South Yorkshire Archaeology Day (Review)

Yesterdays SYAD was yet again a brilliant event.  The venue was again the Showroom Theatre but due to the event selling out after only a few weeks, the lectures may need to be moved to a larger venue for next year.  This is excellent news as the popularity shows that history and archaeology in our area is getting more popular.

The lectures this year were all good quality and were on a wide range of subects ranging from Iron Age settlements around the local area to the Victorian steel making core of Sheffield city.


Excavation of an Iron Age to Early Medieval landscape at Pastures Road, Mexborough by Alistair Webb.
This talk was on the 2005-7 excavations and field study on this soon to be redeveloped site.  The finds included Mesolithic flints, a beehive quern, round house, tracks and a field system with multi period use.  There was also evidence of an Anglo-Saxon burial although due to the acidity of the soil no skeleton was recovered, there may be more on-site and further work may find these.


O'er Hill and Down Dale by Adrian Chadwick.
This talk was a reinterpretation of past studies of field systems in the South Yorkshire area and grouping past reports together to help interpret a wider picture of what life was like in this area in the early part of the first millennium. He described the damage done at Sutton Common when half the site was bull-dozed by the farmer and how opportunities were missed on the excavation and what possibilities of future work could reveal. He also described how the brickwork field systems had been modified over many centuries and how the later Roman roads didn't respect the field boundaries.


The Medieval Archaeology of Low Fishergate, Doncaster by Jane McCormish.
This lecture centres on a multi-period reuse of a site which was originally to the immediate south of the river Don.  it focused on how industry on the site had changed over time with the silting up of the river as its path had slowly moved northwards.  The early industries seem to have been focused on ship building or repairs which slowly through time had transgressed through to an iron works which possibly burnt down and was replaced by leather works and a rubbish tip!    There was plenty of evidence of medieval boats which had been reused as a wall against the riverbank as well as evidence of the Don flooding on at least two occasions.

Investingating an Industrial Archaeological site at Nursery Street, Sheffield by Neil Dransfield.

With the current flood defence plan for the river Don to prevent another flooding of 2007 proportions several areas of previous land use are being removed to allow small flood plains for water catchment.  part of the old steelworks and public house on Nursery Street are to be removed and the land scalloped with the remains of the furnace to be reburied for future generations.

Excavations at Rotherham Minster by Deborah Moretti
With part of the minster grounds being re-landscaped for easier access excavations took place where 60 burials were discovered from the 19th century (42 adults/11 infants/7 children) Several of the bodies had been badly damaged by later grave cuts which had been placed in the same plots. Finds from the corner were a Henry II short cross penny, an area of cobbles and several worked flints.  Evidence of wooden graves and shroud burials were found as well as buttons marble bottle tops and clay pipes.


Work In Progress: Re-evaluating the Archaeology of Conisbrough Castle by Kevin Booth
With the current re-evaluation of Conisbrough Castle via the Lottery fund English Heritage had planned on using the past excavations on site to help draw up a plan for future works.  This has been severely hampered by the Ministry of Work's lack of care in the 1940's and 50's and failure to keep accurate records and lack of reports from most of the 25 excavations carried out by the MoW and other parties. Finds from the site were not recorded accurately as to show there location (a central part of a horse curry comb, metal rim from a purse and a mirror case).  EH have also looked at the design of the castle and its unusual layout which is only comparable with Orford, Suffolk. English Heritage are planning some excavations in the near future (possibly 2011)


The Bolsterstone Castle Project by Wendy Goodhind and Tim Cockrell
This was a fascinating update from the group who initially set out to find if there was a castle at Bolsterstone.  There task was hard with the only evidence being a pub name and an old map marking the site.  The group managed to get a grant and assistance from the University of Sheffield to start an excavation on the football field in 2006, they managed to locate a stone wall with steps which led to further work in 2007.  This located a bread oven but no castle.  In 2008/9 the group excavated a smithy and in 2010 field walked the land on Bank Farm locating metal and ceramics.  The groups future plans include a wide scale test pitting in the village in an attempt to locate earlier settlement.


