News - Nine homes for Roman remains site (Southwell)

Nine luxury, three-storey homes could be built on a site in Southwell believed to contain Roman remains of national importance. 

 

New plans for the Church Street site, which contains the remains of a Roman villa and a Saxon burial ground, have been submitted to Newark and Sherwood District Council.

It comes more than a year after previous plans for 29 homes, including apartments, were rejected on the grounds they were unsuitable for a site next to the minster and in the town’s conservation area.

The new application shows large homes, most with five bedrooms, and each with a garage. There appears to be no lower-cost housing included.

It said: “The site is sustainably located in Southwell and will enable the redundant Minster School land to be brought into an appropriate alternative use, delivering high-quality housing and positively contributing to and reinforcing the historic character of the area.”

Heritage groups in Southwell have been vehemently opposed to any kind of development on the site and wish to see it preserved as a heritage park.

They have submitted plans for a heritage park to the district council.

Mr Mike Kirton, on behalf of Southwell Heritage Park Campaign, said: “Our views are shared by the 3,000-plus people who signed the petition in 2011.

“The report from the archaeological survey has reinforced our views that this site should be saved from development and become a heritage park.

“This is one of the most important historical sites in the county and we have urged English Heritage to re-appraise the area covered by the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

“We hope the district council will take the new evidence into account when considering this latest application for nine substantial properties.”

The plans will also be considered by Southwell Town Council and Southwell Civic Society.

The chairman of the civic society, Mr Brendan Haigh, said: “This application has just come in and we giving urgent consideration to it.” 

 

From:  http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Nine-homes-for-Roman-remains-site

News - Rare ‘vampire’ skeleton unearthed in Nottinghamshire (Southwell)

A 1400-year-old ‘vampire’ skeleton with metal spikes through its shoulders, heart and ankles, has been discovered in Britain, a new report has claimed.


The skeleton dating from 550-700 AD found buried in the ancient minster town of Southwell, Nottinghamshire has shed light on rare ‘vampire’ burials in Britain.

Long dismissed as myth and legend, the vampire is associated with spooky stories, the Daily Mail reported.

It is believed to be a “deviant burial”, where people considered the ‘dangerous dead’, such as vampires, were interred to prevent them rising from their graves to plague the living.

Only a handful of such burials have been unearthed in the UK till now.

The discovery is detailed in a new report by Matthew Beresford, of Southwell Archaeology.

The skeleton was found by archaeologist Charles Daniels during the original investigation of the site in Church Street, which revealed Roman remains.

Beresford said when Daniels found the skeleton he jokingly checked for fangs.

“Throughout the Anglo-Saxon period the punishment of being buried in water-logged ground, face down, decapitated, staked or otherwise was reserved for thieves, murderers or traitors or later for those deviants who did not conform to societies rules: adulterers, disrupters of the peace, the unpious or oath breaker,” said Beresford.

“Which of these the Southwell deviant was we will never know,” he said.

Beresford believes the remains may still be buried on the site where they originally lay because Daniels was unable to remove the body from the ground.

John Lock, chairman of Southwell Archaeology, said the body was one of a handful of such burials to be found in the UK.

“A lot of people are interested in it but quite where it takes us I don’t know because this was found in the 1950s and now we don’t know where the remains are,” Lock said.

The discovery comes five months after archaeologists found remains from a third grave in central Bulgaria linked to the practise, the report said.

The skeleton was tied to the ground with four iron clamps, while burning ambers were placed on top of his grave.

From: http://www.firstpost.com/fwire/rare-vampire-skeleton-unearthed-in-nottinghamshire-515052.html

News - Pits reveal signs of Roman past (Bingham)

Archaeologists believe they may have found the remains of a Roman settlement in the centre of Bingham.


Mr Rowan Bird, 59, of Abbey Road, Bingham, looks for artefacts in Cherry Street as part of the Roots of Bingham project.Part of a timber frame was found by volunteers helping the Bingham Heritage Trails Association’s Roots of Bingham project between Cherry Lane and Fosters Lane.

About 25 volunteers have helped to dig more than 40 test pits in gardens since April. The digging will finish next year. The volunteers hope to dig 60 pits in total.

The project has unearthed pottery and artefacts dating from Roman and Medieval periods, as well as more recent finds.

Mr Peter Allen, of the association, said the timber frame was significant as Bingham was previously believed to have Anglo Saxon origins.

