a
NETWORK NEWS
The newsletter of the Leicestershire and Rutland Archaeological Network
NUMBER 29: December 2005
MEMBERSHIP
OF
THE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL NETWORK
The parish of Bittesby is the sole new
parish to join the Network, bringing the
total number of parish councils and
meetings
who
have
appointed
Archaeological Wardens to 191, out of
278.
Many thanks to all Wardens who
returned the Data Protection Act
Consent Form that was sent out to
most Archaeological Wardens with the
July Network News.
A number of Wardens, some of several
years standing, have never completed
and returned one of these forms,
despite several direct requests by
letter. In order to comply with
legislation, these Wardens will be
deleted from the Network and
replacements sought.
IF THE NUMBER AND DATE OF THIS
ISSUE OF NETWORK NEWS IS
HIGHLIGHTED, PLEASE CONTACT
RICHARD POLLARD (address at end
of this newsletter) BY LETTER AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND IN ANY
EVENT BEFORE 28TH FEBRUARY
2006, STATING THAT YOU WISH TO
REMAIN AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL
WARDEN. IF YOU HAVE A COPY OF
THE CONSENT FORM, PLEASE
COMPLETE AND RETURN IT AS
WELL.
THE QUESTIONNAIRE
Thank you to everyone who returned
the Network Questionnaire, distributed
to all Archaeological wardens with
Network News 28. The total returned
was 45, roughly one-quarter of those
sent out. The results are still being
evaluated, in order that they can
contribute to forward planning by
Environment and Heritage Services.
The questions fall into two broad
categories: (1) “what do you do”, and
(2) “what do you want”. Some sample
results follow.
“What do you do?”
Question 1: the types of fieldwork
undertaken by the greatest numbers of
respondents.
Fieldwalking (25); various surveys
such as building recording (9); metal
detecting (7); helping on digs (7).
Question 6: the museums cited most
frequently as being visited.
The figures for local authority
museums in Leicestershire, Rutland
and Leicester that were specifically
mentioned are:
Jewry Wall (19); Donington le Heath
(16); Charnwood Museum, and New
Walk Museum (9); Melton Carnegie
(8); Harborough, and Rutland County
Heritage Services
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Museum (6); Snibston Discovery Park
(5); Newarke Houses (4).
Question 8: Clubs and Societies to
which respondents belong.
Leicestershire Museums Archaeological Fieldwork Group (LMAFG) (34);
Leicestershire Archaeological and
Historical Society (LAHS) (15); Council
for British Archaeology, and English
Heritage (9). Only two respondents
reported that they belonged to a metal
detecting club, and another two to the
Rutland Local History and Record
Society (RLHRS) (out of five Rutland
Wardens
who
returned
the
questionnaire).
Question 9: reading archaeology. The
magazines most read:
Current Archaeology (23); British
Archaeology (the magazine of the
CBA) (9); Treasure Hunting (5); The
Searcher (3).
“What do you want?”
Question 3: the museums’ Collections.
18 respondents have seen the
Archaeological Collections held in the
Resources Centre, and another 18
would like to see them. 38 would like to
know what these Collections hold from
their own parishes. Of the five Rutland
Wardens who responded, 3 would like
to see the Collections, and all would
like to know what they hold. The
question
was specifically about
Leicestershire material, which was with
hindsight perhaps a little restrictive, but
it would seem that there is significant
demand for engagement with the
collections from Rutland held at the
County Museum, Oakham.
Question 5: Sites and Monuments
Record.
The value of the SMR to Wardens is
indicated by the high level of usage
and demand: 39 respondents have
used the SMR summaries provided, 43
would like an updated version, and all
45 would be interested in aerial
photographs with sites superimposed.
Question 7: Network News.
At least 42 respondents always read
this
newsletter.
19
individual
suggestions on topics to be covered
were received, together with 7
respondents who said that it is fine as
it is. Generally more information on
recent, and not-so-recent, finds is
wanted. 6 suggestions related to the
desire for more articles by Wardens
and Groups (Fieldwalking, Heritage
and Local History all come to mind),
about their finds and projects. The
simple solution to this is – get writing,
dear reader!
Delivering summaries of recent
fieldwork by the “professional” or
“commercial” sector is more difficult.
