News - Were you part of V-Force crews? (RAF Misson/Bawtry/Finningley)

Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire (AHL) is asking for help from ex V Force service personnel living in the Doncaster area who served in Lincolnshire in the early 1960s and then again in the early 1980s.

The recording of oral histories is a significant part of AHL’s remit for their aviation heritage programme, which is funded by an award of £436,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

Several interviews from the World War II era have already been recorded as part of the “Shouting The Odds” project, with some being available via links from their website www.aviationheritagelincolnshire.com

The AHL team are moving their attention to the post World War II era of the Cold War which features the Valiant, Victor and Vulcan crews of the V-Bomber squadrons of the V-Force.

2012 is the 60th Anniversary of the formation of the RAF’s V-Force and in October it will be 50 years after the Cuban Missile Crisis. 2012 will also mark 30 years since the Falklands Campaign where a massive force of Victor tankers supported Vulcan bombers from Lincolnshire with their Black Buck missions which actually involved planning which took place at Bawtry Hall.

AHL officers are currently planning to run some Cuban Missile Crisis themed events in October 2012 and are trying to identify V-Force (Thor and Bloodhound) personnel who served in Lincolnshire at the time, who would be willing to assist with these activities. AHL officers are also trying to identify V-Force, Thor and Bloodhound personnel from this time to see if they are willing to record their ‘Cold War’ oral histories. There was a Bloodhound missile base at the appropriately named Rocket Site at Misson just east of Bawtry as well as Finningley’s well known connection with the mighty Vulcan bomber.

Lincolnshire RAF bases involved in these operations include: Coningsby, Scampton, Waddington, Hemswell, Coleby Grange, Bardney, Caistor, Ludford Magna, Dunholme Lodge, North Coates, Woodhall Spa, Barkston Heath.In addition they are also hoping to collect oral histories of V-Force Falklands Campaign, mainly connected with operations from RAF Waddington in 1982.

Anyone who is able to assist in these matters is requested to make contact with Phil Bonner: Phil@aviationheritagelincolnshire.com (for the Cuban Missile Crisis themed events) David Harrigan: David@aviationheritagelincolnshire.com (for the Cold War & V-Force Falklands Campaign oral histories) Or via post at: Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire PO BOX 3 Kesteven Street Sleaford Lincs NG34 7EF.

From: http://www.goolecourier.co.uk/community/were_you_part_of_v_force_crews_1_4206254

Book - Book focuses on local lives (Newark)

A book describing the changing landscapes and lives of people in Newark and Lincolnshire has been launched.

Author Mrs Molly Burkett. (231111LL2-2)

Written and published by Mrs Molly Burkett, of Hough-on-the-Hill, the book is third in the series Once Upon A Lifetime.

It gives an insight into the history of Newark and Lincolnshire through the memories of people in the area.

One account is of Janet Stevenette, who met her husband in Newark and ran Caythorpe post office.

Another is of Mr Bob Tindall, who saw the first ever car travelling down Great North Road now the A1.

Mrs Burkett has been writing for more than 70 years after having her first short story published at the age of eight.

She said: “It’s a wonderful life being a writer. I would recommend anybody to take up writing.”

Mrs Burkett runs a wildlife rehabilitation centre.

The book costs £5 and is available from Fulbeck Craft Shop.

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/news/view.asp?id=46921868-6cb6-102f-ad62-73917bb4195d

Article - Weatherwatch: historic thunderstorms wreaked mayhem (Notts)

August 1, 1846 holds the record for the most widespread and damaging series of thunderstorms on one day in Britain. At least 10 of the storms included hail that smashed windows, damaged roofs and flattened crops.

Contemporary accounts in different places describe the hailstones as being as big as walnuts, hazelnuts or marbles. Some hail was described as flat, other pieces oval and lumps were frequently larger than 25 mm in diameter. Rain gauges recorded as much as three inches in less than three hours. Perhaps the most destructive storm struck Weldon, Northamptonshire between 6pm and 7pm. Every house in the village had windows broken, roofs were demolished by the wind and hail, and livestock was swept away by floodwaters.

The storms were preceded by a heat wave, with the temperature exceeding 30C in many places. They began in the south and moved north as far as Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire. London was badly affected by the hail, with windows, particularly on the south side of buildings, being smashed – including the wooden frames in some cases. More than 7,000 squares of fanlights were demolished at the two Houses of Parliament and Westminster Hall, and both chambers were flooded.

Massive destruction was reported to glass roofs in Belgrave Square, Burlington Arcade, the British Institution, Somerset House and Paddington and Euston railway stations.

In the countryside several people were killed by lightning while working in the fields and many birds died after being struck by hailstones.

