ent ronm envi toric r his thei d in olve inv ople pe cal lo ting get Archaeology A HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND INITIATIVE PB A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 1 ent ronm envi toric his heir Acknowledgements in t lved nvo There are so many people to thank and I am grateful to everyone for their le i op enthusiasm and commitment to SCARP. pe cal lo ting Firstly thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund and South Gloucestershire Council, in get particular David Haigh, without whom this project would not have been possible. Thanks also to the partners, South Gloucestershire Museums Group (who provided a cash contribution to the project) and to Thornbury and District Museum and Yate & District Heritage Centre (and especially to Sandi Shallcross and David Hardill). Contents In compiling this booklet many thanks to the contributors – Jenni Craft, Tony Harris, Mary Lennox, Chris Molan, Brian Orchard, Janet Presley, Dave Rowley, Jackie Sims, Jenny Smith, Peter Twinn and Rob Vernon. Chris Molan kindly donated the Roman illustrations and Richard Hunter undertook a photographic survey of many of the sites included. Also, big thanks to Lucy Newton who wrote the poems An introduction to Community Archaeology 5 included within. Thanks also to those who helped, over a very short time, to complete a number of Prehistory 11 outstanding projects so they could be included in this booklet - Tony Harris, Mary Lennox, Janet Presley, Lynette Magnone, Jackie Skinner, David Gould, Lizzie Dawson, Ollie Keynes, Emma Ings, David Hughes, Michelle and Andy Gale, Sue Adams, Isabel Wright and Roman 19 Richard Hunter. Lastly to all the volunteers from all of the groups who have made Medieval 29 this not only an enjoyable project, but a legacy for community archaeology. The Tudor and Post Medieval 43 2 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 3 ent ronm envi toric his Foreword heir in t lved nvo le i The South Gloucestershire Community Archaeology Project, or SCARP, was op pe a Heritage Lottery Fund initiative to get local people involved in their historic cal lo environment by providing them with training, skills and ongoing support in ting archaeological techniques. get These techniques were primarily non-intrusive and involved earthwork, geophysical and building survey along with post-excavation processing, documentary and other archival research of historic sites, along with a small amount of excavation. However, the projects were focussed on sites important to members of the groups and that has been one of the most rewarding aspects. This booklet, the text, images, illustrations and the surveys from which they have come, have been compiled almost entirely by volunteers on behalf of a range of community archaeology groups. It is not, of course, possible to include a full account of all their work, but full reports on each site will follow in due course. This booklet takes a chronological approach, providing a brief summary of current Community thinking relating to a number of key sites. It shows the potential for community archaeology to explore elements of the past and how this can contribute to tackling fundamental questions about history. Archaeology It has been a privilege to work with such dedicated, knowledgeable and thoroughly enjoyable people and to provide a legacy of community archaeology for future generations. Paul Driscoll Community Archaeology Officer South Gloucestershire Council 4 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 5 EAI XC VAT NG AT SEA Mills ROMAN PORT IN ALL WEATHERS © SMART The idea of SCARP was to provide local people with sustainable skills in archaeological survey, so that they can undertake their own projects and continue to make advances in understanding the history (modern and ancient) of the region. The focus was on non-intrusive survey, which is non-destructive and repeatable. This involved training people in traditional methods of earthwork and building survey, by using tape measures and conducting a scaled drawing onto permatrace, supplemented where necessary by advanced Total Station survey. However, the bulk of the work was focussed on geophysics, predominantly resistance with some gradiometry. ROA M N SEVERN VallEY WARE CUP Below is a shortened list of archaeological groups (contacts for archaeology and FROM NEAR THORNBURY © Peter Twinn history societies can be found at the end) that are active in the area and show the D RAWING UP thE RESULTS OF thE SURVEYS OF SHEILING SCHOOL range of sites, periods and themes currently being explored. FISHPONds © Janet Presley BUildiNG RECORDING at PENPOLE Alveston Archaeological Research Team LODGE, KINGS WESTON HOUSE © SCARP AART are a small group of volunteers looking at the archaeology of the Alveston area, conducting documentary research, geophysics and excavation at a number Community Archaeology has grown considerably in the last decade, so of key sites around Thornbury. The Thornbury Archaeology Group, undertake that there are now hundreds of community archaeology groups, of varying regular fieldwork activities around the Thornbury