“The Fieldworker” newsletter, sent to
all LMAFG members, carries brief
notes of such work, and the twiceyearly newsletter of the LAHS a small
number of longer summaries. The
journal of the LAHS, “Transactions”,
provides a more comprehensive
overview for both Leicestershire and
Rutland, but one that is nearly two
years old by the time it is published.
“Rutland Record”, for the RLHRS,
performs the same task for that county.
Summaries of reports that are thought
to be of interest, received by the SMR
from
commercial
archaeological
contractors, are sent to individual
Wardens for the parishes in which the
work took place, but the reports
themselves are received usually
months, if not over a year or more,
after the fieldwork took place. More
room will be devoted in future copies of
Network News to summaries of
fieldwork and finds, in response to the
questionnaire returns.
Heritage Services
Room 500, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8TE
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Information on methods of working can
also be included in the newsletter, or
as a supplement to the Information
Pack sent to all Wardens when first
appointed.
Question 11: Other Comments
Several respondents commented on
the lack of co-ordination between the
Archaeology and Heritage Warden
networks, and between development
control (construction site) projects and
the Wardens schemes. Action is being
taken to bring the two Warden
networks closer together: at the very
least Wardens from one scheme will
be informed if one from the other
scheme has been appointed in their
Parish, as it is clear that Parish
Councils and Meetings are not always
doing this.
Notification of fieldwork related to
development control is hampered by
the fact that the Leicestershire County
Council
archaeologists
(LCCa)
themselves are not always informed by
the archaeological contractors when
such projects are taking place.
However, LCCa will endeavour to
notify Wardens when work is due to
start when we know!
Several archaeological contractors
have been willing to show the local
Warden or Group around a site under
archaeological excavation, if an
approach has been made by LCCa,
but the terms of contract with the
developer, or operational timescales,
may not always permit this.
Voluntary watching briefs, once a
frequent recommendation by LCC’s
Planning Archaeologists to District
Planning Authorities, are no longer
suggested as a condition of planning
permission. This is because (i) they
were rarely productive, and thus hard
to justify to developers and planners
alike; (ii) cumulatively they consumed
too much of the LCC’s Planning
Archaeologists’ time, and that of the
District Planning Officers, which
needed to spent on development
proposals with greater archaeological
implications; (iii) The whole body of
policies such as lone working, risk
assessment, health and safety,
training, and provision of County
Council insurance cover for volunteers
makes it difficult for officers to assure
themselves that volunteers can
operate in safety without direct
supervision.
Some construction
companies require an individual to
present a Construction Related
Occupation Card before they are
allowed on site.
It is not too late to send off completed
questionnaires, particularly if you wish
your views and needs to be taken into
account in the forward planning
process. Please send them to Richard
Pollard (address at end of newsletter).
ABOUT THE BONES...........
Rosemary Culkin
Archaeological Warden for
Bowden
Great
We weren’t really thinking about
bones. It was the Ridgeway School
fete and we were promoting our part in
Time Team’s Big Roman Dig and
letting people know that some of them
at least were sharing their gardens
with the remains that families from
2000 years ago had left behind. There
was interest in the Corieltauvi, Latin
words to write in clay and fun
excavating finds from the sand pit.
You could tell those who watched Time
Team - they knew the technique.
And then the policewoman turns up
with the plastic bag. “We wondered if
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these bones were of interest to you?”,
she asked. One felt a slight role
reversal here. However, they were
animal bones and rather smelly too. I’d
heard about the pit behind the closeddown KwikSave, near the Welland and
the “cow” bones identified by the
Scene of Crime Officer. They were
next to the Methodist Church so I can
imagine the builder’s panic. The
Harborough Mail had run a headline
“bones stop building work” which sent
me into a newsagent to buy a copy.
So these were the bones.
The SOCO had thought they could be
thousands of years old as they had
been found at least eight foot down in
levels of river clay and sand. We let
our imaginations run wild; perhaps
they were wild cattle or even aurochs.
Richard Pollard said send them in and
he would get the University of
Leicester to identify them. I thought
they were at that moment safe in my
back garden (I have cats, not dogs) but
realised that we were in the middle of a
torrential downpour and the bag of
bones was floating along with other
flotsam and jetsam in my back yard.
