Volunteer Opportunities Historic Environment and Worcestershire The Service is always ready to welcome individuals or Service is part of Worcestershire groups who would like to become involved with our work. County Council’s Cultural Services - a Volunteers regularly help with processing finds and washing department of Adult and Community and marking pottery from excavations, but there are also Services. research projects which are organised and run by volunteers For more information about any of the items from our offices. All of these projects would welcome new Archaeology in the newsletter or for information about the volunteers and for more information about any of these, Archaeology of Worcestershire, news from the Historic Environment and Archaeology Service please phone our general enquiries office or email. please contact: No. 16: September 2006: ISSN 1468-1862 The Worcestershire Tithe Map Project Historic Environment & Archaeology Service, aims to trace and transcribe all the Woodbury, tithe maps of Worcestershire. The , information is put onto computer Henwick Grove, and compared with modern maps Worcester for use by researchers. WR2 6AJ. (www.worcestershiremaps.org.uk) General enquiries: Mo Uyt den Bogaard, (01905) 855455 The Ridge and Furrow Survey is recording the remains of the medieval open field system. It involves fieldwork in County Archaeology Officer: combination with the study of aerial photographs and maps. Malcolm Atkin, (01905) 855474 Field Archaeology Section: The Defence of Simon Woodiwiss, (01905) 855499 Worcestershire Project Historic Environment Record: is creating a database of Victoria Bryant, (01905) 855494 information on the sites and Outreach and Education: buildings used for both civil and Deborah Overton, (01905) 855494 military defence during the 18th, Planning: 19th and 20th centuries. Mike Glyde, (01905) 855454 Countryside: The Worcestershire Settlement Survey is capturing an Adam Mindykowski, (01905) 855597 image of settlements in Worcestershire as they exist at the beginning of the 21st century. Unlocking the Past: Justin Hughes (01905) 855401 Finds processing help is needed The Commandery Excavation: for a variety of different projects. Hal Dalwood (01905) 855456 Washing, marking and processing Fax for all sections: finds coming from a variety of (01905) 855035 sites and periods. Volunteers meet Email: Monday - Friday (office hours), [email protected] Wednesday evenings and some weekends. If you’d like to join in, Websites: contact Alan Jacobs (01905) Historic Environment & Archaeology Service: 542037 www.worcestershire.gov.uk/archaeology Worcestershire Tithe Maps: www.worcestershiremaps.org.uk On the Front cover: On-line Ceramics Database Volunteers at work in Trench 7 at The Commandery www.worcestershireceramics.org excavations during June and July this year On-line Archaeology Library: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/archaeology/library Worcestershire Archaeology Unlocking the Past: Is produced and distributed free of charge three times per year by www.worcestershire.gov.uk/unlocking the past Worcestershire Historic Environment and Archaeology Service. Contributors to this issue were, Malcolm Atkin, Hal Dalwood, Justin Hughes, Carolyn Hunt, Derek Hurst, Robin Jackson, Deborah Overton, Liz Pearson, Steve Rigby and Laura Templeton. Unless otherwise stated, all photographs and images are ©Worcestershire County Council. If you would like to receive copies of the newsletter by post, please send SAEs (A4 size) . If you wish to receive the newsletter by email as an Adobe PDF file, contact the newsletter distributor through our central email address: [email protected]

www.w gy orcestershire.gov.uk/archaeolo Unlocking the Past Starting with a prehistory Big Surprises at the Commandery Excavations event at Top Barn Farm, Holt, The second season of The Commandery Excavation took Our ancestors first arrived the project will be holding place between 20th June and 30th July 2006. The team in the Midlands about workshops and presenting re-visited trenches opened in 2005 and explored new half a million years ago. lectures in locations all over areas. The results were exciting, and an overview of the Tools from the Severn the County this year - details highlights, with lots of pictures, appears on the Dig Diary and Avon Valleys show will be in local newspapers, on the Archaeology Service web site. us that Neanderthal and and on our website. The Cro-Magnon people were events will give people The most spectacular discovery this year was the east present by about 50,000 BC, the chance to explore their end of the hospital chapel. The chapel was certainly while since the last Ice Age, past and understand past demolished by the end of the 17th century, and its location 10,000 years ago, humans technologies by handling real was uncertain. However the east wall of the chancel, have occupied these valleys, and reproduction prehistoric standing to an impressive height, was uncovered, with first as gatherers and