This is normally my favourite reason to visit Sheffield and this year was no exception. The Showroom Cinema room was once again sold out and various dignitaries came down to sit and watch the proceedings.
Excavations at the Medieval Hospital of Bawtry by Dawn Hadley.
The first talk of the concentrated on the medieval chapel and hospital of St Mary Magdalene at Bawtry which is currently being used as a masonic lodge. The excavations of 2010 were in a small section of car park by the chapel building. Initially 18 bodies were identified in 16 graves on the site but after careful analysis of the disarticulated remains discovered at least 53 separate bodies. The earliest carbon dating of these remains put the usage for burials at between 1185-1275ad. Of the finds located other than bones was a copper alloy plate used to cover injured limbs (it was noted these sometimes had poultices in them).
Excavations at Aston Hall Hotel by Andrea Burgess
This excavation was initially done by ARCUS in 2007 and the materials and excavation were examined and interpreted by Wessex Archaeology. The present building on site dates from 1772 and replaced an earlier hall which was destroyed by fire at Christmas 1770 which is thought to have dated to the 13th or 14th centuries. The modern car park seems to have removed most of the archaeology and so only a small section of building was located. A sketch of the original building also exists but its accuracy was greatly debated by Wessex and members of the audience. Finds on site included a 14th century segmented dish of East Yorkshire Sandyware type and some blue 15th century window glass and a glass bowl thought to originate from Venice.
Forgotten Industry: Research into the Stone Quarries at Green Moor by Margaret Tylee
This works was carried out to identify how much stone quarrying had been carried out at Green Moor and how much evidence was still to be found either physically or by looking at old photographs. The Green Moor sandstone was noted for its fine close grain and its tendency not to split. The first lease known to have been taken out was by Reuben Marsh in 1813 on land owned by the Earl of Wharncliffe. The quality of the sandstone was that good it was used as paving outside the Houses of Parliament in London and one of the local companies also had a wharf in the capital to transport their wares areound the capital. Huge 18 tonne blocks were hauled out of the quarry by teams of 10-12 horses on special flat carts. The last quarry closed in 1936 and there are very scant remains left around the village. New interpretation boards will be st up so visitors can see how the landscape progressed during these industrious times.
Craft & People at Holme Head by Bob Johnston
This talk looked on the industrial Rivelin Valley and two of the twenty water wheels which used to dominate the area. The earliest record of Holme Wheel is from 1742 when the land was owned by the Duke of Norfolk and plots leased out. One building was initially built and during later periods a second joined it and they were expanded. The mill mainly finished off knives with blanks being delivered for wet grinding and a final dry grind to glaze the metal. Evidence of both carbon steel and Stainless steel blanks were found during the excavation. The building still stood in the 1950's and it was unclear when it was pulled down or collapsed. The other mill mentioned was later 2 storey Roscoe Wheel built further downstream and its related cottages of which only the foundations still remain.
Experience Barnsley by John Tanner
This talks concentrated on the towns first museum which is to be opened sometime during summer/Autumn 2012. The museum has had a lot of work to do as most of the collection has had to be built up from scratch. John expressed his great admiration for the people of Barnsley and their generosity and helpfulness in getting exhibits for the project. The museum will be situated on the ground floor and basement of Barnsley Town Hall built in 1933 and will also have a separate archive centre. There are also plans to have digital content and interpretation boards and a conservation workshop.
RAF Finningley and the Cold War by Roger Thomas
There seemed to be a lot of trepidation from the audience over such a modern subject at the archaeology day but Rogers efforts were well thought out and it gave the audience a lot to think about on interpreting sites which are though of as contemporary. The talk was not on aircraft but on the buildings, staff housing and infrastructure associated with running an RAF base and how the site developed between 1932 when it was opened and the V Bomber days of the 1960's and 70's. The talk also concentrated on how the runway and aircraft storage adapted to the times and how aircraft hard standings could easily be misinterpreted of it was not known that what they were. The nuclear weapon stores such as the 'Unit Store type B1' were constructed and the various other small buildings used to house separate parts of the bombs mechanics. It was also noted the Finningley hheld the UK's first hydrogen bombs called 'Violet Club'
After this talk one of the audience brought up the situation regarding the Traditional Heritage Centre and how important it was to preserve our local remains, receiving a resounding applause from the audience. I also mentioned the visits available at Finningley for the last flying Vulcan XH558 and Vulcan to the Sky.
Excavation at Manor Farm, Bessacarr by Paula Ware
This plot of land lies between the M18 and East Coast Mainline south of Doncaster. It has planning permission for 1000 houses to be built on it at roughly 50 per year. The site was named after a c.17th century farm which was demolished in 1998 leaving only remains of some pig sty's on site. There were many Romano-British fragments of pottery recovered from one ditch numbering 212 sherds in all. There was also the remains of an industrial scale furnace bottoms with large amounts of iron slag being recovered. Henry II gifted the land to Kirkstall Abbey ad it is believed a small settlement was somewhere on site due to the large limestone blocks recovered. a 16th century Jetton and some cistercian ware was also found. It is hoped that a further excavation will happen next year with some community involvement.
Excavating Doncasters Civic & Cultural Quarter by Dave Aspden
The new CCT will occupy the site previous used for horse stables and selling called Glasgow paddock which was later Doncaster bus station before becoming a car park. The site contained many roman urns holding cremated bodies along with several burials and lamps with the lettering Strobili and FORTIS on them, possibly denoting their manufacturer or that they were copies made in this country. Included with the cremations were burnt dates, figs and grapes. A first century glass jug was also found on site although it was very nearly destroyed as it was excavated by a digger! The site also had World war 1 practice trenches in it created by men from the nearby Scarborough Barracks.
Heres looking forward to next years event - surely another sellout showing how important we view history and archaeology in our area.