The bones were recovered and dried
and wrapped carefully. The village
shop obliged with a ventilated box. Ila
looked a bit startled when I said it had
to be big enough for a large femur.
I was off to the Harborough Museum
straightaway and left the box of bones
on Zara’s desk. I thought she would
get them to County Hall fairly quickly! I
told the reporter at the Mail that they
could possibly have a sequel to their
story and they spoke to the bones
expert at the university.
Jennifer
Browning, from Leicester University,
came to our dig on 9th July with the
story that the bones are horse and
possibly only a couple of hundred
years old. There was a chance they
had been in a palaeo-channel but it
was not the case.
I keep thinking I should have known
they would be horse bones. I seem to
be collecting the complete skeleton.
Last year we had horse skull, pelvis
and lower leg bones handed in on one
of our finds collecting days. We found
a metatarsal at the Ridgeway dig in
April with butchery marks and now we
have femur and ribs. I daren’t ask “is
there anyone there” or I may hear a
loud neigh.
EXCAVATING ISABEL
Rosemary Culkin
13.07.05
[Editor’s note: a short report on the
Bug Roman Dig at Medbourne can be
found in Network News 28]
Sun and storm, wind and rain came in
all of the sixteen hundred years since
she closed her eyes for the last time.
No one had come near – just worms
and nettle roots had penetrated into
that dark soil. But now the diggers had
revealed not only her but a family
group – men and women, old and
young – all buried in a line. Christians,
we are told – no grave goods and their
heads in the west; hands clasped in
front.
Others did the first uncovering, and
then Carol had a day with her and
named her Isabel. On Friday morning,
I took over. Isabel is perfect; strong
bones complete except for her feet
which are still embedded in the baulk;
no deformity, no trauma, no sign of a
disease from which she could have
died at the young age of 23.
I scraped the grave cut neatly back to
the undisturbed clay. I cleaned her
bones, her spine, exposed her ribs and
cleaned the soil from her mouth. I
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brushed her teeth to clean them.
Perfect teeth, all present, even, and
showing no decay. All perfect for the
show. Isabel what would you have
made of all this; the cameras, the
crowds, the fast-talking media folk,
your moment of fame on national TV?
It could not have entered your wildest
dreams or nightmares and the only
things that we could share would be
the view from this Medbourne hill top
and the feel of the weather on our skin.
We filled in the record sheets, took the
measurements and the photos and
tried to show respect. But Isabel was
real, she had a name and lived in a
time of change. She knew the people
living on Bowden Ridge just three and
a half miles south, so Mick says.
Maybe they were kin. We had travelled
but a few miles but many hundreds of
years to meet her. Then it was time to
say goodbye and leave her in peace
once more. She had been wrapped in
a shroud when she died, her shoulders
pulled in a little. Now she has another
shroud, a plastic one this time and
earth filled in around by hand before
the digger filled the trench.
Goodbye Isabel – I won’t forget you,
my first skeleton excavation.
NEANDERTHAL’S 150TH
ANNIVERSARY
From “Salon-IFA news 123”, edited by
Christopher Catling
A milestone on the near horizon is the
150th anniversary next year of the
discovery
Homo
sapiens
neanderthalensis, named after the
Neander valley near Düsseldorf where
the first Neanderthal fossil remains
were found in 1856. According to
Norman Hammond, FSA, writing in
The Times on 29 August, international
specialists are preparing for next
year’s planned celebrations of the
discovery by assembling a ‘New
Neanderthal’, a composite male
skeleton built up from casts of the
best-preserved parts of half a dozen
skeletons found at sites from France to
northern Iraq. The new model disposes
of the traditional cartoon image of
Neanderthal as a slouching, brutish
figure; the original reconstruction which
inspired this subhuman vision was
made almost a century ago using a
complete skeleton from La Chapelle
aux Saints in France, which is now
known to have been that of an arthritic
Homo sapiens sapiens, and not a
Neanderthal at all. Equally the current
reconstruction disproves the revisionist
myth that a Neanderthal in a jacket
and tie could easily be mistaken for a
front-row forward on an evening out.
Instead, our closest ancestor had thick
bones supporting a powerfully muscled
body, beyond anything achieved by
any modern rugby player.