hunters, tools, Roman and medieval two square buttresses on the corners and chamfered lower and later as farmers. pottery. They will also show courses. It was probably built in the 13th century. The A new project - Unlocking how archaeologists can unweathered surface of the stonework shows diagonal describe past environments chisel dressing, sharp angles on all the corners, and 50 the Past - run by WHEAS, has been commissioned by looking at microscopic mason’s marks. It was built of greenish-grey sandstone evidence. from the quarries at Highley (Shropshire). by English Heritage through the Aggregates Village and town venues, The team found part of another medieval building, joining Levy Sustatinability Fund. By engaging with community near key quarry sites, will provide space for the displays and the north wall of the chancel, built of red sandstone. This groups, it aims to provide wider access to the details of this events. A website will provide a permanent supplement to the seems to be a separate chapel, added on in the medieval archaeological story. touring events, giving detailed accounts of human settlements period and demolished in the 15th century. through time. Updated information on the excavation will soon be available through the WHEAS web pages. In the meantime, please visit The Commandery Project Sustainable travel at WHEAS than most to be called out to a site Dig Diaries: at short notice to take samples. www.worcestershire.gov.uk/archaeology/commandery. Worcestershire County Council is striving Sometimes when this happens there forward for sustainable transport as WHEAS is not always a vehicle available, so officers travel to sites around the city on a this is a quick, easy and effective bicycle. way to get on site. Many staff already cycle to and from work, There’s no longer a problem about finding it faster at peak times than using the car. finding parking near to the site or For excavations in the city, cycling to the sites the charges and costs involved in can sometimes be a problem because we also short trips into the city. need to transport equipment. A new trailer has Look out for a small trailer solved many of these problems - it’s light and displaying the Worcestershire County Council logo - it will easy to use, but can carry a reasonable amount of kit. more likely than not be one of our archaeologists heading to a right: Sarah Phear explains the meaning of the massive walls Liz Pearson, our environmental archaeologist, cycles site in the city. found at The Commandery this year, and above: some of the regularly - she is also one member of staff who is more likely decorated floor tiles discovered in Trench 7. Broadway Fieldwalk Exhibition Have your say on our New Roman Droitwich Archaeology Dayschool 2006 The Worcestershire Young Home This new research report edited by This year the Worcestershire Archaeology Dayschool Archaeologists’ Club You may already know that a new and Derek Hurst and with contributions will be held on Saturday 11th November 2006. concluded their Broadway groundbreaking Library and History Centre from over fifty others, covers three A full and varied programme has been drawn up, Fieldwalk Project, with is planned for the centre of Worcester, as a major sites in Roman Droitwich including talks about excavation and building survey an exhibition at Lifford partnership between Worcestershire County (Salinae). It is published by the at The Commandery (Worcester), an early prehistoric Hall in Broadway. It was Council and the University of Worcester. It is Council for British Archaeology. site at Clifton Quarry, an important new Romano- an opportunity for the hoped that this will include a new home for There is a full description of the British site near Wyre Piddle, and ongoing research group to show off their WHEAS, together with the Record Office - so Neronian fort on Dodderhill, and the into tithe maps. We try to put archaeological projects hard work and to display bringing access to archaeological and historical remains of the spectacular villa at into a broader context, and this year there will be an the finds they had picked information together and giving a higher public Bays Meadow. introduction to Roman pottery in Worcestershire. up from the field. This profile to the whole range of our work. To make The villa revealed a highly There will also be a chance to hear about our work included an unusual sure that the new Centre is designed to meet Romanised life-style, possibly with with the Young Archaeologists’ Club and with local collection of Mesolithic the needs of the whole community the Project imperial connections, suggesting communities, encouraging people to get involved in flints. team is conducting a wide programme of market that the Droitwich salt production archaeology. During the course of the project they had learnt about pottery, flint and research in the County. was being operated under state A keynote talk on the county’s important historic bone processing and analysis and illustration techniques. They