Hollywood comes to Retford!!!

THREE Bassetlaw landmarks are to feature in a major Hollywood movie about the Pilgrim Fathers' role in founding the world's most powerful country.  All Saint's Church in Babworth near Retford, St Wilfrid's at Scrooby near Bawtry and historic Scrooby Manor have all been locations for the Monumental film crew. 

Los Angeles-based Kirk Cameron Productions and the Pyro Pictures Corporation are filming in Europe for a documentary which is expected to become an American classic.

Due for completion at the end of the year, it aims to unearth the detailed history of the founding of America by settlers, including people from Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire more than 400 years ago.

Actor Kirk Cameron has called in local author and historian Sue Allan, who initially organised location shoots and has become one of the story-tellers in the film.

Christian Kirk, a father-of-six, confirmed that the movie was giving him an opportunity to seek out his roots.

He said: "I've traced my heritage back to the Scottish clans and as Americans we all sense our country's soul is on this side of the Atlantic."There's been a moral decline and much political noise, so I think it's important for us to go back and understand where we came from.

"If we can understand our forefathers we can learn so much about ourselves."

Producer and director Duane Barnhart said it was important to visit Babworth and Scrooby because of their connections with the people who eventually founded the Plymouth settlement in Massachusetts.

Duane said: "Over in America the Pilgrims are portrayed as men with big belt buckles and black hats. But we're filling in all the blanks because we have an expert in Sue Allan. "She's been fantastic and we couldn't have had a better tour guide and host."  Ms Allan, who is now married to American artist and co-writer Roger Vorhauer, penned the Mayflower Maid trilogy.

She said: "Not only am I to be on screen a good deal of time in this film, I have also been responsible for supplying the locations."I insisted on using Babworth and Scrooby, so I secured the permissions. And I have also assisted the scriptwriter on historical content and even found hotel accommodation."But it's been an amazing experience because Kirk is making sure this documentary is going to be well received in the USA."

Babworth churchwarden Mike Board also has a small role in the movie.  He said: "I just thought I was showing a group of tourists around the church."But I was surprised to see an American film crew who wanted to see the 16th century Babworth chalice and patten."

From http://www.thisisretford.co.uk/news/Bassetlaw-landmarks-feature-major-Hollywood-movie-Pilgrim-Fathers/article-2391824-detail/article.html

The groups attendance at the Chesterfield Canal Festival went pretty well, we managed to hand out plenty of application forms to the public and sell some of the books and pottery we took.   We didn’t make as much as we’d like to have done but the persistent rain and other events in the local area probably kept the masses away.

 

The Society also now understands the need for better publicity we only had a short write up about the society and a couple of A4 flyers around the marquee on Saturday which weren’t very prominent. On Sunday David and Maureen Broadhead brought a larger stand in which we displayed some photos and a couple of the magazines in.  I have to admit I was a bit disappointed we hadn’t managed to get a second run of magazines printed as I’m sure they would have sold well.  Our next big event is in October so hopefully we can get plenty of literature and information organised for then.  

 

My few days at the Besthorpe dig went well, The event was organised by the Trent Vale Landscape Partnership (This seems to be what the Trent Valley is called around the Stoke-on-Trent area) I managed to dig a ditch and record it with Sarah and an A level student called Meg from Cambridgeshire.  The ditch is MPL10 1630 and contained several pieces of roman pottery and a few flecks of charcoal with a evidence of burning due to the oxidisation of the higher levels of sand.  The weather was nice whilst we were there and I learnt how to locate ditches in sand which will be particularly useful around this area the local geology being made mainly from Sherwood Sandstone.

 

The site itself is amazing the area of settlement is huge and finds range from Neolithic flints to Anglo-Saxon finds.  The amount of Romano-British pottery is such that most of it is left in situ as there wouldn’t be enough room to store it in.  The ground kind of looks like a bull has been in a china shop! The site was open to the public on the Monday and Tuesday and I even caught a glimpse of Kevin Leahy there.  According to the archaeologists onsite there are a few more years of this exciting project left to run so I guess all going well I’ll be returning for the next few seasons.

