Historic Environment and Archaeology Services Worcestershire Archaeology No. 24: April 2010: ISSN 1468-1862 Worcestershire’s Past... Get Involved Today! In this issue... Northwick Manor Worcestershire’s Historic farms Find out more online: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/archaeology Worcestershire Archaeology Northwick Manor – The Final Weeks The Heritage Lottery Funded Northwick Manor Community Heritage Project is drawing to a close after two years. During this time many interesting talks and walks have been enjoyed by local residents and support for the project has been very encouraging. It involved The Worcestershire Young Archaeologists’ Club (WYAC) in partnership with Worcestershire County Council and Worcester City Council. The final event will be on the afternoon of Saturday 1st May (May Day) when the new Heritage Trail will be officially opened and other festivities will take place at the Northwick Slip. • Gaunt’s Retinue will be at Northwick Slip for the event on May 1st • The Project has been very successful photo: Caroline Moran at engaging the local community in With the kind permission of local their heritage and raising awareness of residents, excavations took place in the the archaeology, history and wildlife back gardens of houses opposite the on their doorstep. There has been a green at Northwick. We hoped to find programme of exciting activities on art, evidence of the huge Bishop’s Palace, history and archaeology at the local moat, dovecote and chapel that once school. Brick-making was an important stood there. Unfortunately, prior to the local industry in the river meadows housing development the ground had from late medieval times until the 19th been bulldozed and levelled but we century and with the help of Artist • Wren Miller and Deborah Overton with did find a very fine Neolithic flint awl in Residence Wren Miller, the school- the sculpture at Northwick school • (below). children created a meandering river sculpture from special bricks in the school grounds. Oral history specialist, Julia Letts and Worcestershire Young Archaeologists’ Club, recorded the memories of older residents and created an archive. An enthusiastic local history research group was formed and they have produced a mountain of information – far too much for the history booklet! – so it is now on the project website www.wyac.co.uk/northwick. We hope that a Heritage • photo: Portable Antiquities Scheme • Group will continue after the project has ended. The finale event will be held at Northwick Slip (at the The project provided training on building recording end of Old Northwick Lane) on Saturday May 1st between and earthwork survey and a group of young people on 2pm and 5pm when the Heritage Trail from Northwick to work experience surveyed the clay pits and trackways. Bevere will be officially opened by Time Team’s Professor They drew up a scale plan, researched the use of the Mick Aston. The ten panels showing the archaeology, fields and took soil samples to look for environmental history and wildlife of the trail will be on show and the archaeology evidence. Their results were written up in an artists will be there to chat about their work. Gaunt’s archaeological report. Retinue will be giving weapons, armour and fighting Bevere Island and Bevere Manor have been investigated to demonstrations, the winning entries of the Art and help us understand the significance of this area in the past Photography competition will be on show and the new and the results of a 1950s excavation on a cropmark site book of Northwick and Bevere memories will be on sale. was re-examined by a finds specialist. Among the Roman There will be cold drinks and cakes, music and other and medieval pottery there was one unusual Stamford activities and displays for all the family to enjoy. Ware sherd of early medieval date, which perhaps Every one is welcome to join us and try out relates to the Anglo-Danish attack when the citizens of the trail on May 1st. Worcester took refuge on Bevere Island. Worcestershire Archaeology Farms - the neglected asset? For centuries Worcestershire’s economy has been based in agriculture and its farm buildings are a vitally important part of the landscape. The Historic Farmstead Characterisation Project aims to develop a better understanding of farmstead character, survival and current use. The project does not involve detailed recording of individual buildings, but is trying to improve our knowledge of farmstead distribution and scale, the arrangement and function of buildings and the degree of change between the early 20th century and the present. The project is funded by English Heritage and the Rural Development Agency (Advantage • In the photo: a farm at Conderton West Midlands), in partnership with with a three bay threshing barn and local councils, and is currently being in the map , a lost farmstead • undertaken throughout the West Midlands Region. building traditions and farming practices. In Worcestershire, approximately The size and density of farmsteads is 3700 farmsteads and 1000 outfarms