“We are getting a nice story about the origins of Bingham. There’s a Roman origin to the town we hadn’t anticipated,” Mr Allen said.

Mr Geoff Ashton, also a member of the association, said most of the Roman artefacts dated from the 1st Century. He said there was evidence of a bottle-making industry and ironwork in the town centre.

The association expects to find about 15,000 artefacts by the time the project ends. About four to five thousand have already been found.

Association members can usually identify if artefacts are Roman, Medieval or later but large, significant finds will be analysed by experts to get a more precise date and to gather as much information as possible before results are published.

Full results are due in 2015.
  From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Pits-reveal-signs-of-Roman-past

Excavation - Digging for windmill evidence (Bingham)

A heritage group has been given permission to dig an archaeological pit near the site of a former mill in Bingham as it bids to uncover the town’s historic origins.


Bingham Heritage Trails Association is being allowed to dig a one metre square pit on land owned by Bingham Town Council at the top of Mill Hill.

It will search for evidence of a windmill dating from the late 18th or early 19th Century as the group continues its efforts to piece together the history of Bingham.

It has already dug 29 test pits and has so far uncovered Medieval and Roman rubbish pits, and evidence of Roman and 15th Century houses.

The group’s chairman, Mr Peter Allen, said: “We want to look for further evidence of a windmill at the top of Mill Hill.

“We will get an idea of what was going on in the yard and near the mill in the late 18th or early 19th Century.”

He said pits dug so far had proved very productive, with only two not turning up any evidence.

“We don’t know where Bingham originally was and so our purpose is to look for Anglo-Saxon origins,” he said.

“It is quite amazing what we have found. We find bits of pottery and work out the story from there.

“We have found evidence of a Roman house in the rectory garden so there could even have been pre-Anglo-Saxon habitation in Bingham.”

He said samples were sent off to experts who could date them and give an indication of their significance.

The pits typically take two or three days to dig and are then filled in.

The project is being paid for through a £32,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Mr Allen said all the information would be put on the association website and some funding had been put aside for a publication, possibly a book.

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Digging-for-windmill-evidence

News - Children really dig their new school project (South Yorkshire)

Youngsters discovered buried treasure dating back to Roman times in the grounds of their Sheffield school during an event organised by city-based archaeologists.


The Hunter Archaeological Society is celebrating its centenary by visiting a series of schools around South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire, and arranging digs in the grounds.

Pupils at Dobcroft Junior School, Millhouses, were the first to have a go.

They found pottery dating from Roman, Stuart and Victorian eras, plus metalworking slag.

One pupil discovered a clay marble, presumably lost during a game by another child long before the school was built in 1972.

Pupils had the chance to see the finds once they had been washed, before discussing what clues the items gave about the area’s past.

Archaeologist Bill Bevan, who is managing the project, said: “This is a great chance for children to get a hands-on opportunity to be young archaeologists in their own school grounds.

“They dig alongside professional, student and community archaeologists so really find out what it’s all about.

“The test pits will also tell us about the history of the areas where the schools are, so the children are contributing to our knowledge of our past.”

Children are also taking part in digs at Dronfield Juniors, Sacred Heart, Hillsborough, Athersley South, St Andrews, Dronfield Woodhouse, The Hill Primary School, Thurnscoe, and Dalton Listerdale School, Brecks, Rotherham.

After all the test pits are finished, a writer and author will create a comic based on the discoveries. Copies will be sent to the pupils and be available in libraries free of charge.

The Hunter Archaeological Society studies and reports on the archaeology, history and architecture of South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire.

It was founded in recognition of the work of Joseph Hunter in researching and recording the history of the region, and runs talks and visits to excavations and sites.

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/community/children-really-dig-their-new-school-project-1-4716971

Talk - Sturton On a Roman Road to Nowhere? (Sturton-le-Steeple)

Wednesday 4th July, 7pm at Sturton Village Hall, in the conference room.


Emily from NNC Coummunity Archaeology and her colleague Lorraine will first present a talk on Sturton le Steeple. This will look at what they know about the development of the village, its possible relationship to the Roman town of Segelocum, and how the area fits in to the national Roman picture. The aim of the evening is to hopefully get moving on a potential archaeological project in the village, looking for the Roman road and clues to the village's origins.

After the talk they will look at identifying plots of land where people might be happy to have a small test pit, and land which could be field walked or subject to geophysics, or other archaeological investigation. They will also take down the names of people interested in helping out with any digging or fieldwalking.