 

On August 21^st and 22^nd there is a Roman Living History weekend at Marton, Lincolnshire. The event will include an ‘excavation’ of the Roman site and volunteers have been asked to come forward.  If that doesn’t interest you there will be a fashion display, cookery display as well as pottery and mosaic making.  To book a place at these events contact Sarah Grundy at Lincolnshire County Council on 01522 553109. (http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/section.asp?docId=88979)

 

The Next South Yorkshire Archaeology day will be on 20^th November – details of the lectures have not yet been finalised but it should be an enjoyable day out.

 

 

Chestefield Canal and Wincobank Hill Fort

Mondays talk by Maureen Taylor went really well and the costume really added to her talk "Elizabethan Life & Society".

We're really looking forward to the Chesterfield Canal Festival at the Rugby Club, Worksop this weekend. Gates open between 10.00 and 17.00.

Many thanks to Worksop Library for donating several maps of Worksop and some vintage 1920's Worksop Guardians. These are much appreciated and the Guardians will be read thoroughly for some juicy old stories.

I'm off to Besthorpe next week to help excavate a Romano-British settlement next to the River Trent. Really looking forward to it as never been on a proper 'dirty' dig before.  The most I did at uni was walkover surveys.

Walkover Survey - Wincobank Hill Fort

DOG walkers and passers-by may notice some unusual activity on Wincobank Hill this month - especially at the weekends.

The Friends of Wincobank Hill are working with Dr Roger Doonan from the Archaeology Department of The University of Sheffield to carry out a survey of the hill fort and the area either side of the brick track leading from Jenkin Road.

The team will be hunting for clues of what lies beneath the soil but aren't planning any digging.

 

Instead they will be using hi-tech scanning equipment to pick up clues as to what may be hidden.

The community archaeology project is authorised by Sheffield Council and English Heritage and the organisers are hoping the findings may encourage the TV's Time Team to keep Wincobank Hill on their schedule for next summer.

To find out more visit www.wincobankhill.btik.com/ or go to the next Friends meeting which starts at 7pm on Thursday August 1 at Upper Wincobank Chapel, Wincobank Avenue.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Digging-deep-to-discover-history.6415377.jp

 

Doncaster has just had a new book published to trace the Boroughs 5,000 year old history including new interpretations of the town during the Roman occupation and illustrations throughout the town’s history.  The literature was condensed from a study led by West Yorkshire Archaeology Service. The book called ‘Doncaster Uncovered’ is available from Doncaster Museum, the towns Tourist Information centre and Cusworth Hall

 

Tickhill Castle was open for 2 hours on Sunday 13^th June . Despite low publicity the event was well attended. Hopefully this means the event will become a regular attraction for years to come.  The Castle was last open to the public in 2002.

 

This month’s talk was on Sheffield’s notorious Victorian villan Charlie Peace by Ron Clayton. Ron was standing in for the scheduled speaker and gave a great talk on how Charlie operated and how he managed to evade police capture

 

Looks like the Besthorpe dig is going ahead in July too which is good as I’ve not managed to get on one before.

 

The Festival of British Archaeology takes place in July and here is a select few local events from the website http://festival.britarch.ac.uk/whatson   

County: NottinghamshireSat 17–Sun 18 July 13.00–16.00See ancient technology demonstrations and learn about life in the Iron Age in a full size reconstructed roundhouse. Grind corn, spin wool and make string. …

Come along to see ancient technology demonstrations and learn about life in the Iron Age. Have a go at grinding corn, spinning wool, making string. See how people lived inside a full size reconstructed Iron Age roundhouse. Admission, Adults £2.00, Children free.Location: Woodview Farm, Mansfield Lane, Calverton, Nottingham NG14 6HP. O:ATARCN:GrahameWatsonT:01159654285E: gwatsonroundhouse@googlemail.comEvent Dates: 17-07-2010—18-07-2010

County: NottinghamshireSun 18 July 14.00–18.00To mark the completion of £100,000 scheme to stabilise the ruins of Kings John’s Palace. Tea-time guided tour of the site and photo exhibition. See website for details. …