entered One way you can have your say is to visit control. A third site included in the gardens will be given by Tim Mowl, author of a all the finds onto a computerised database (over 2000 items!) and Worcestershire Record Office’s Library and volume provides evidence for grain new book on the subject (www.timothymowl.co.uk/ produced the accompanying GIS distribution maps for the final report. History Centre branch (Trinity Street, Worcester) processing in the Roman settlement. worcestershire). Professor , from ’s , came to the on 21st October 2006 and take part in a short WHEAS would like to congratulate There will also be bookstalls (we hope both new event to present the Young Archaeologists with their certificates of market research interview. The interviewer the team, who have persevered over books and second hand this year), displays and achievement. Professor Aston was very impressed with the quality will be asking for visitors’ views so that we many years with the project, in order information. of their work - to the extent that he suggested that he would arrange can ensure we develop the right services and to do justice to the unique heritage The cost per person will be £12 for the whole day, for a geophysics survey on the area of the field which had not been atmosphere for the new Library and History of Droitwich. including tea coffee and biscuits on arrival, mid- fieldwalked – to help with a second season of archaeological fieldwork Centre in Worcester. morning and mid-afternoon. in Broadway next year. If you are a Record Office or Archaeology Roman Droitwich - CBA Research Buffet lunch with dessert and fruit juice will be £6 As a direct result of presenting this project to the local community at the Service user, please do visit the History Centre Report 146 costs £32 and is available extra. exhibition, WYAC have been asked to visit the nearby primary school to on 21st October and answer questions. from WHEAS or from the Council for tell the children there all about the project. We hope to include the school British Archaeology. For more details, please contact the general Your views, opinions and experiences are a very enquiries number at WHEAS - (01905) 855455. in any further fieldwalking and finds washing that we do in Broadway important part of the development of the new and the Young Archaeologists are eager to pass on their knowledge and centre. skills to the local children. More details can be found at www.wyac.co.uk Unlocking the Past Starting with a prehistory Big Surprises at the Commandery Excavations event at Top Barn Farm, Holt, The second season of The Commandery Excavation took Our ancestors first arrived the project will be holding place between 20th June and 30th July 2006. The team in the Midlands about workshops and presenting re-visited trenches opened in 2005 and explored new half a million years ago. lectures in locations all over areas. The results were exciting, and an overview of the Tools from the Severn the County this year - details highlights, with lots of pictures, appears on the Dig Diary and Avon Valleys show will be in local newspapers, on the Archaeology Service web site. us that Neanderthal and and on our website. The Cro-Magnon people were events will give people The most spectacular discovery this year was the east present by about 50,000 BC, the chance to explore their end of the hospital chapel. The chapel was certainly while since the last Ice Age, past and understand past demolished by the end of the 17th century, and its location 10,000 years ago, humans technologies by handling real was uncertain. However the east wall of the chancel, have occupied these valleys, and reproduction prehistoric standing to an impressive height, was uncovered, with first as gatherers and hunters, tools, Roman and medieval two square buttresses on the corners and chamfered lower and later as farmers. pottery. They will also show courses. It was probably built in the 13th century. The A new project - Unlocking how archaeologists can unweathered surface of the stonework shows diagonal describe past environments chisel dressing, sharp angles on all the corners, and 50 the Past - run by WHEAS, has been commissioned by looking at microscopic mason’s marks. It was built of greenish-grey sandstone evidence. from the quarries at Highley (Shropshire). by English Heritage through the Aggregates Village and town venues, The team found part of another medieval building, joining Levy Sustatinability Fund. By engaging with community near key quarry sites, will provide space for the displays and the north wall of the chancel, built of red sandstone. This groups, it aims to provide wider access to the details of this events. A website will provide a permanent supplement to the seems to be a separate chapel, added on in the medieval archaeological story. touring events, giving detailed accounts of human settlements period and demolished in the 15th century. through time. Updated information on the excavation will soon be available