Lastly they will be doing our best to identify any finds that people bring along. We know very little about Sturton and the surrounding area, and hopefully by plotting on a map where people have found different things we can start to build up a proper picture.

For more information on Community Archaeology visit: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/communityarchaeology
www.facebook.com/communityarchaeology

Article - Prehistoric and Roman remains are discovered (South Yorkshire)

GRAVES from a Roman cemetery and buried prehistoric artefacts are among the discoveries identified in the latest searches by theSouth Yorkshire Archaeological Service.

Experts from the service carry out examinations of proposed development sites around the county to ensure secrets from the past are not misses.

One of their latest discoveries involved checking aerial photographs of land earmarked for a new school and gospel hall on Todwick Road, North Anston.

In their report, archaeologists said: “A study demonstrates the application area sits within a landscape of later prehistoric and Roman features visible as crop marks.

“There is, therfore, potential for archaeological remains relating to these periods to exist on site.”

The report recommends a search of the site for remains.

Meanwhile, excavations at Waterdale, Doncaster town centre, have found evidence of a Roman cemetery.

Archaeologists reported: “Between 20 and 30 individual burials were identified, along with a number of complete cremation urns, pottery, glass vessels and oil lamps. Bulk samples indicate evidence for feasting and votive offerings and some burnt material is suggested to be the site of a funeral pyre.”

Other findings include evidence of a possible iron age settlement and fields on a site at Goldthorpe Industrial Estate.

A trackway and Romano-British field boundaries, dating back about 2,000 years, were found buried beneath land at Outwood Academy, Doncaster.

In Sheffield, archaeologists have asked for a record to be made of the history of the former Abbey Glen laundry, Coniston Road, Abbeydale, in case it is demolished for redevelopment, because of the building’s ‘importance as a local historic structure’.

Archaeologists will also record the condition of a historic waterwheel site at Kelham Island Goit, before a new wheel is built there to generate electricity. There are currently features from the 17th-19th centuries at the site.

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/prehistoric-and-roman-remains-are-discovered-1-4339119

News - University's award-winning museum moves into new home (Nottingham)

The University of Nottingham’s award-winning museum has moved into a purpose-built building.

The museum — named Nottinghamshire Heritage Museum of the Year in 2010 — is now conveniently based in the Rotunda at the Lakeside Arts Centre, near Lakeside Theatre, the revamped Djanogly Art Gallery and Gallery café, the boating lake and the children’s play area.

The museum contains artefacts dating back 250, 000 years to the Palaeolithic period. The majority of objects are from the East Midlands and show everyday life in the region over this long period of time. It is open to the public and along with displays of local archaeological material contains objects from Italy, Egypt and Cyprus. The exhibits include Palaeolithic hand axes, Bronze Age swords, Roman glass, Saxon jewellery and medieval tiles.

The Museum was opened in 1933 to house a major collection of artefacts donated to the University from a large excavation on the site of the Roman settlement, Margidunum, on the Fosse Way at Bingham in Nottinghamshire. The finds from the excavation include pottery, foodstuffs, bone gaming counters, surgical instruments and jewellery.

Museum Keeper Clare Pickersgill said: “I am so happy that we have moved to a new home as it allows us to be easily accessible to everyone, especially as the museum is now open seven days a week.

“The move is the first stage of the new museum development. We’re planning a new permanent exhibition that will include collections from around the region not currently on display as well as bringing in objects from the British Museum.”

The museum runs an extensive education and community programme with schools, colleges and community groups and plays a major part in a number of national initiatives, including the successful and popular BBC Hands on Prehistory Day and the Festival of British Archaeology.

A mobile exhibition: In Search of Margidunum — a museum in a trunk — has been created. It is based on artefacts found at the Roman settlement of Margidunum, which was centred on what is now the A46 roundabout near Bingham. It is taken into local schools and community groups by University students, allowing pupils to explore how ordinary Romans lived their lives — from the clothes and hairstyles they wore to the coins they used to do their shopping.

The University of Nottingham Museum is based at University Park, via South entrance off University Boulevard. It is open to the public from 11am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday and noon till 4pm, Sunday. Admission is free. Visit www.nottingham.ac.uk/museum for more information.

 

From: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/news/pressreleases/2011/december/universitymuseummovestonewhome.aspx

Excavation - £31,900 grant kickstarts Bingham archaeology project

HISTORY experts are to dig up parts of Bingham to find answers about its past, following a £31,900 grant from the Lottery Heritage Fund.