Come and see the ruins of the most important building in Sherwood Forest. Grand Pageant - Richard the Lionheart's and King William of Scots' visit to the Palace in 1194. Includes kidnap, sea voyages, battles, outlaws and a coronatio.! Warning - a tax will be levied to pay Richard the Lionheart's ransom! Kings John’s Palace was an important royal palace used by all the Plantagenet Kings when in the area, being a particular favourite of Edward I & II. The ruins have been saved from collapse and now look very different. Guided tour of the site – exhibition of photographs old and new. Bring your picnic and enjoy the event – tea & coffee available. Booklets on sale £2.00 each.Location: King John’s Palace, Kings Clipstone (Old Clipstone), Mansfield NG21 9BP. Entrance at the top of the ‘Rat Hole’ on the B6030 - leaving the village going west. Park at the lay-by or Farm Shop further up the B6030.O:FriendsofKingsClipstoneN:SteveParkhouseE:kingsclipstonevillage@live.co.ukW: www.HeartOfAncientSherwood.co.ukEvent Dates: 18-07-2010—18-07-2010

Mon 19–Tue 20 July 10.00–16.00Open days at the excavation of an extensive Romano-British settlement; take a tour around the site, talk to the archaeologists, and see some of the finds. …

Open days at the developer-led excavation at Besthorpe. The Nottinghamshire Community Archaeologists have teamed up with the Centre for Applied Archaeology at the University of Salford to open up the site for two days during the Festival of Archaeology. Take a tour of the site, talk to the archaeologists, and see some of the finds.Location: Besthorpe, near Collingham. Follow signs from CollinghamO:Besthorpe,nearCollinghamN:EmilyGillottT:01159772160E:community.archaeology@nottscc.gov.ukW: www.nottinghamshire.gov.ukhome/environment/heritage/archaeology/

Festival of Victorian ArchaeologyCounty: DerbyshireSat 24–Sun 25 July 10.00–16.00Creswell Crags is celebrating all things Victorian, and going back in time to the very first excavations in our Ice Age caves. …

Creswell Crags is celebrating all things Victorian, and going back in time to the very first excavations in our Ice Age caves. Specialist lectures will look in detail at the social and scientific impacts of the early discoveries at Creswell Crags. The weekend of the 24th & 25th will see the site transformed back to the 19th Century with costumed tours and Victorians activities. Costs will aply for tours and lectures - please book. Free entry for YAC members.Location: Creswell Crags, Crags Road, Welbeck. From the M1: At Junction 30 take the A616 through Clowne to Creswell. Creswell Crags can be found on the B6042 and is signposted from Creswell village. From the A60: Creswell Crags is signposted from the A60, between Cuckney and Worksop.O:CreswellHeritageTrustN:RebeccaClayT:01909720378E:info@creswell-crags.org.ukW: www.creswell-crags.org.uk

Besthorpe Roman Dig 19-23 July

I've been a bit busy over the last week. I've visited Campsall and Burghwallis churches and visited the cross at Lilla Howe in North Yorkshire (King Edwin stuff!). Didn't realise Campsall had a crusader cross and early sundial (both well hidden - points if you find them)

My e-mail to Notts County Council last week regarding the community archaeology site not being updated since 2009 has been a success :)

http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/environment/heritage/archaeology/communityarchaeology/ncaevents.htm
Excavation Opportunity July 19th to 23rd
The chance to take part in a developer-led excavation of an extensive Romano British settlement, being carried out near Besthorpe.
The Nottinghamshire Community Archaeologists have teamed up with the Centre for Applied Archaeology at the University of Salford to make opportunities for members of the public to take part in this excavation.
contact us for more information and directions to the site.

I'm trying to get on this as it will help with my work on local Roman times and finally get me on a dig!

Local News

 Yum! a new Roman fort at Long Sandall and a great picture of Scaftworth fort - which is in Nottinghamshire but I'll let them off this time :) : 
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history+%2526+heritage/archaeology/art79156

"Cropmark Landscapes of the Magnesian Limestone of South and West Yorkshire by Ian Roberts with Alison Deegan and David Berg is available from Archaeological Services WYAS, PO Box 30 Nepshaw Lane South, Morley, Leeds, LS27 0UG. £15 (£3.50 post and packaging)."

Heeley Farm in Sheffield are looking for more volunteers for their roundhouse project too:

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/localnews/Reed-all-about-it-farm.6322685.jp

Localish Digs for 2010!

