Events - Sheffield Manor Lodge Bursts into Spring

Contrary to current trends, the Discovery Centre at Sheffield Manor Lodge is extending its opening hours. The Centre will remain open on Fridays 10am-4pm but from Easter Saturday 7th April will also be open at the same times on Saturdays until September 8th.

 

As a preview to this there will be special tours on Saturday 17th March at 11am and 2pm. This follows the recent Off the Shelf Highlighting History talk by Peter Machan on “The Sweet, Sweet Story of the Tudor Banquet”.  Visitors will be able to view the new Tudor Sugarcraft exhibition on loan from Fairfax House Museum in York. The highlight is a unique model of St Paul’s Cathedral originally designed for a banquet for Henry VIII and hosted by Cardinal Wolsey.

 

The guided tours will feature interpreters portraying the story of Manor Lodge and the lives of Bess of Hardwick and Mary Queen of Scots, who also appear with new characters in the recently produced DVD of Sheffield Manor Lodge, which will also be on show.

Entry to the Discovery Centre is free but both tours on the 17th will cost £4. Tickets are available in advance by phoning 0114 2762828.

 

These events herald the start of a host of exciting events throughout the summer which will include historical talks, half-term and holiday events, volunteering opportunities during Sheffield  Environment week, open artists’ studios, farmer’s markets and car boot sales.

 

Two major open days are also scheduled, giving an opportunity to visit the entire Manor Lodge and Manor Oaks Farm site.

 

The first takes place on Saturday 30th June, featuring The Third Annual Sheffield Flower Festival and will celebrate the wild-flower displays of Pictorial Meadows, the skills of flower arrangers, floral sugarcraft workshops, the lavender maze and soap making in the apothecary’s garden. Tudor characters will roam Manor Lodge whilst Manor Oaks will have a farmer’s market, a classic car display, working artists and crafts people, and the new smokeless kiln

 

Farming takes centre stage again on Saturday September 8th, with the Second Annual Field to Feast Festival. The farm will have additions to its menagarie of animals, and there will be displays of traditional farming methods, historical reenactors, and the celebration of the harvest. This year they will be adding an observation bee house, a 1940’s theme and the chance to enter the amazing pantomime animal steeplechase.

This event coincides with the National Heritage weekend and there will be free tours of the site on Friday and Sunday.

Full details of all these events are listed in their 2012 leaflet which is accessible on the Sheffield Manor Lodge website. www.manorlodge.org.uk

Event - Two Queens and a Countess (Oldcotes)

This is not the life story of the three ladies but an in depth talk on the interaction between the three most colourful and charismatic women in Elizabethan history: Elizabeth I, Mary, Queen of Scots; and Bess of Hardwick. A unique insight into a predominantly mans world, entered into and conquered by these 3 most powerful women by David Templeman from Sheffield Manor Lodge.

The talk starts at 7.30pm on Monday 12th March 2012 at Oldcotes Village Hall on Maltby Road (A634). Entrance is £3 for non-members or £2 for members and includes free tea/coffee and biscuits. Membership for the society is only £5 per year.

News - Digability! - Yorkshire and Humber reaches out with region-wide archaeology projects

A major new archaeology project, starting in October 2011, has been awarded £200,000* by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

To be run by the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA), the three year region-wide initiative has been launched in time for Disability History Month in November, and will enable 300 people who would not usually be given the chance to take part in an archaeology dig the chance to get out in the field, learn new skills and have fun uncovering Yorkshire’s fascinating historic past.

The scheme will target a variety of groups including adults with learning difficulties, mental health issues, and physical disabilities as well as those from underrepresented ethnic minority communities from across Yorkshire and the Humber. Sites expected to take part include:

• Sheffield Manor Lodge
• The Iron Age Roundhouse at Heeley City Farm, Sheffield
• Romano-British settlements in Chapel House Wood, Wharfedale
• Medieval field systems in North Killingholme near the Humber
• Conisbrough Castle, South Yorkshire

Fiona Spiers, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “This is a fantastic and wide-reaching scheme that aims to improve access to archaeology projects for underrepresented groups. There is a myriad of benefits to be gained from getting involved in archaeology from strengthening communities to learning new skills, learning how to be part of a team to helping to uncover Yorkshire’s rich history for future generations.“

This important scheme has been developed to meet the needs identified by the Council for British Archaeology (CBA) statement that it is vital work is done ‘to develop more positive action to challenge the perceptual, social or economic barriers that tend to exclude disabled people, ethnic minorities and people from economically and socially deprived areas from direct engagement in archaeology.’

Rob Hindle, Project Manager, WEA, explained further how the project will benefit people: “Heritage is a collective historical legacy: shaped by the totality of people inhabiting the region throughout its history, it belongs to everyone, whatever their background, experience or circumstances. This project will provide an opportunity to demonstrate that everyone can play a role in its interpretation, celebration and conservation.”

Entitled the Inclusive Archaeology Education Project the WEA initiative will involve 1,200 hours of classroom and outdoor teaching over three years. The project will start with an introduction to archaeology through practical, hands-on tasks and visits to heritage sites locally, followed by field-based activities at identified archaeological sites.

Engaging learners through a range of innovative activities including ‘a history of ourselves in 300 objects’ (inspired by the BBC Radio series ‘A History of the World in 100 objects’), the scheme will offer participants the chance to develop key skills such as object handling and identification, using photographs, surveying and mapping, scale drawing, test pitting, finds processing and analysis, and group presentation.

The project will also offer local university archaeology students the opportunity to undertake the WEA taught City and Guilds qualification, ‘Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector’ and to undergo additional training related to the participants needs.

Notes to editors

* The HLF grant to the project Inclusive Archaeology Project is for £200,000 (95% of project costs) and is a second-round pass, which means it is a confirmed award.

Disabilty History Month
For more information please visit the Disability History Month website.

Further information
HLF Press Office: Vicky Wilford, vickyw@hlf.org.uk, 020 7591 6046
WEA: Rob Hindle, rhindle@wea.org.uk, 07966 588 640 / 0114 232 2714

From: http://www.hlf.org.uk/news/Pages/Digability.aspx