Dig - Bardney Abbey re-excavation after lottery funding help (Lincolnshire)

A 12th Century abbey in Lincolnshire is being re-excavated almost 100 years after it was first uncovered.

A grant of £48,300 from the Heritage Lottery Fund is helping towards the costs at Bardney Abbey near Lincoln.

The work to uncover part of the refectory, where the monks ate their meals, will continue through summer with special events for the public.

David Start from the Heritage Trust in Lincolnshire said the dig was a "trial excavation".

"We've got one wall of the dining room we're excavating. 

"We have to prove that we can do it competently and see if we can repair it and treat it so it can be left open."

Local volunteers, under the supervision of archaeologists from Archaeological Project Services, will carefully remove the turf to reveal what lays underneath.

The site was originally excavated between 1909 and 1914 by vicar Charles Laing and local labourers.

Mr Start said: "It was at a time when very little was known about what went on at these monastic sites. We now know a lot more.

"The site was covered over in 1933 because it was being damaged, so really we're trying to do something that others have failed at."

Rebellion against king

The current exploratory dig began in 2009 by site owners the Jews Court Trust, along with Bardney Heritage Group and the Bardney Heritage Centre.

Speaking of the history of the site, Mr Start said: "There was a very early monastery at Bardney in the 7th Century.

"It lasted until the Vikings disposed of it around 870 and a new monastery was founded just after the Norman conquest."

The original abbey was the burial place of two saints, King Oswald of Northumbria and King Ethelred of Mercia. 

The new monastery is believed to have been founded by William the Conqueror's nephew, Gilbert of Gaunt, in 1087.

In 1536 the monks were involved in a rebellion against King Henry VIII's proposals to close the monasteries.

Several monks were arrested and executed at Lincoln, and the abbey was closed soon after.

Part of the buildings were converted into a house, but this had been demolished by the early 18th Century, much of the stone being taken for use in other buildings in the village. 

Members of the public are invited to see the excavation and even pitch in during special event days.

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-13768155

Bardney Website: http://community.lincolnshire.gov.uk/bardneyvillagehistory/section.asp?catId=32122

A little bit out the normal area but its got a dig that the public can get to see so I think its worth a mention

News - Discover Lincs this weekend (Gainsborough)

YOU can discover Lincolnshire this weekend as Gainsborough Old Hall takes a trip back in time.

There will be costumed interpreters on site as the Great Hall will have a civil war banquet theme and there will be Tudor and medieval re-enactors in the bedroom. District Manager Janet Edmond said: “Our historical re-enactors will be bringing the hall to life over the weekend, giving visitors a snapshot of civil war, Tudor and medieval times.”

The event will be the Old Hall on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th March from 11am – 5pm. Entry is free.

From: http://www.gainsboroughstandard.co.uk/news/discover_lincs_this_weekend_1_3131662

 

News - Crackdown on metal-detecting criminals who steal heritage and damage dig sites (Lincolnshire)

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to combat criminals who steal from historic buildings and wreck archaeological dig sites.

The initiative aims to clamp down on practices such as "nighthawking" where thieves use metal detectors to find buried historic objects.

It will also focus on damage caused to the historic environment by fire, graffiti and vehicles, and architectural thefts of items ranging from stone walls to vintage street signs and unlawful alteration and demolition of listed buildings.

The campaign is being led by Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police Richard Crompton, who is also the national lead at the Association of Police Officers in tackling heritage crime.

Mr Crompton said: "This is a really important step which will have a significant impact on the problem of crime and antisocial behaviour in and around our historic environment. A great many people care deeply about this sort of crime and I believe that we can tap into that concern and interest and work with communities to make a real difference."

Tom Lane, senior archaeologist at Heritage Lincolnshire, said: "Illegal metal detecting can cause damage apart from digging up fields.

"It can remove objects from their archaeological context so if, at a later stage, we did a proper excavation then there would just be holes and things.

"There's also the fact that what is in the ground, if it's not treasure trove, is the property of the landowner."

Those who illegally metal detect get information on where to look from ordnance survey maps which have Romano British Remains written on them.

Lincolnshire County Council finds liaison officer Adam Daubney said: "The majority of metal detectorists carry out their hobby legitimately, voluntarily reporting their finds to the Portable Antiquities Scheme.

"These enthusiasts have a genuine interest in the past and their finds are helping to advance knowledge of our heritage.

"In Lincolnshire alone, legitimate metal detectorists have reported 28,000 finds during the past ten years.

"These have led to the discovery of 175 new sites ranging from Roman temples to medieval markets.

"Unfortunately, there are those whose actions are criminal – damaging our fine heritage – and Lincolnshire County Council supports any initiative to tackle this and any other sort of heritage crime."

English Heritage, the police and the Crown Prosecution Service want to develop a nationwide network to include organisations such as the National Trust, the Church of England and the Woodland Trust to co-ordinate efforts to tackle heritage crimes.