School grounds, a pub's beer garden and even the vicar's back garden are to be visited by a team of amateur archaeologists.

The work is being masterminded by community group the Bingham Heritage Trails Association, and its chairman 71-year-old Peter Allen, of Grantham Road.

He said sections of land at both Robert Miles Junior and Infant schools could be dug up to see whether any clues to the town's Roman and Anglo-Saxon past can be unlocked.

The beer garden of the Chesterfield pub and the Reverend David Harper's garden at The Rectory, in East Street, will also be examined.

Several gardens of residents' homes will also be investigated.

Mr Allen said: "I'm excited about the project. I'm very pleased we have been awarded the money which has made all this possible."

Test digs are expected to take place through January and February, while the main digs have been pencilled in for March and April – and could last for several months.

"We haven't put a time limit on ourselves," Mr Allen said. "If it takes months then so be it, we want to do a proper job."

A similar project was undertaken by a community group in the village of Kibworth in Leicestershire and their efforts ended up being made into a television documentary which was aired on BBC Four.

"We had this idea way before the Kibworth lot made a TV documentary," said Mr Allen who has been chairman of his group since 2000. "It looks as though we're following them, but we're not we've wanted to do this for years."

The team will unearth the top five centimetres of soil in each location and use sieves to search historic relics.

Mr Allen said: "We hope to find evidence of any Iron Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon farms or settlements that may have existed there as well as to investigate how Bingham developed in the middle ages."

As well as carrying out a series of digs the group also hope to examine the town's 18th and 19th-century buildings, some of which the group believe have never been correctly dated.

Earlier this year the group helped reconstruct a roman well found close to the A46.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer to take part in this project should contact Mr Allen on 01949 831575.

From: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/pound-31-900-grant-kickstarts-Bingham-archaeology/story-14114367-detail/story.html

Event - Cartimandua, Queen of the Brigantes (Sheffield)

Friends of Wincobank Hill Invite you ton Cartimandua, Queen of the Brigantes a talk about the book by author Nicki Howarth

This is the first major study of Cartimandua, queen of the Brigantes tribe in Northern Britain in the first century AD. Little is known about the tribal ruler, who fought off rebellion and civil war and managed to keep her lands when many other British leaders were forfeiting theirs in the aftermath of the Roman conquest of AD 43. Her story is one of power, intrigue, scandal and accusations of betrayal and yet surprisingly she is a figure who is often overlooked and marginalised in studies of British history.

Thursday 1st December 20116.30pm refreshments, 7.00pm talk at Upper Wincobank Chapel, Wincobank Avenue, S5 6BB  Admission £2, pay on the door, Signed copies of the book will be available for purchase RRP £14.99

Seating is limited so please reserve a ticket in advance by phoning or texting 07980 143 776 with number of tickets required, your name and contact details.Tickets will be reserved for you until 6.45pm on the night.

Save Roman Southwell - Roman finds on display

Southwell Heritage Trust member Mr Peter Kent with a piece of the Roman plaster.

Roman plaster unearthed on the former Church Street site of the Minster School, Southwell, has gone on display for the first time.

 

The exhibition in Southwell Minster has been organised by Southwell Heritage Trust and features pieces of plaster recently rediscovered in the cathedral.

The plaster features sea creatures and two naked figures believed to be Hercules and his bride Hebe.

Pictures of other finds on the site including Roman mosaic floors and Anglo Saxon skeletons have also formed part of the exhibition.

The heritage trust is holding the exhibition to raise awareness about what has been found on the Church Street site.

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/news/view.asp?id=1ba679bc-5c34-102f-ad62-73917bb4195d&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

News - Researchers hope to pick up where Victorians left off (Notts)

After more than a century a venerable history of Notts is finally being modernised and completed with the help of a group of passionate volunteer writers and researchers. Mark Patterson reports...

A PRESTIGIOUS history of Notts is finally being updated and expanded more than a century after it was first published.

New local history research to modernise and complete the two-volume Victoria County History of Nottinghamshire, published in 1906 and 1910, is now being done on a parish-by-parish basis with the first new material, a history of Plumtree, already online.

More parish histories are in the pipeline which may be published in book-form next year, updating the old history for the first time since before the First World War – and effectively giving Notts a new county history. The Victoria History of the County of Nottingham, to give it its full title, was part of a grand late Victorian project to provide definitive histories of every county in England.

