CBA West Midlands IN THIS ISSUE: ISSUE NUMBER 14 SPRING 2012 Regional and National CBA Meeting Programme News from the Past—Sat 17 March Young Archaeolo- This event is organised by Peter Reevil: The Portable gists Club News Annual round up of Antiquities Scheme and Recent the latest archaeolog- CBA West Midlands and is a Daycations day of illustrated presenta- Discoveries in the West Mids ical discoveries in the tions about sites and objects Hal Dalwood: Excavations at ‘NEW’ Featured West Mids from urban and rural sites Lowesmoor Museum slot Sat 17th March across the region ranging in Contact Caroline Mosley at Regional Events and date from prehistoric times [email protected] or 0778 Open Days The Library Theatre, to the modern. 694 1059 for more information or download a booking form Birmingham Central Speakers include: Workshops from our website Library B3 3HQ Mike Hodder: Recent Archaeo- http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ Committee Contact logical Work in Birmingham 10am-4.45pm cbawm/meetings Details Mike Shaw: Anglo Saxon Tamworth Fee £20 per person Tegan Daly: Providence Chapel, (Please note that refreshments West Bromwich are included but NOT lunch— CBA Members may deduct there are many eateries locally) £5 John Hemmingway: Prehistory of the Stour Valley CBAWM Notification of AGM—7th July This year’s CBA West Mids St James’ Church, Annual General Meeting will Acton Trussell, be hosted in Acton Trussell Staffordshire CBA Winter PROGRAMME General Meeting 10.00 Arrival Mon 27 Feb Society of Antiquaries 11.00 Business London Meeting (Members Only) The WGM 2012 will be linked to a day event on electronic 12.00 Break publication, digitisation and 12.15 Round-up of archiving aimed at publishing local projects archaeology societies and grey literature producers. CBA West Midlands is a Registered Charity No. 512717 P A G E 2 Young Archaeologists Club News Dig Deep for YAC campaign: YAC ALUMNI YAC are in search of YAC www.yac-uk.org/ Alumni! And have created a section on the new YAC The CBA, like many Whilst it is likely that YAC yaccampaign website (www.yac-uk.org/ organisations and UK can become self- yacalumni) and a Facebook charities, is facing a supporting in time Alumni page challenging financial through wider CBA (www.facebook.com/ future. membership expansion yacalumni). plans, the CBA’s current They will be asking Alumni The withdrawal of the funding situation means to complete a short main source of public YAC Branches are funding has had a major vulnerable. SurveyMonkey survey ask- ing them about what YAC impact on the organisa- The focus for their fund- tion’s finances. raising efforts is to im- meant to them, their prove the financial situa- memories of it, how it YAC currently requires tion for Branches by influenced their lives and the CBA to subsidise it Spring 2012. If enough whether they have connec- for both the YAC UK money is raised Branch- tions now to archaeology membership package es will continue beyond or the historic environ- and the YAC Branch 2012. However, if the ment. This will help them network. This in turn situation has not im- show the influence and places greater pressure proved they will work with reach of YAC to potential on the CBA’s finances. Branches to explore op- funders. Please get in touch tions for them to continue with YAC York if you can without CBA backing. help. SENATE HOUSE, LONDON 2-3 MARCH 2012 Heritage at Risk Findings 2011 4. There are 284 listed places 8. All 7 protected wreck sites Key national statistics of worship on the Register at risk lie off the South 5. 16.9% of England's 19,748 East coast from the 2011 scheduled monuments are 9. 86% of local authorities Register: at risk have now taken part in the 1. There are 5,828 entries on 6. The number of registered conservation areas survey, the Register parks and gardens at risk providing information on 2. Nationally, 3% of grade I and increased from 99 (6.2%) over 7,800 conservation II* listed buildings are at risk in 2010 to 104 (6.4%) this areas 3. 53% (757) of buildings at risk year 10. Of the 7,481 conservation on the baseline 1999 Regis- 7. 