Nottinghamshire County Council don't seem to have updated their archaeolgy pages since 2009 so I went searching for the localist digs this year I could find.  Most have cost only the last 2 from ilovethepast seem to be free?

The following are from:http://www.britarch.ac.uk/briefing/field.asp#item1137 :

Navenby Roman Settlement, Lincolnshire
14.6.10–23.7.10
This season the successful Lincoln Archaeological Field School will begin exciting new excavations at the Roman roadside settlement of Navenby, south of Lincoln. The Field School provides students with accredited training and tuition in archaeological methods and techniques including: excavation, recording, photography, surveying (plus DGPS), geophysics and finds & environmental processing. The Field School is open to students taking archaeology, anthropology or related degree programmes and who want accredited field work experience (20 UK, 10 ECTS or 5 US credits). Participation is for a minimum period of 6 weeks, application deadline 7 May. All training, tuition and examination fees, lunch and daily transport to and from site included in fee. Accommodation is available in the University College's halls of residence at additional cost. Volunteers are also welcome at a rate of 160GBP per week, including basic training and lunch. CBA East Midlands visit 20.5.10. For more information contact Craig Spence at Senior Lecturer, (History and Heritage Studies), Director Lincoln Archaeological Field School, Department of Culture and the Environment, Bishop Grosseteste University College, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN1 3DY, tel 01255 583775, email craig.spence@bishopg.ac.uk, web www.bishopg.ac.uk/field-school. Training is provided in the form of included in fee. Accommodation is provided in the form of BandB for extra 697GBP. Meals are provided in the form of included in fee. The cost is £980.

 

Manor Lodge, Sheffield
21.6.10–30.7.10
The Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, England will be offering fieldwork training at the Scheduled Ancient Monument at Manor Lodge. The focus will be on the location of the medieval and C16th hunting lodge, at 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. As well as running excavation training, we are offering four specialist field schools (cost 100-150 GBP per week) designed to introduce students to various aspects of post-excavation analysis: Environmental Archaeology (28 June-2 July); Human Osteology (5-9 July); Historic Buildings (12-16 July); and Material Culture (19-23 July). We can arrange great value accommodation in university halls of residence, and there are both single en-suite rooms (21.28GBP) or double en-suite rooms (25.53GBP). Prices per night. For more information contact Jerneja Willmott at Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, West Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S1 4ET, tel 0114 2222 900 (reception), email j.willmott@sheffield.ac.uk, web www.sheffield.ac.uk/archaeology/field-schools/manor-lodge-project.html. Training is provided in the form of included in fees. Accommodation is provided in the form of by application and for extra cost.. The cost is £100 per week.

 

Archaeology Live! 2010: Hungate, York
28.6.10–17.9.10
Annual community training excavations for the Archaeology Live! Event hosted by the Dig Hungate project of York Archaeological Trust. Excavations on the biggest site in York for 25 years, part of the Hungate (York) Regeneration Ltd development. The 2010 season will concentrate eastern side of the site where archaeological features from the Viking and Medieval periods disturb an area where Roman burials and cremations have been found. Trainees can come for as little as one day or for several weeks. There is a minimum age limit of 16. During Archaeology Live! the archaeology will be excavated and recorded by the trainees; the trainers teach and assist when required. It is a field-based training programme where people learn by doing the excavation, and by discovering and recording the archaeology themselves, rather than by classroom based tuition. See also Forum and Facebook Group. Please get in touch regarding longer courses. Main YAT office on 01904 615505. For more information contact Toby Kendall at Training Dig, York Archaeological Trust, 47 Aldwark, York, North Yorkshire YO1 7BX, tel 07908 210026 (mob), email trainingdig@yorkat.co.uk, web www.dighungate.com/. Training is provided in the form of on-site included in fee. Accommodation is provided in the form of self catering single rooms (extra).. The cost is £50/day 190/week.