Founded in 1899, the aim of the project, described as "the greatest publishing project in local English history", was to produce volumes to a standard format which traced a county's history back to earliest times.

Work on 34 counties began immediately.

Two thick general Notts volumes appeared just a few years later and contained a rich store of knowledge covering natural and ecclesiastical history, Roman and Anglo-Saxon remains, political and social history, agriculture, sport and industry.

Despite their age, the books are still regarded as key sources of knowledge for researchers, writers, planners, or indeed anybody who has an interest in local history.

Yet the great national Victoria County History project was to be unfinished.

Funding first ran out in 1908 and the First World War then brought research on all county histories in the series to a halt.

Work resumed on a fragmented basis after the war but the project today still remains incomplete, with one county – Northumberland – having no such books to its name at all while coverage in other counties has come and gone depending on funding.

The Notts history was meant to cover four volumes – the two general histories and then another two books covering manorial and parish histories.

It is these last two books, which never appeared, which are now being researched and written by a group of local retired history enthusiasts, guided by a professional historian, Philip Riden, of the University of Nottingham.

A first 18,000-word history, of Plumtree with Clipston and Normanton-on-the-Wolds, is now online and other parish histories in preparation include those of Arnold, Bramcote, Cossall, Gonalston, Greasley, Stapleford and Tollerton.

Initial work has also begun on parishes near Mansfield such as Skegby and Mansfield Woodhouse. It is hoped the first new printed volume in the Notts Victoria County History to appear in over 100 years, a book containing ten to 15 parish histories, can be published next year, or in 2013.

Progress depends on funding – and gaining more volunteer researchers.

"I would hope that within the next five years we can work towards a full-length record of Notts," said Mr Riden, who is also editor of the Derbyshire Victoria County History.

In all, books in the series are currently being written in 14 counties.

The Notts volunteers meet regularly at the Nottinghamshire Archives, in Wilford Street, Nottingham, which funded the project with £22,000 over two years.

Most of the researchers have tended to gravitate toward parts of the county they know best or have a connection with. For retired primary school teacher Sheila Leeds, who has written the history of Plumtree, the connection with the village dates back to when she was a little girl.

"When I was six years old I went on a school trip to the smithy in Plumtree and I've always had a memory of it," she said. "The smithy has long gone but you can still see the horseshoes around the arch where it used to be. "

The research and writing took a year to complete and Mrs Leeds, of West Bridgford, is now starting on the parish history of Tollerton.

A longer history of Arnold is being finished by Eric Dove, who hopes to have his 30,000-word project completed by Christmas.

It's a big research job: the last history of Arnold was published in 1912 and a great deal has happened in and around the northern suburb since then including the loss of Arnold's true independence when a tram link to Nottingham began running in 1915.

Breweries and factories appeared in Daybrook – and more recently closed down.

All of this, and much more, has been researched and written by Arnold-born-and-bred Mr Dove, who worked in the textile industry until retirement.

"Nostalgia is flavour of the month, isn't it? It's very popular," he said. "And I'm also getting 'free' academic guidance from Philip Riden."

A notable aspect of the Victoria parish histories is that they are all written to a standard format, with research steered towards several clear subject headings such as social history, economic history, religion and local government.

From: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Researchers-hope-pick-Victorians-left/story-13721605-detail/story.html

Save Roman Southwell - Opposition to homes remains (Southwell)

A heritage group has reiterated its opposition to plans to build homes on a site that contains Roman remains.

Southwell Heritage Trust has written to Newark and Sherwood District Council to oppose the latest amended application to build 29 homes on the former Church Street site of the Minster School.

It claims the site is of archaeological significance and has tourism potential.

It contains Roman and Saxon remains, which experts believe could be of national importance.

The development has yet to be discussed by the district council but has been discussed by Southwell Town Council’s planning committee several times. The amendments were due to be discussed by its planning committee last night.

The town council is asked to give comments on the application each time it is amended before it goes to the district council.

In a letter to the district council, the heritage trust’s chairman, Mr Roger Dobson, said the group continued to have strong objections to the plans despite the latest amendment, which outlines a mitigation strategy to protect the archaeological remains.

He said: “We continue to maintain that this very important heritage site is totally unsuitable for housing development and therefore no acceptable archaeological mitigation strategy is possible in the circumstances.”