4 of the 6 registered bat- areas that have been sur- ter have been removed from tlefields at risk are in York- veyed, 516 (6.6%) are at the Register shire and the Humber risk. CBA WEST MIDLANDS ISSUE NUMBER 14 P A G E 3 Daycation Facts day.ca.tion [dey-kay-shun] - noun 79% of people said they were Daycation relaxing 63% of people are planning to take 5 or more daycations A contemporary reference to the opposed to the traditional two-week this year day trip where one visits a tourist break. destination or visitor attraction 42% of people said that from his/her home and returns Over a quarter of us are planning to taking smaller but more home on the same day. take at least ten single day holidays – frequent holidays was the or ‘daycations’ – this year with a main reason for favouring day New research has revealed that the further 36 per cent taking between trips number of Brits taking two-week five and ten days. 48 per cent of those 64% of people said the holidays has decreased by 18 per cent polled cite the cost of a fortnight’s daycation was a cheaper over the past five years with half of holiday as the main reason for not alternative to the traditional Brits not planning to take a fortnight’s taking two weeks off work, whereas holiday holiday this year. The study reveals a one in 12 hard-working employees 57% of people believe new trend for taking multiple single blame the inability to switch off from daycations are a lot more day holidays throughout the year, as the job. hassle free. Places to Daycate in the Midlands The Weir Shugborough Estate Swainshill, Hereford, Milford, near Stafford, Herefordshire HR4 7QF Staffordshire ST17 0XB Discover a fascinating world when you visit this urban heritage park in the shadow of Dudley Castle at the heart of the A stunning riverside garden with The ancestral home of the Earls Black Country. sweeping views along the River of Lichfield, this fine Georgian Historic buildings from all Wye and Herefordshire mansion house, with magnificent around the Black Country have countryside. The garden is views over riverside garden been moved and authentically spectacular all year round – terraces, features stunning rebuilt at the Museum, to create drifts of spring bulbs give way to collections of porcelain. a tribute to the traditional skills wild flowers, followed by Costumed characters work in and enterprise of the people that autumn colour and the walled the servants' quarters and farm- once lived in the heart of garden full of fruit and vegeta- stead and the collection includes industrial Britain. bles. Worth a visit any time of reconstructed chemist shop, Visitors are transported back in year. Note: sturdy footwear tailors' shop, Victorian school- time from the modern exhibition recommended. room and puppet collection. The halls to the canal-side village, New: visit the walled garden. newly restored walled garden where costumed demonstrators Enjoy the carpets of spring grows historic varieties of fruit and working craftsmen bring the flowers. and vegetables. Shugborough is buildings to life with their local Summer wild flowers attract a wholly financed, administered knowledge, practical skills and range of wildlife. and maintained by Staffordshire unique Black Country humour. Please contact the site directly County Council. Please contact the site directly for opening times and admission Please contact the site directly for opening times and admission fees for opening times and admission fees Tel. 01981 590509 fees Tel: 0121 557 9643 Tel. 01889 881388 FEATURED P A G E 4 MUSEUM Stratford Armouries Stratford Armouries is a * Leonardo da Vinci’s giant cross- truly unique museum set bow Stratford Armouries Ltd in 86 acres of rolling * Lawrence of Arabia’s rock crystal Gospel Oak Lane Warwickshire country- dagger Pathlow side. * Beautiful artefacts from Shake- Stratford on Avon speare’s birthplace Warwickshire The galleries house a range of * Tipu Sultan Collection United Kingdom CV37 0JA world-class exhibits that will amaze stratfordarmouries.com the whole family. Stratford Armouries also has a Admission fees are £5.00 for an * Life-sized armoured Indian ele- restaurant with panoramic views as adult and £2.50 for children. phant well as, corporate and conference This fee includes admission to * World’s oldest Cannon facilities, and a permanent art the aeronautical gallery. * The new home of the Wellington gallery and arms & armour retail The museum gallery is open 7 Aviation Museum area. days a week from 10am until * A brand new WWII exhibition 5pm. Lecture Brunches at Baddesley Clinton Both familiar and new speakers start off the 2012 programme of lecture brunches. Booking Essential Meet in the Barn Restaurant 45 minute talk followed by a full English 9.30-11am breakfast. £15 per person Weds & Thurs 22 & 23 Feb Weds & Thurs 29 Feb & 1 Mar Weds & Thurs 7 & 8 Mar More Information: 01564 783294, Weds & Thurs 14 & 15 Mar Weds & Thurs 21 & 22 Mar [email protected] The Ironbridge Weekend Sat 21 Apr AIA membership is administered by Maney An informal meeting looking at various topics Publishing. All queries on membership matters relevant to those active in industrial archaeology, should be addressed in the first instance to in 2012 the topic will be Industrial Heritage at Janet Hague, Maney Publishing, Suite 1C, Jo- Risk. Speakers include Shane Gould who is leading seph's Well, Hanover Walk, Leeds LS3 1AB, the English Heritage programme to identify indus- UK.