also a direct consequence of the types have been recorded from the early of farming and historical patterns of 20th century OS map. Groups of settlement and land use, which can reach smallholdings, associated with back into the medieval period and earlier. common and woodland landscapes The future of historic farm buildings is increasingly have also been noted. dependent on new roles outside mainstream agricultural Only 28% of sites have listed buildings; in the majority of use. This project aims to develop conservation guidance cases this is the farmhouse. Approximately 24% of sites that can be used to advise local planning authorities and have been completely lost or demolished and 47% of conservationists and the mapping provides a baseline for those surviving have undergone some level of conversion. future research. Historic farmsteads and their buildings, however, For further information please contact Emily Gough at contribute to local distinctiveness and the varied WHEAS or visit English Heritage’s Farmstead web page, character of our countryside by reflecting local geology, www.farmsteadtoolkit.co.uk Field Team to the Rescue! Victoria takes the lead During the severe weather at the start of Since the retirement of Malcolm Atkin, this year, WHEAS closed down much of there has been a review of his post, its field work, so that the off road vehicles but we are pleased to announce that could be used by County staff to get help Victoria Bryant has been appointed out to vulnerable people. However our field as the new Historic Environment team working at Cropthorne had already and Archaeology Service Manager. performed a rescue of their own on their Victoria has worked with us for 22 way back to base by using the landrover to years in a variety of areas - pottery, pull a vehicle out of a hedge which had slid off the road. survey, planning and most recently as Finding somewhere to attach the tow rope took some Historic Environment Record Manager. ingenuity due to modern car design and the rope only just With her wide experience in field did the job, but soon all wheels were back on the road archaeology and management we are and everyone could at last make their snowy way back to sure that the archaeological resources base. The four people in the car turned out to be police of the County are in good hands! officers and later sent their thanks back to the team who were filled with the warm glow of a good deed done! Where in the World? Join us! While most of Worcestershire’s At our base in Worcester, we deal archaeologists were stamping with finds from sites from all over through the snow and frost last the County ranging from prehistoric Christmas Angus Crawford took his to modern dates. Helping with t-shirt (and family) south. On his finds processing is a great way to return to the snowy north, his work with our team of specialists. complaints of sunburn got no Training is given, so even if you are sympathy from the rest of the staff. completely new to archaeology you will soon learn about all kinds It’s easy to guess where in the of finds. You may volunteer for as world he is, so how about a caption much or as little time as you wish, competition this time? No prizes although we are currently limited to – but the best suggestions will be our normal working hours Monday found on our web pages. to Friday 8.30-17.00. For more information, about becoming a volunteer, contact Dennis Williams at the WHEAS office. Worcestershire Historic Environment and Archaeology Unless otherwise stated all photographs and images are Service is the main contact point for all information ©Worcestershire County Council. about archaeology in the county. If you would like to receive your newsletter by email as a For information on projects mentioned in this newsletter, PDF file, please send an email to our address below with or to join in as a volunteer in our many activities for all the subject ‘NEWSLETTER PLEASE’. ages and abilities, please contact us - we will send details, or put you in touch with staff who can help. Cover photos: Mr. Bayliss during the excavation in his Contributors to this issue are - Angus Crawford, Nick garden at Northwick; Gaunt’s Retinue (by Nick Daffern); Daffern, Chris Gibbs and Deborah Overton. bottles from Northwick; Historic farm at Conderton. For further information contact: - General enquiries: By telephone: 01905 855499 By post: Historic Environment and Archaeology Service Woodbury, University of Worcester, Henwick Grove, Worcester WR2 6AJ By email [email protected] This document can be made available in other languages (including British Sign Language) and alternative formats (large print, audio tape, computer disk and Braille) on request from Corporate Diversity Manager on 01905 766938 or at [email protected] WALKPAST 2010 BOOKING FORM Information on Guided Walks These walks will introduce you to archaeological and historical sites in Worcestershire and are suitable for both beginners wishing an introduction to archaeology and those who would like to further develop their knowledge of the County’s heritage.