RESEARCH BY THE HINCKLEY
FIELD WALKING GROUP:
Shirley
Hailstone,
Archaeological
Warden for Aston Flamville, and
Malcolm Lockett, Heritage Warden for
Hinckley
(1) REPORT ON WYKIN HERITAGE
SURVEY
The Hinckley Field Walking Group’s
(HFWG) first venture into the village of
Wykin, near Hinckley, was to walk a
field called “Chapel Close”. A few flints
and a substantial scatter of Medieval
pottery were located in one particular
area of this field. Pete Liddle was
consulted and his assessment of the
village layout from maps together with
our finds, was that Wykin was typical
of a late Anglo Saxon village.
However,
the
earliest
historical
reference to Wykin is c.1220AD. Pete
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suggested that the HFWG should
concentrate their field work on Wykin
and try to gather further evidence to
support this theory and thereby
pushing back the known existence of
Wykin by 200 to 300 years to c.950AD.
Historical records also indicate that
Wykin once had a small chapel, long
since gone, with no record of its
location.
Villagers
have
been
interviewed as to the chapel’s
whereabouts
and
some
have
suggested the site as being on the
area of land in the centre of the village
now known as “The Smithy”. This is
common land, formerly a pen-fold.
Allegedly there was a stone wall in this
area which has been “robbed” by
locals since the Second World War. A
small scale excavation and a
Geophysical survey over “The Smithy”
by the HFWG have still not revealed
the location of the chapel. Current
thoughts are that Wykin Hall was built
on or near the site of the chapel. The
remains of a crucifix, which could have
adorned such a chapel, were found
within the grounds of the Hall. The
lands of Wykin once belonged to
Nuneaton Priory and provided the
living for three priests, two of whom
worked in Hinckley. These lands were
taken from Nuneaton Priory by Henry
VIII and it is possible that the chapel
fell into disrepair after the Dissolution.
The field, Chapel Close, directly
opposite Wykin Hall, has been walked
several times concentrating on the
area of the Medieval pottery scatter.
Further field walking in and around
Wykin, and the distribution of finds,
has indicated that the areas of
Medieval occupation and activity may
have been greater than the modern
village. Correlating this information
with maps of Wykin has enabled the
HFWG to potentially establish the
ancient village boundaries and the
working land beyond. Additionally, that
Wykin is possibly a shrunken village,
certainly in terms of population and
housing.
Today, Wykin is a hamlet of twelve
houses with three farms sited on its
perimeter. It stands on a ridge which
runs east to west. The surrounding
south facing fields overlook the Watling
Street which is approximately three
quarters of a mile away.
To date, the only evidence of the
village possibly existing before 1220AD
are the ten sherds of Anglo Saxon
pottery found by the HFWG: seven
from the boundary margins and within
Wykin; three from outside Wykin in the
surrounding fields. Maps of Wykin
show earthworks adjacent to Wykin
Hall which were originally considered
to be Medieval fish ponds but could
possibly be Medieval croft enclosures.
Hinckley Field Walking Group’s
archaeological quest to turn the clock
back for Wykin continues with the
backing of a generous Local Heritage
Initiative Grant. Watch this space !!
(2) THE PRIORY SITE, HINCKLEY
The site, adjacent to St. Mary’s
Church, Hinckley, is recorded very
briefly in the historical record as being
the site of the 12th century Benedictine
Priory and is known as the “Priory
site”. The Priory had already closed
before Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the
Monasteries during the late 1530’s.
Nichols states (The History and
Antiquities of the County of Leicester,
pp. 680-2) that the Manor House was
built upon the same site as the
Hinckley Priory in 1584 and was
known as Priory House or Hall House.
The site is due to be re-developed
from Summer 2006.
Heritage Services
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During March 2004 the HFWG
requested permission from Canon
Brian Davis to metal detect this site. A
brick wall was located, 4 bricks wide
and 2 bricks deep. Curious to know
more, we asked if we could dig two
test pits.
The first of the test pits revealed an
extension to the brick wall and the
other
showed
masonry
wall
foundations. Our assessment of the
bricks was of a type possibly dating to
around 1600 and could possibly be
part of the Tudor Manor House
construction. The masonry was
possibly remains of the 12th century
Hinckley Priory especially since both
buildings are recorded as occupying
this site.