Excavations at Monk Bretton Priory by Hugh Willmott and Pete Townend
The priory at Monk Bretton was heavily rebuilt during the 1920's removing parts of the old medieval house and further work during the 1950's by the MoW saw the 'cleaning' up of the site with no regard for its post monastic heritage.  Geophysics on the site located two areas of interest for locating a Tudor Manor comparable with Worksop or other contemporary sites. one of the results showed a building range which when excavated showed three phases of occupation which appears to have been used for some industrial process possibly relating to the priory and also a stone encased drainage ditch with two phases of use.  Lots of lead and copper alloy were recovered from smelting.  Tudor glass was also recovered from the site.

Sheffield Flood Talk Review

Monday’s meeting was a great success, Peter Machan’s talk on Sheffield’s 1864 flood was a magnificent performance given in full Victorian style. His talk started with him acting as the reporter who first got the story out in the papers the day after the dyke gave way. The talk showed the weaknesses of the design of the dam and how the crack developed before the structural integrity failed, recalled stories printed at the time of peoples mixed fortunes of either being swept away of miraculous escapes from the clutches of the wall of water and also the results of the inquiry which followed. The talk also has a visual show of photographs, drawings and illustrations to help bring to life this tragedy which drowned 238 people from several villages along the Loxley Valley and through the steel heartland of Sheffield’s industrial zone.

Two reminders for the rest of the week ahead:

Saturday 20th November Sheffield Archaeology Day at the Showroom in Sheffield

Monday 22nd November Committee meeting 19.30 at Oldcotes Village Hall

Roche Abbey/Mexborough/Next meeting/Spam

This weeks BBC History magazine e-mail contains a link for Roche Abbey: http://www.bbchistorymagazine.com/visit/roche-abbey-yorkshire?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=History%2012%2F11%2F10  The way it describes the monks eviction seems quite polite!

Mexborough's now decommissioned fire station got a mention in yesterdays Yorkshire Post.  The story recounts how the stations plaque has been saved for posterity and donated to the Fire and Police Museum in Sheffield  http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/localnews/Slice-of-fire-service-history.6622896.jp

Don't forget next weeks meeting is on Monday at 19.30 and recounts the story of one of Sheffield's greatest tragedies when the Dale Dyke dam burst flooding thousands of acres of land and drowning many people and livestock 

Lastly, apologies for anyone who's received a spam e-mail from my personal e-mail address, seems some dodgy people have hacked my account! I've reported it so hopefully you won't receive any more.

Community Archaeology - Knaith & Collingham Riverside Surveys

Community Archaeology will be doing two surveys along the river Trent this month:

The first is around Knaith on the 15th November and the second around Collingham on 30th November.  

For further details get in touch with them via e-mail at community.archaeology@nottscc.gov.uk, phone 0115 977 2160 or via the website at http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/environment/heritage/archaeology/communityarchaeology.htm

Remembrance Day

Don't forget it's Remembrance Day tomorrow and several events will be going off throughout the area.  Check your local paper/website for details.

I'll be at Aston on Sunday to remember my great granddad and his brother who both perished in World War I. My granddad was a miner and also a lookout on the top of the tower at Laughton-en-le-Morthen church reporting on Axis bomb locations if they failed to go off. 

R.I.P.

Worksop Library Family History Group

Worksop Library's Family History Group, which meets in the new library 4 - 6pm on the last Thurs of every month, is attracting really good numbers of people, many of whom are complete beginners in family history needing guidance in how to get started/using the library's resources including Ancestry (free access from library computers).

The group is currently run by a couple of volunteers who are enjoying helping people with family history research but would be keen to welcome any new volunteers who are experienced in family history and would like to lend a hand in helping others.

It's entirely voluntary, and the library make clear to people that the volunteers cannot do someone's entire family tree for them (just as library staff can't), but will offer guidance and support so that people can learn how to trace their own family trees.