 

Monk Bretton Priory Community Archaeology Project
4.7.10–1.8.10
The Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield will be working in and around the scheduled site. Founded in 1154 by the Cluniac order, the priory became an independent Benedictine house in 1281. Following the passing of the Act of Suppression the priory was dissolved on 30 November 1538. In 1580 the land was sold to George Talbot 6th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford who converted the priory into a private residence for his fourth son Henry. The Monk Bretton Community Archaeology Project will be running a programme of survey and excavation in an around the scheduled area of the ancient monument. Work will be concentrating on identifying features above and below ground that relate to the 16th-century Talbot mansion.. We can arrange great value accommodation in university halls of residence, and there are both single en-suite rooms (please contact for prices). For more information contact Hugh Willmott at Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, West Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S1 4ET, tel 0114 2222 900 (reception), email monk.bretton@sheffield.ac.uk, web www.sheffield.ac.uk/archaeology/field-schools/monk-bretton.html. Training is provided in the form of included in fee. Accommodation is provided in the form of at extra cost. Meals are provided in the form of lunch included. The cost is £100.

 

Creswell Crags, Nottinghamshire
16.8.10–28.8.10
Limited number of places via CBA East Midlands for MEMBERS ONLY. Volunteers (6 per week) must be able to commit for a whole week (six days). Places allocated on first-come-first-served basis, so book early for this rare opportunity. Please send your name, a summary of your relevant experience (if any), the week you are available and contact details. Work led by Dr Paul Pettit, University of Sheffield. Results of the previous seasons of excavation will be in the next volume of Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire, due to be published in late spring 2010. For more information contact Daryl Garton at 12 Collington Street, Beeston, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG9 1FJ, email daryl@dgarton.plus.com, web www.britarch.ac.uk/cbaem. .. The cost is £contact.

these are from Ilovethepast:

 

Sudbrooke

Location	Sudbrooke Lincolnshire
Type	Archaeological Digs
Organization	Lindum Heritage
Opening Dates	7th July - 1st August 2009
Entry	Volunteers Welcome

Contact

Contact Name	Craid Spence
Address	Lincoln Archaeological field school Dept of Culture & Environment Studies Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln LN1 3DY
Website	http://bishopg.ac.uk/field-school
Email	craig.spence@bishopg.ac.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Telephone	01522 583 775

Our summer dig is open to everyone. All training will take place on site in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.

The site will be in a rural situation in Lincolnshire not too far from Lincoln itself. We currently plan to continue the excavation at the Roman villa/farmstead site that we worked on during 2005 and 2006. There have been a number of previous surveys conducted at the site by various groups the results of which clearly suggest it is a Roman villa complex of some substance. The finds from the site include Roman pottery (1st C - 4th C), box-flue tile, tesserae and fragments of painted wall plaster. This year’s investigations are one part of a larger project which is planned to continue for a number of years.

 

North Lincolnshire Community Archaeology

Type	Archaeological Digs
Organization	North Lincolnshire Museum/HLF
Opening Dates	Various in 2010
Entry	Volunteers Welcome • Open to the Public

Contact

Contact Name	Alison Williams
Address	North Lincs Museum, Oswald Rd, Scunthorpe, N Lincs, DN15 7BD
Email	alison.williams@northlincs.gov.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Telephone	01724 843533

Volunteers are doing a five-year programme of investigations. Guided by museum staff and professional archaeologists, each year we will focus on one of the parishes along the bank, and arrange a variety of archaeological surveys. Volunteers can attend demonstrations and training to enable them to learn the techniques we use to detect, map and understand sites.

For example, we plan to fieldwalk a number of sites where we suspect buried settlements dating from the Roman period (43AD – 410AD) are located, at Alkborough, Whitton, Winteringham, South Ferriby and Barton. Collecting, identifying and dating the pottery from the ploughsoil will provide the evidence, and this will help us to draw a picture of life on the Humber estuary in Roman times. See our Community Archaeology Project page for more information about fieldwalking.

Geophysical surveys are planned at the sites fieldwalked by the project volunteers and at other known sites, for example the manor house site at Winteringham.

We'll need volunteers to survey and record the physical remains of the old brick and tile yards, cement works and chalk quarries that have shaped the landscape of the South Humber Bank at Barton and South Ferriby. This industrial heritage will be researched and interpreted for the wider public.

Fancy volunteering? Anyone can join in and become a volunteer. We are happy to involve individuals and groups interested in heritage matters. If you would like any further information about the project please contact Alison Williams on 01724 843533, or email alison.williams@northlincs.gov.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it