Mr Dobson said the group believed English Heritage and Nottinghamshire County Council played down the tourism and economic regeneration benefits for the district if the site was made into a heritage park.

He said: “Most experts agree that the site is situated in an area of outstanding national heritage and that vital links between Southwell Minster and the Roman villa would be lost if housing development was to take place.

“In recent years a unique Roman wall has been discovered and significant Anglo Saxon burials.

“As less than 10% of the site has been investigated it is reasonable to assume that more important discoveries could be made.”

The heritage group wants to see the site incorporated into an outstanding heritage area including nearby Southwell Minster, the archbishop’s palace and prebendal houses on Church Street.

They would like the site landscaped with interpretation boards explaining the location of the remains and their significance and possibly the creation of a visitor centre.

The group believes the site could become a tourist attraction.

from: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Opposition-to-homes-remains

News - Roman Well Work Starts (Bingham)

Budding archaeologists from Toot Hill School, Bingham, are among those helping to resite a Roman well in its new home.

The well was discovered during excavation work for the A46 dualling scheme and is due to be put at the entrance of Bingham Cemetery.

With the help of the sixth-form students, Bingham Heritage Trails Association began cleaning the individual stones on Monday, before sorting them and labelling them so they could be assembled in the cemetery.

Meghan King, 17, of Nightingale Way, a member of Newark and District Young Archaeologists Club, is hoping to study archaeology at university.

“It was a great opportunity to do some fieldwork and get my hands dirty,” she said.

“To be able to handle something someone made with their own bare hands thousands of years ago was thrilling.”

Helen Green, 19, a former pupil at the school, starts her archaeology course at the University of Chester next week.

“I enjoyed working out which stones went where,” she said.

“It was a massive jigsaw puzzle and it was good to get some experience before I go to university.”

Rushcliffe Borough Council granted the project planning permission in March after an application was submitted by Bingham Town Council.

However, it only gave the heritage trails association the green light to start building work last Wednesday.

The association’s vice-chairman, Mr Geoff Ashton, said: “We are using lime putty to hold the stones together, the same material they would have used in Roman times.

“It is a fantastic project and we are delighted to have the students involved.”

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Roman-well-work-starts

News - Ancient finds at quarry (Langford Quarry)

Archaeologists say they have uncovered one of the most significant Romano-British sites in the Trent Valley at Tarmac’s Langford Quarry.

Researchers from Trent and Peak Archaeology have found eight stone-lined wells, an unprecedented number for the area, and 26 Romano-British human burials.

They have also found pottery, including Samian ware from Gaul and amphora from the Mediterranean, which date from 1st century AD to 4th century AD.

Other artefacts dating from the Neolithic period up until the 16th Century were uncovered including a rare 3,500 year old stone macehead and three ornate 1,400 year old Anglo-Saxon brooches.

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Ancient-finds-at-quarry

News - Sheffield Fayre 2011: History comes alive

THOUSANDS of people flocked to the annual Sheffield Fayre for a summer extravaganza of history, horrors and horticulture.

More than 600 historical re-enactment enthusiasts have been camped out in Norfolk Heritage Park since Friday, living in authentic period camps and recreating dramatic battles.

The 11th annual Fayre, a two day event - Sunday and Monday, August 28 and 29 - also features a large gardening show and competition, 1950s illusions such as ‘the horrific Monster Girl’, and dozens of stalls and funfair rides.

Around 25,000 people are expected to attend the free event over the two days.

The actors’ mission is to recreate famous battles from Roman times through the Middle Ages to World War Two, wearing authentic costume and living in period tents.

John McConnell-Smith, from Halfway, visited with with wife Rachael and six-year-old son Thomas.

“It’s a great day,” he said. “This is much better than I thought it would be. The re-enactments are really good.”

Jane Ibbotson, from Stannington, had brought along her grandson Finlay, five.

She said: “It’s the only event I come to in Sheffield, and it’s very good.”

“It’s great for the lad. It’s a nice day and it teaches him something different.”

Christian Sprakes, a telesales worker from Bentley, Doncaster, was among the re-enactors attending the event with the American Civil War Society.

He said: “We do about six or seven major festivals every year and Sheffield is very good, because you get lots of different period groups here.

“Our members come from all across the country, from every walk of life.”

William Brown, a tattoo artist from Edinburgh, was playing the role of the commander of the Confederate Battalion.

He said: “We go all over the country but this is a great event, it has a great atmosphere.”