If you're an experienced family history researcher and are interested in helping out with the group, please call the library on 01909 535353 or e-mail helen.fox@nottscc.gov.uk:

Next group meetings:

Thursday 25th Nov 16.00-18.00

Thursday 16th Dec 16.00-18.00

(dates back to normal - last Thurs of month - in New Year)

A bumper chance to explain enigma of the lump From the Yorkshire Post

Many thanks to Terry (Regina Theresa) for finding this for us from the Yorkshire Post, I've e-mailed Community Archaeology for further details:

FOR centuries an inconspicuous bump in the ground has lain, unexplained, in the depths of Sherwood Forest.

But now, archaeologists from across the country are hoping to shed light on what could be one of the region's most mysterious – and most significant – ancient monuments.

Three years ago the Forestry Commission revealed that the Friends of Thynghowe group had found a Viking meeting place – known as a "Thing" – in the Birklands, near Worksop.

Such sites, of which there are only a handful in the British Isles, are thought to have been used in the Dark Ages as a landmark where people came together to resolve disputes.

Andrew Norman, from the Forestry Commission, which manages the Birklands, said: "What was once just a bump in the ground has now got lots of people excited up and down the country."

The earthen mound known as Thynghowe, which was first noticed on 19th century maps and then later identified through trawling the woodland landscape, has now been listed on English Heritage's National Monument Record.

New studies have also found the name Thynghowe in an ancient Sherwood Forest book dated to around the 1200s. However, more research is needed to understand the site's mysterious story.

As a result, Nottinghamshire County Council's community archaeology team is set to carry out a topographical survey of the hill in the New Year, after the Friends of Thynghowe made a successful bid for council funding.

At the same time, University College London plans to undertake a magnetometry survey, which can detect buried archaeology by registering anomalies in the earth's magnetic field.

The academics became involved after hearing about the Sherwood Forest site at a conference on Viking sites in Shetland and Orkney earlier this year, which was attended by representatives from the Friends of Thynghowe group.

Mr Norman added: "This is a major effort to unravel more of its secrets."

Thynghowe was discovered five years ago by husband and wife team Lynda Mallett and Stuart Reddish, along with their friend John Wood, who all live in the village of Rainworth.

Ms Mallett said: "My husband and myself own a woodland in Sherwood Forest. A 19th century document came into our hands which described a walk around Sherwood Forest, taking people around a very important boundary.

"We transcribed it and realised this went through our wood and all the way through Birklands as well. We asked the Forestry Commission if we could then go into Birklands and find anything mentioned in this 1816 document,

"One of the most significant places was a place called Hanger Hill, which is described as having two boundary stones and a stone on it. There were also apparently quite a lot of celebrations which took place there.

"When we did our research, having found this place in and amongst all of the trees, we realised Hanger Hill was also a place called Thynghowe, which is a Viking assembly site."

It is thought that Thynghowe may have marked the boundary between the Anglo Saxon kingdoms of Mercia and Northumberland. However, it may date back much further, as "howe" is a term often used to indicate a prehistoric burial place.

Ms Mallett said Thynghowe could date back 4,000 years – which would make it one of the most important sites not only in the region, but in Britain. She said: "It's a highly, highly significant place in Sherwood Forest and a national rarity.

"There are other 'Things' in Britain, but most of them you can't find a written record of. In this case we've found a written record dating back to the 1200s.

"Also, most 'Things' you can't actually see, because they've been built over or they're on private property. With ours, you can actually stand on it and look around and see some of the landscape that was there way, way back in the past."

To shed light on Thynghowe's history, archaeologists are set to arrive in January and analyse mysterious ancient stones in the area, which could be part of the complex or even predate it.

Ms Mallet said: "We need to bring this to national attention and find out as much as we can about this site.

"The more we can find out about it, the more chance we have of making it a scheduled monument, which gives it the highest level protection that we can get.

"We want to make sure local people know all about it. If this site has 4,000 years of history, there certainly isn't another site in Sherwood Forest as significant as this – and everyone in the world has heard of Sherwood Forest.

"To have a site in Sherwood Forest that is of this age, and that is still here, is really quite amazing."

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/A-bumper-chance-to-explain.6616462.jp

The Friends of Thynghowe website is located at http://www.thynghowe.org.uk/index.html