its 2000 work. This will make the process more venue and dates, so put them in your members in terms of advice and outlet. efficient, saving time and postage costs, diaries NOW. The next conference will The advantages for freelance illustrators and help to improve the response time be on Friday September 3rd to Sunday of having joint AAI&S-AOI to these requests. It always surprises me September 5th 1999. We will be based membership is obvious, and I am pleased how much time it takes to photocopy at Wantage Hall, University of Reading. to say that a number of our Full Members the details, fold and stuff into enve- For those of you who have not been to have now taken up the option (see lopes, add address labels and stamps Reading before, the Hall is off the main Subscription note for details). and stagger down to the post box. (Whiteknights) university campus, After the group photograph the If we can reduce the numbers who about a mile from the town centre and Conference ended on a satisfied note. are sent details, we can then go out and railway station. The Hall dates from Congratulations to Debbie for sell this service on your behalf to the early years of this century, built organizing a successful and enjoyable potential employers, and increase your around a quadrangle with a bar, meeting weekend, and managing it all whilst chances of hearing of your dream job. rooms and a computer workroom. having her hands full as a new mother. If you wish to be included on the There is a bus service (the main route Thanks also to her band of helpers from mailing list for jobs please contact the serving the campus stops 5 minutes the department, and to all the speakers membership secretary through the walk away). Further details will be sent and guides. The accommodation was central mailing address. Your name will out with the formal conference details comfortable and the food excellent. What be added to the list for the membership when people have booked. more could one want? Next year its year, and in order to keep the list up to Reading - can you do it as well? date we would ask you to confirm your Turning to the programme for the interest every November when, of weekend, we have a number of ideas Richard Sheppard (with thanks to Debbie course, we all pay our subscriptions. and people we have in mind to contact. and to Mike Rouillard for sharing their We hope to include speakers and thoughts about the weekend) Rob Read demonstrations of digital building recording, integrated site database systems, hands-on computer graphics Conference 2000 - a place in the sun? workshops as well as some more traditional subjects. Following on Hazel Martingell has offered to from the last conferences well received look into the possibility of organising portfolio sessions, we expect to repeat a special conference to mark the the event for other interested parties. millennium on the island of Gozo. For In the meantime, although we have those whose strong point is not several ideas for the programme, if geography, Gozo is south of Sicily, SIC anyone feels they would like to make a ILY adjacent to Malta. It would be hoped contribution along the above lines, they to organise the travel as well as the GOZO are welcome to contact us via central conference itself, probably going for a MALTA mailing or c/o Department of weeks stay.