through the WHEAS web pages. In the meantime, please visit The Commandery Project Sustainable travel at WHEAS than most to be called out to a site Dig Diaries: at short notice to take samples. www.worcestershire.gov.uk/archaeology/commandery. Worcestershire County Council is striving Sometimes when this happens there forward for sustainable transport as WHEAS is not always a vehicle available, so officers travel to sites around the city on a this is a quick, easy and effective bicycle. way to get on site. Many staff already cycle to and from work, There’s no longer a problem about finding it faster at peak times than using the car. finding parking near to the site or For excavations in the city, cycling to the sites the charges and costs involved in can sometimes be a problem because we also short trips into the city. need to transport equipment. A new trailer has Look out for a small trailer solved many of these problems - it’s light and displaying the Worcestershire County Council logo - it will easy to use, but can carry a reasonable amount of kit. more likely than not be one of our archaeologists heading to a right: Sarah Phear explains the meaning of the massive walls Liz Pearson, our environmental archaeologist, cycles site in the city. found at The Commandery this year, and above: some of the regularly - she is also one member of staff who is more likely decorated floor tiles discovered in Trench 7. Broadway Fieldwalk Exhibition Have your say on our New Roman Droitwich Archaeology Dayschool 2006 The Worcestershire Young Home This new research report edited by This year the Worcestershire Archaeology Dayschool Archaeologists’ Club You may already know that a new and Derek Hurst and with contributions will be held on Saturday 11th November 2006. concluded their Broadway groundbreaking Library and History Centre from over fifty others, covers three A full and varied programme has been drawn up, Fieldwalk Project, with is planned for the centre of Worcester, as a major sites in Roman Droitwich including talks about excavation and building survey an exhibition at Lifford partnership between Worcestershire County (Salinae). It is published by the at The Commandery (Worcester), an early prehistoric Hall in Broadway. It was Council and the University of Worcester. It is Council for British Archaeology. site at Clifton Quarry, an important new Romano- an opportunity for the hoped that this will include a new home for There is a full description of the British site near Wyre Piddle, and ongoing research group to show off their WHEAS, together with the Record Office - so Neronian fort on Dodderhill, and the into tithe maps. We try to put archaeological projects hard work and to display bringing access to archaeological and historical remains of the spectacular villa at into a broader context, and this year there will be an the finds they had picked information together and giving a higher public Bays Meadow. introduction to Roman pottery in Worcestershire. up from the field. This profile to the whole range of our work. To make The villa revealed a highly There will also be a chance to hear about our work included an unusual sure that the new Centre is designed to meet Romanised life-style, possibly with with the Young Archaeologists’ Club and with local collection of Mesolithic the needs of the whole community the Project imperial connections, suggesting communities, encouraging people to get involved in flints. team is conducting a wide programme of market that the Droitwich salt production archaeology. During the course of the project they had learnt about pottery, flint and research in the County. was being operated under state A keynote talk on the county’s important historic bone processing and analysis and illustration techniques. They entered One way you can have your say is to visit control. A third site included in the gardens will be given by Tim Mowl, author of a all the finds onto a computerised database (over 2000 items!) and Worcestershire Record Office’s Library and volume provides evidence for grain new book on the subject (www.timothymowl.co.uk/ produced the accompanying GIS distribution maps for the final report. History Centre branch (Trinity Street, Worcester) processing in the Roman settlement. worcestershire). Professor Mick Aston, from Channel 4’s Time Team, came to the on 21st October 2006 and take part in a short WHEAS would like to congratulate There will also be bookstalls (we hope both new event to present the Young Archaeologists with their certificates of market research interview. The interviewer the team, who have persevered over books and second hand this year), displays and achievement. Professor Aston was very impressed with the quality will be asking for visitors’ views so that we many years with the project, in order information. of their work - to the extent that he suggested that he would arrange can ensure we develop the right services and to do justice to the unique heritage The cost per person will be £12 for the whole