area and have recently been membership sizes and agendas, throughout Britain. The influence of assisting at Strode Common prehistoric enclosure near Lower Hazel. community archaeology is recognised by national institutions such as the Council for British Archaeology, who have embarked on an ambitious Sea Mills Archaeological Research Team programme (again partly funded by the HLF) of providing community The Sea Mills Archaeological Research Team is a group of volunteers who are archaeology bursaries to professional organisations, to encourage outreach researching the history of the Roman Town of Abona at Sea Mills in Bristol. activities through them. SMART was the initial brainchild of Bristol City Museum together with Bristol and Avon Archaeological Society (BAAS) and Bristol City Council Planning Department. Community Archaeology has encouraged local people to take a more active role in The call for volunteers went out in 2009 for people to become involved in practical their historic environment (which does not necessarily have to be fieldwork), so that archaeology. they can contribute to a growing understanding of the past. Following initial work focussing on museum collections and cataloguing material Before SCARP began, there were only a small number of active archaeology from previous excavations nearby, the group graduated to fieldwork and after a groups throughout Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Through SCARP, the series of excavations around the Roman Town, began working on the allotments number of active groups has more than doubled, with some groups having more to the west of Sea Mills station. The results of this work have been fascinating, than 50 registered members. Furthermore the groups have joined together to revealing evidence of the history of a Roman port and its potential connections undertake a range of outside projects, for example working on the Avon Gorge throughout the region, whether by boat or by road. hillforts, demonstrating a keenness to collaborate and thirst for exploring the past. 6 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 7 South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group able to focus on a range of sites from different periods, including Iron Age hillforts, SGMRG is one of the longest running groups in South Gloucestershire, dedicated Roman towns, Saxon churches, Medieval moated and non-moated manors, to the survey, conservation and publication of sites related to the mining industry, Medieval Tithe barns, Medieval to Post-Medieval town houses and WWI POW one of the most important elements of South Gloucestershire’s past and one not just camps. The success of these projects has been staggering, helping to provide a focussed on coal – ochre, Celestine, iron, lead and stone were also mined. SGMRG springboard for further research and investigation and also helping in conservation regularly hold working parties to clear sites, undertake geophysical and other survey strategies. They also run a series of evening lectures and workshops at Yate work on collieries and remains, hold conferences and lectures and publish their work. Heritage Centre. Southern Brooks Archaeology Southern Brooks Archaeology is one of the earliest groups to form, coming together as a pilot study for SCARP. Covering the parishes of Bradley Stoke, Filton, Patchway and Stoke Gifford, members of this group have undertaken research into the historic M4 Motorway 'A' Roads manors of Filton, demolished medieval or Post-Medieval farmsteads at Little Stoke, sitX ES E PLORED thrOUGH scarp Other Roads Railway Line/Station looked for Roman settlement at 40 Acres in Stoke Gifford and photographed a WWII or Urban Area n Kilometres r even Cold War bunker. e 2 1 0 1 2 3 v e 1 0 1 2 N S Miles r e v Thornbury New Parke Archaeology Group i R Thornbury New Parke Archaeology Group is a loose confederation of volunteers, both Wales Gloucestershire interested individuals and members of other archaeological groups, founded in 2012 urThornby éThornbury New Parke Fishponds as a result of work started by the “Friends of Park Farm Medieval Fishponds” (which was set up to help look after the Park Farm Medieval Fishponds - Thornbury’s unique Wickwar éStrode Common Enclosure éWickwar Small Roman Town Scheduled Monument). The group’s emphasis is on sites contained within the area of éSt Helens Church éRangeworthy Court the Duke of Buckingham’s Tudor deer park (New Parke). Horton éHorton Court éGaunts Earthcott DMV éHorton Camp éOaklands Chipping Sodbury B N éHobbs House Bakery O As the group grew out of the Friends group, the emphasis to date has been on looking éWW1 POW Camp Winterbourne A Little Stoke Park é Yate at ponds within the Deer Park. As it has not been possible to work on the Medieval éWinterbourne Park é40 Acres éRam Hill Colliery D Fishponds, due to its scheduling in 2011, the group have concentrated on ponds éConygre House L éBroncksea Road Cold War Shelter O Filton éHallen Farm Roman Villa W contained within the estates of Camphill Communities Thornbury (the Sheiling School éPenpole Lodge éFrenchay Hospital Wiltshire S T and the Hatch).