In the horticultural show tent, green-fingered residents entered competitions in more than 100 categories, from best chrysanthemum to largest marrow to finest homemade wine.

Horticultural show steward Gill Capewell said: “This show is a celebration of all things home-grown. We want to celebrate the community spirit in Sheffield, and welcome more entries next year.”

But organisers raised concerns about whether there would be a Sheffield Fayre next year.

Event organiser Claire Taylor, the council’s parks area officer for east Sheffield, said: “It’s been going really well. The weather has helped - at one point we thought it would be very wet.”

She said there were doubts as to whether the council could afford to run the event next year because of funding cuts, but added: “We think it’s very good for this area, there’s not a lot else that happens like this.”

Arbourthorne ward councillor Jack Scott said: “It’s been a fantastic day and it’s great to see so many people here.

“I think events like this really put Sheffield on the map. We want to do everything we can to support it.

“However, the massive government cuts have an impact on everything the council does, so we are going to have to look really hard next year at all our priorities.”

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/community/sheffield_fayre_2011_history_comes_alive_slideshow_1_3724008

Event - Friends, Romans, countrymen entertain punters at St Leger (Doncaster)

The St Leger Festival next month will be more than just horse racing - with a full programme of other events announced yesterday.

Attractions will include Roman soldiers marching through the town, Doncaster’s biggest free music event Doncaster Live, heritage walks, art exhibitions, a Mediaeval Autumn Fayre, champagne brunches, Proms in the Park, wine tasting at the Minster and a beer festival.

There are five top performances at the Civic Theatre, including Paul Harris with his one man play Frankie Titters On, looking at the life of comic treasure Frankie Howerd. The UK’s only touring burlesque spectacular presents An Evening of Burlesque: The Ultimate Tease, and there will be musical tributes to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons with Let’s Hang On and classic 1980s rock anthems with A Foreigners Journey.

Quirky comic Mark Steel is also appearing.

Many local pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants are putting on special events during the Festival, including The Red Lion pub where the St Leger Stakes was founded in 1776.

The full event listing can be found at www.visitdoncaster.com/stleger

For more information call Doncaster Tourist Information Centre on 01302 734 309.

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/friends_romans_countrymen_entertain_punters_at_st_leger_1_3706148

Event - Visitors flock to step back in time (Doncaster)

More than 1,000 people whose imagination was sparked by the discovery of a rare Roman glass jug visited Doncaster’s latest town centre archaeological dig.

Seven archaeologists from ArcHeritage were on hand to conduct tours and to talk about the artefacts unearthed on the site of the new civil and cultural quarter.

Visitor Louella Chesterman of Bennetthorpe, said: “I found the event and tour extremely interesting and was impressed to hear that this site is now the largest Roman burial site in South Yorkshire. Listening to the archaeologists about how a dig takes place was fascinating.”

Ms Chesterman plans to visit Doncaster Museum in Chequer Road where the finds will go on display.

Jessica Worth, age 11, from Balby, said: “It was really interesting. The best bit for me was seeing the Roman glass bottle which was found here. I’m amazed it has survived all these years. I’ll definitely go and see it at the museum when it goes on display”.

As well as the rare Roman glass jug dating back to about AD150, several cremation urns and five oil lamps, which accompanied the burials, were discovered during the dig.

Four of the oil lamps discovered in a large cremation pit are in near perfect condition and carry the makers’ names ‘Fortis’ and ‘Strobili’, which indicates they were probably created in Modena in Northern Italy.

David Aspden, who is leading the ArcHeritage excavation, said the team has been delighted to find artefacts in such good condition: “When you are excavating a Roman cemetery you expect to uncover some significant finds, but to find two intact cremation urns, which can now be preserved and displayed, has been tremendous.”

Andy Lines of South Yorkshire Archaeology Service added: “This site is special and is going to make an important contribution to our understanding of Roman life and death in Doncaster 1,850 years ago.”

First World War practice trenches were also found on what was the Waterdale Central Car Park.

ArcHeritage worked with archaeological consultants Scott Wilson under the supervision of Doncaster Council’s development partner Muse Developments and advisors, South Yorkshire Archaeology Service.

To continue the celebration of Doncaster’s Roman history, Roman soldiers will be setting up camp in the grounds of the Minster on Saturday and Sunday, September 3 and 4. The soldiers will march through town and displays will be available. This Roman camp is part of the St Leger Festival Week which runs between 2-11 September.