day, for a geophysics survey on the area of the field which had not been atmosphere for the new Library and History of Droitwich. including tea coffee and biscuits on arrival, mid- fieldwalked – to help with a second season of archaeological fieldwork Centre in Worcester. morning and mid-afternoon. in Broadway next year. If you are a Record Office or Archaeology Roman Droitwich - CBA Research Buffet lunch with dessert and fruit juice will be £6 As a direct result of presenting this project to the local community at the Service user, please do visit the History Centre Report 146 costs £32 and is available extra. exhibition, WYAC have been asked to visit the nearby primary school to on 21st October and answer questions. from WHEAS or from the Council for tell the children there all about the project. We hope to include the school British Archaeology. For more details, please contact the general Your views, opinions and experiences are a very enquiries number at WHEAS - (01905) 855455. in any further fieldwalking and finds washing that we do in Broadway important part of the development of the new and the Young Archaeologists are eager to pass on their knowledge and centre. skills to the local children. More details can be found at www.wyac.co.uk Volunteer Opportunities Worcestershire Historic Environment and Worcestershire The Service is always ready to welcome individuals or Archaeology Service is part of Worcestershire groups who would like to become involved with our work. County Council’s Cultural Services - a Volunteers regularly help with processing finds and washing department of Adult and Community and marking pottery from excavations, but there are also Services. research projects which are organised and run by volunteers For more information about any of the items from our offices. All of these projects would welcome new Archaeology in the newsletter or for information about the volunteers and for more information about any of these, Archaeology of Worcestershire, news from the Historic Environment and Archaeology Service please phone our general enquiries office or email. please contact: No. 16: September 2006: ISSN 1468-1862 The Worcestershire Tithe Map Project Historic Environment & Archaeology Service, aims to trace and transcribe all the Woodbury, tithe maps of Worcestershire. The University of Worcester, information is put onto computer Henwick Grove, and compared with modern maps Worcester for use by researchers. WR2 6AJ. (www.worcestershiremaps.org.uk) General enquiries: Mo Uyt den Bogaard, (01905) 855455 The Ridge and Furrow Survey is recording the remains of the medieval open field system. It involves fieldwork in County Archaeology Officer: combination with the study of aerial photographs and maps. Malcolm Atkin, (01905) 855474 Field Archaeology Section: The Defence of Simon Woodiwiss, (01905) 855499 Worcestershire Project Historic Environment Record: is creating a database of Victoria Bryant, (01905) 855494 information on the sites and Outreach and Education: buildings used for both civil and Deborah Overton, (01905) 855494 military defence during the 18th, Planning: 19th and 20th centuries. Mike Glyde, (01905) 855454 Countryside: The Worcestershire Settlement Survey is capturing an Adam Mindykowski, (01905) 855597 image of settlements in Worcestershire as they exist at the beginning of the 21st century. Unlocking the Past: Justin Hughes (01905) 855401 Finds processing help is needed The Commandery Excavation: for a variety of different projects. Hal Dalwood (01905) 855456 Washing, marking and processing Fax for all sections: finds coming from a variety of (01905) 855035 sites and periods. Volunteers meet Email: Monday - Friday (office hours), [email protected] Wednesday evenings and some weekends. If you’d like to join in, Websites: contact Alan Jacobs (01905) Historic Environment & Archaeology Service: 542037 www.worcestershire.gov.uk/archaeology Worcestershire Tithe Maps: www.worcestershiremaps.org.uk On the Front cover: On-line Ceramics Database Volunteers at work in Trench 7 at The Commandery www.worcestershireceramics.org excavations during June and July this year On-line Archaeology Library: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/archaeology/library Worcestershire Archaeology Unlocking the Past: Is produced and distributed free of charge three times per year by www.worcestershire.gov.uk/unlocking the past Worcestershire Historic Environment and Archaeology Service. Contributors to this issue were, Malcolm Atkin, Hal Dalwood, Justin Hughes, Carolyn Hunt, Derek Hurst, Robin Jackson, Deborah Overton, Liz Pearson, Steve Rigby and Laura Templeton. Unless otherwise stated, all photographs and images are ©Worcestershire County Council. If you would like to receive copies of the newsletter by post, please send SAEs (A4 size) . If you wish to receive the newsletter by email as an Adobe PDF file, contact the newsletter distributor through our central email address: [email protected]

www.w gy orcestershire.gov.uk/archaeolo