From: http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/news/Detecting-nighthawks-steal-history/article-3217356-detail/article.html

yet again someone having a go at metal-detectorists!

York Model Railway Museum Moving to Lincolnshire

YORK Model Railway is quitting its traditional home at the city’s railway station for larger premises in Lincolnshire. 

Station operator East Coast says it is looking for a new tenant to take over the former tea room building in Tea Room Square, and hopes it can be restored to its former glory. 

Tim Hedley-Jones, property and projects director, said he hoped the character and charm of the building would generate interest from potential businesses. “The premises are particularly suitable for a restaurant, bar or other food and drink outlet,” he said. 

He revealed East Coast had been in discussion with the Railway Heritage Trust, which had made a principal funding contribution towards the restoration and redevelopment of the building.

Trust director Andy Savage said the model railway exhibition had hidden but not damaged the building’s “superb interior”.

An East Coast spokesman said, after many years at the station, the model railway was moving to Hemswell Cliff near Gainsborough, to where it would transfer its working miniature sized railway models, including Rail Riders World and the extended Museum of Model Transport.

He said the model railway shop would remain open until February 28, although the exhibition space closed for business on New Year’s Eve.

From http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/8777183.York_Model_Railway_relocating_to_Lincolnshire/

University of Sheffield 2011 Field Schools

Manor Lodge Project 2011
Between 13 June and 15 July 2011 The Department of Archaeology will be offering fieldwork training at the Scheduled Ancient Monument at Manor Lodge, Sheffield. The focus will be on the location of the medieval and sixteenth-century hunting lodge of Sheffield. The hunting lodge sat amidst medieval parkland, and was only subsumed within the urban sprawl from the 1930s. One of the most well-known events in the history of Sheffield Manor Lodge was the period in the late sixteenth century when Mary Queen of Scots spent part of her captivity there. She was in the custody of George Talbot, sixth Earl of Shrewsbury and his wife, known popularly as Bess of Hardwick. Our excavations seek to illuminate this period of Sheffield´s history, when the Manor Lodge was at the centre of events of national and international significance. Once the property passed into the hands of the Dukes of Norfolk the lodge fell into a ruinous state, and in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries a pottery kiln was constructed at the site, coal mining occurred and workers´ cottages were built amidst the ruins. All traces of this industrial activity were stripped away in the early twentieth century, and one of our aims is to throw light on this aspect of the site´s history.
 Thornton Abbey Field School - 19 June to 16 July 2011During the 2011 season we will be concentrating our efforts just to the north of the church and the graveyard, in an area that has seen no previous survey or excavation work. Documentary research suggests that this area contained the mill as well as the ‘great barn’ of the monastery, and these are known to have continued in use well into the post-medieval period. On the ground the water channels, or ‘leat’, for the mill are clearly visible as well as the medieval bridge that crossed it (see right).

Students attending the field school will play a central role in continuing the geophysical and topographical survey of this area, as well as taking part in the excavation of the possible barn and mill areas. Whilst all work is supervised by experienced staff from the University of Sheffield, volunteers get to take part in all the key activities.

The field school fee is £180 p/w. This includes supervision, course materials, all meals, accommodation and weekly pick up & drop off at the local train station (Thornton Abbey).

If you live within the County Council districts of North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire or West Lindsey you can attend the excavation for free so long as you provide your own food and make your own way to site.

Accommodation is in the form of camping close to the site, and we have a limited number of tents that may be borrowed if requested in advance.

From: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/archaeology/field-schools-index

Medieval Room Found under Lincoln Castle/Loss of Historical Church Records

The recent excavations around Lincoln Castle have now revealed a medieval circular room under the current ground level.  The room was discovered during work to install a lift to enable visitors to gain access to the curtain wall more easily. Hopefully when the feature is completely excavated its use will become known.  This could also indicate that other previously unknown early structures could survive within the area.

http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/environment/Tunnel-vision-reveals-buildings-castle/article-2935933-detail/article.html

A survey has recently been carried out after concerns over the loss of important historical documents from churches in the past several years.  The problem seemly arises when the building runs out of storage space for keeping the documents in and lack of staff training.  

We have noticed this locally when one of our members retrieved lots of historical Victorian documents from a local church in a skip.   
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Religious-archives-at-risk.6638179.jp

 

Trent Vale Archaeology Blog

As part of the Community Archaeology project on the river Trent the Trent Vale Landscape Partnership runs a blog with regular updates on their projects of this historic landscape which still has remains from prehistory to medieval and beyond.  Their latest blog covers the work done around Knaith the other weekend, the new mosaics at Gainsborough and recent work at Littleborough:

The latest instalment is available at: http://trentvale.wordpress.com/