Work on the next stage of Doncaster’s £300m CCQ scheme is due to start shortly. 

from: http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/community/nostalgia/visitors_flock_to_step_back_in_time_1_3631329

Event - Doncaster’s Roman culture on show in new cultural quarter

Archaeologists working on the site of Doncaster’s Civic and Cultural Quarter (CCQ) have uncovered a rare Roman glass jug dating back to about AD150 on the site of a former Roman cremation cemetery.

The vessel would have been filled with rich goods like oils and placed next a high status burial. The neck of the jug may have been deliberately broken off when placed in the burial. At about 15cm in height and in excellent condition it was found close to the planned site of the new performance venue. A similar vessel was found in the 1960s when the Arndale Centre, now the Frenchgate Shopping Centre, was being built. This vessel has been restored and is on display at Doncaster Museum.

To coincide with the ‘Festival of British Archaeology’, the archaeological site on Waterdale Central Car Park is being opened up to the public on Saturday, 23rd July between 12 and 4pm.

During the open day there will be tours of the excavation. People can talk with the archaeologists about their work and what has been found in the Roman cemetery. It is also an opportunity to learn about Doncaster’s Roman history which dates back nearly 2000 years. A Roman Fort was established close to the Market Place around the site of Doncaster Minster in about AD71.

Staff from Doncaster’s Tourist Information Centre (TIC) and Museum will be on hand with interesting displays and artefacts found in Doncaster dating back to this period. Visitors are asked to wear stout footwear.

Andy Lines of South Yorkshire Archaeology Service said: “The cremation cemetery appears to have been in use from about AD140-180. Careful planning by the council is allowing us to really enrich our knowledge of this period of Doncaster’s past.”

The archaeological works are being carried out by ArcHeritage in conjunction with consultants Scott Wilson under the supervision of the council’s development partner Muse Developments and advisors, South Yorkshire Archaeology Service.

The archaeological works are part of the preparation works for Doncaster’s public square and new performance venue, which form part of the council led CCQ development. Work on these two key developments will start later this summer.

A series of practice trenches dug by soldiers as part of a recruitment exercise during World War One have also been revealed on the site. After the excavation, experts will analyse all the remains including the glass jug, cremation urns and burnt bones to add to the story of Doncaster’s Roman past. The finds will then be deposited in Doncaster Museum.

Doncaster’s TIC offers a popular heritage walk around the town centre on the first Friday of the month starting at 10.30am. More details about this and other attractions can be found at: www.visitdoncaster.co.uk

The CCQ project is supported financially by the European Union, as part of the European Regional Development Fund’s support for the region’s economic development through the Yorkshire and Humber ERDF Programme.

From: http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/Leisure_and_Culture/Museums_and_Galleries/Doncaster_Museum_and_Art_Gallery/Doncaster_Museum_and_Art_Gallery.asp

Event - Roman jug unearthed at site of new theatre (Doncaster)

They came, they saw, they conquered - and they left behind some fascinating artefacts.

Archaeologists working on the site of Doncaster’s new civic and cultural quarter have unearthed a rare Roman glass jug dating back to around AD150.

The area is believed to have been the site of a Roman cemetery where cremations took place.

And on Saturday visitors will be able to tour the excavation site in the company of archaeologists to learn about the jug and other finds, as well as about the town’s important Roman history.

Andy Lines of South Yorkshire Archaeology Service added: “The cremation ceremony appears to have been in use from about AD 140-180. Careful planning by the council is allowing us to really enrich our knowledge of this period of Doncaster’s past.”

The unearthed vessel, which is 15cm tall and was found close to the site of the new performance venue, would have been filled with rich goods like oils and placed next to a high status burial with the neck of the jug deliberately broken off to be placed in the grave.

A similar vessel was found in the 1960s when the Arndale Centre - later the Frenchgate Shopping Centre - was being built. Now restored, the piece is on display in Doncaster Museum.

Doncaster’s Roman history dates back nearly 2,000 years and the town was then known as Danum. A Roman fort was established close to the Market Place near the minster in around AD71.

Saturday’s event, which coincides with the Festival of British Archaeology, runs from noon to 4pm on the site of the former Waterdale car park.

As well as chatting to the archaeologists involved, visitors will be able to see displays of other artefacts found in Doncaster and staff from the tourist information centre and museum will be on hand. Stout footwear is recommended.

From: http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/community/roman_jug_unearthed_at_site_of_new_theatre_1_3603555