Further
historical
research
was
undertaken by the HFWG to ascertain
the potential of our discoveries. The
lands of the Hinckley Priory were given
to Benedictine Monks from Lyra in
Normandy by William Fitz-Osborn in
1070, “and a Priory built soon after”. He
died in France the following year. By
1120 there were two Benedictine
monks at the Hinckley Priory
dependant on the Abbey of Lyra in
Normandy. Nothing is known of the
internal life of this small cell.
This “Alien Priory”, belonging to a
foreign
monastic
house,
was
repeatedly seized by the king during
the later years of its existence. In
March 1399 Hinckley Priory was
granted to the Carthusian house of
Mountgrace but fell into disuse during
the middle 1400’s. It is not recorded as
being demolished.
The Manor House survived for
approximately 240 years. It is recorded
that it was “built on the site of the
Priory and incorporated two wings of a
former building”. This would suggest
the wings of the Priory and indeed they
are clearly visible on an 18th century
etching (in Nichols) showing the rear of
the Manor House. The etching has
also enabled the HFWG to produce a
theoretical ground plan of this property.
The Manor House was finally
demolished in the early 1820’s and the
site cleared for the erection, in 1828, of
a row of terraced cottages, named
Hunter’s Row.
Hunter’s Row, a run of fifteen brick
cottages, built in three blocks of five,
was the first terrace of houses to be
built in Hinckley. The terrace ran in
length from the eastern end of our site
into what is presently St. Mary’s
School playground, approximately 220
feet. Between each block was an
access passage to the rear yard where
there were two toilet blocks to serve
the needs of the 60-70 residents in the
terrace. Hunter’s Row is shown in an
engraving published by Thomas Short
in 1832 and “as being on the “site of
Priory Benedictine”. These cottages
were demolished in 1912.
A reference, recalled in 1930: The
Hinckley Chronicles, 41, indicates the
continuity of buildings on this site over
the last 750 years as being the Priory,
Manor House and then Hunter’s Row.
“The cottages were for the most
part constructed of brick, but on
the back wall nearest the St.
Mary’s Church yard wall there
was about 5 feet of stone work,
doubtless part of the old hall
(Manor House) and possibly
part of the old priory”
The HFWG asked Pete Liddle to visit
the site and give his appraisal of the
archaeological situation. A third test pit
had been dug providing an excavation
trench approx. 25 feet long. This
revealed
a
run
of
brickwork
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approximately sixteen feet long. Pete
confirmed our identification of the
bricks as to being of late 16th century
size and type; i.e. the Manor House.
He also confirmed that the exposed
masonry was medieval and therefore
to be from the Priory as no record
exists of other buildings. Over 1,000
artefacts were recovered from the
excavation. The pottery finds, in
particular, reinforce the building
history; finds c.1100-1450AD alongside
the masonry and c.1600-1800AD by the
brickwork.
Alongside the priory remains was a
cobbled area approximately six feet by
four feet. Again pottery sherds
recovered in this area were dated to
1100 to 1450 which is concurrent with
the known lifespan of the Priory. At the
southern end of the trench the finds
were more consistently from the period
of the Manor House, 1580 to 1820.
A small run of brickwork, two deep,
were found approximately one foot
above the cobbled area. Extending the
trench, the HFWG confirmed that this
brickwork was part of Hunter’s Row
and again the finds correlated with
Victorian activity. Surprisingly little is
known about these cottages. The
HFWG will continue to liaise with the
Hinckley Museum to rectify this
situation.
The Geo-physical survey highlighted
areas
that
require
further
archaeological investigation prior to the
re-development of this historically
interesting town centre site.
“LEICESTERSHIRE VILLAGES”: an
opportunity for wardens to publicise
their activities and finds on the web.
Leicestershire
Villages
(www.leicestershirevillages.com) is a
community website for the people of
the
county,
funded
by
the
Leicestershire
Rural
Partnership.
Every village and town has a website
in this project which is completely free
to use as a community resource.
Anyone can post relevant information
about their community on their village
site by simply registering and logging
on.

What can you do?
Once registered, we can help you to
create an online historical archive for
your village which could raise
awareness of research that you’ve
already done in the area. The village
website also offers a number of other
facilities which include….
View or add your own local news
Add information and contact details for
the football team, history group etc.
See all the events going on in the
village or add your own to the calendar
Find your nearest community group,
childcare facility, pub, restaurant etc.
Have your say in the local discussion
forums
Post photos of your village/events to
the village photo gallery
Buy, sell or swap items on your village
noticeboard
You could even take the plunge and
become the Site Editor for your village

How can you get involved?
It’s simple to get involved. To add your
own information, visit the website and
register (you just need an e-mail
address – if you haven’t got one then
your local library will be able to help
you). You’re then ready to start adding
material. It’s as easy as that. If you’re
interested in adding information about
Heritage Services
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village history then we can arrange to
come out to show you how to use the
site. If you’d like more information
about anything mentioned here contact
Chris (cpoole@leics.gov.uk) or Lesley
(lcarter@leics.gov.uk) or call on 01509
643448.
NEW HERITAGE ACTION GROUP
CALLS FOR RESPONSIBLE METAL
DETECTING
From “Salon-IFA news 128”, edited by
Christopher Catling
A different perspective on the Portable
Antiquities Scheme is given on the
website of a newly formed organisation
called Heritage Action which has been
set up to campaign on behalf of ‘all
threatened
heritage
places’
(www.heritageaction.org.uk).
Describing themselves as ‘ordinary
people
defending
extraordinary
places’, the founders of Heritage
Action
have
highlighted
twenty
prehistoric sites currently under threat
from neglect, abuse, vandalism or
development. In each case, site
reports and inspections, accompanied
by photographs, show the nature and
scale of the threat and the action
currently under way to prevent further
deterioration.
In a balanced and well argued paper,
Heritage Action also sets out an
agenda for more responsible metal
detecting. It states that ‘the majority of
detectorists still don’t report their finds
to the Portable Antiquities Scheme’,
and that ‘growth in willingness to
participate in the scheme has been
slow … persuasion and education
through the Portable Antiquities
Scheme has still not got through to
well over half of active detectorists’.
Heritage Action recommends that
property owners and farmers should
only give permission to detectorists to
carry out surveys on their land if they
agree to record and report their finds.
‘All metal detecting must start with a
question: “May I detect on this land?”
Our aim is to ensure that everybody's
answer is always: “Only if we can be
sure you will report to the Portable
Antiquities Scheme”’, the website says.
Heritage Action goes on to say that it
will make every effort to gain media
coverage for these issues, targeting
specialist magazines and websites
used by farmers and landowners. ‘We
will
also
work
to
encourage
responsible detectorists who support
the scheme to further promote it to
detectorists that don’t,’ it adds.
PORTABLE ANTIQUITIES SCHEME
ANNUAL REPORT
Adapted from “Salon-IFA news 128”,
edited by Christopher Catling
Some 67,000 archaeological artefacts
were reported to the Portable
Antiquities Scheme PAS) by members
of the public during 2004/5, according
to the scheme’s annual report
published on 9 November (available
from
the
PAS
website
www.finds.org.uk).
In addition, 427 pieces of treasure (as
defined under the Treasure Act 1996)
were
reported
by
amateur
archaeologists, metal detectorists,
gardeners, farmers, builders and
walkers, including an Anglo-Saxon
skillet (AD 675—800), an important
early Christian grave object made of
sheet copper-alloy with a riveted
mount in the form of a cross (from
Shalfleet Parish, Isle of Wight) and two
Anglo-Saxon gold pendants jewellery
Heritage Services
Room 500, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8TE
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(AD 625—675), with polychrome glass
settings, a gold spacer bead and a
number
of
copper-alloy
girdle
accessories (from a female burial site
in Thurnham, Kent). Full details are
given in a separate DCMS Treasure
Annual Report (for 2003), which will
also be posted on the PAS website. It
is also available on the DCMS site, at
www.culture.gov.uk/global/press_notic
es/archive_2005/dcms150_05 .
PAS is now being described as ‘the
UK’s largest community archaeology
project’, and Michael Lewis, deputy
head of the initiative, says that the
success of the scheme has led to
enquiries from archaeologists in
France, Germany and Holland who
have been impressed by the way it
works and are looking to set up
something similar in their countries.
CULTURE MINISTER COMMENDS
CHILD-FRIENDLY WEBSITE:
PASTEXPLORERS
From “Salon-IFA news 127”, edited by
Christopher Catling
Culture Minister David Lammy has
commended a new website launched
by the Portable Antiquities Scheme
(PAS), saying that 'it should encourage
some exciting school projects and help
children to learn about the history of
the area where they live'.
The site, called PAStexplorers, has
'fun zones' where children can explore
such topics as field walking and metal
detecting,
or
find
out
what
archaeological finds have been
recorded by the Portable Antiquities
Scheme in their area. It also provides
free stand-alone lesson plans for
teachers looking for materials to
incorporate into history, geography,
ICT, citizenship and literacy lessons for example, an interactive Anglo-
Saxon village, which children can
explore to learn more about life in the
mid-sixth century, tying into the
'Settlers and Invaders' section of the
National Curriculum.
Archaeologists
and
educational
specialists developed the site with
input from children who took part in
pilots and influenced the appearance
of the site and the choice of
characters.
HERITAGE COUNTS 2005
From “Salon-IFA news 128”, edited by
Christopher Catling
This year’s annual audit of the state of
the historic environment — published
by English Heritage on behalf of the
heritage community in England —
focused on threats to rural heritage.
Figures published in the new report
show that farm buildings are the single
largest category of listed buildings in
England: there are some 500,000
traditional farm buildings in the country
and some 30,000 (6 per cent) are
listed. They are also the category of
building most at risk (especially historic
timber farm buildings), with 7.4 per
cent in a severe state of disrepair. As
well as neglect, these buildings suffer
from unsympathetic conversion: one in
three historic farm buildings has
already been converted, and the
pressure
for
further
conversion
continues to build, with 57 per cent of
all listed farm buildings having already
been the subject of a planning
application (of which eight out of ten
have been approved).
Announcing thee figures at a press
conference on 16 November, Simon
Thurley, FSA, MIFA, Chief Executive
of English Heritage, said that
conversion was not in itself a bad
thing; but that so much conversion
Heritage Services
Room 500, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8TE
(0116) 265 8324 Fax:(0116) 265 7965
stripped the building of its character
and significance, leading to the
suburbanisation of the countryside. As
a solution to the problem, he promised
that EH would issue new and detailed
design guidance to local authorities
next year, showing good and bad
practice when converting farms to
offices, shops or homes.
‘what was once a place’, he said, ‘is
now just a space!’.
The report also showed that historic
parkland was under threat (since 1918,
England has lost half of its historic
landscapes, equivalent in area to the
county of Warwickshire) and Simon
called on planning authorities to
exercise careful responsibility over the
parkland that remains. He said that
£147 million was needed to undertake
urgent repairs to listed parish churches
and announced that English Heritage
would launch its ‘Inspired’ campaign in
January 2006, with the Council for the
Care of Churches, to explore
imaginative ways of reusing redundant
churches as a community resource.
EVENTS AT DONINGTON-LE-HEATH
MANOR HOUSE
Finally
he
said
that
ancient
monuments, ‘our oldest and rarest
heritage’, were under such threat that
urgent
concentrated
co-ordinated
action was needed by Government: he
called on the Department of Culture,
Media and Sport to sort out class
consent orders through the Heritage
Protection Review and end the
destruction
of
archaeology
by
ploughing (as a measure of the threat
he said that 25 per cent of scheduled
monuments in Gloucestershire are
now at high risk) and to put pressure
on the Department of Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs to use grant
schemes and agricultural subsidies to
protect rural archaeology. Ending with
a memorable phrase, Simon showed a
landscape in Hertfordshire that had
been rich in earthworks in the 1950s
but that was now a featureless desert:
Copies of the Heritage Counts 2005
national and regional reports can be
downloaded from the English Heritage
website,
www.englishheritage.org.uk/heritagecounts .
Sunday 22nd January: 11am – 4pm:
Indoor Games and Crafts. An event
exploring indoor crafts and games from
the past.
Monday and Tuesday, 13th – 14th
February: February Fun. Half term
craft activities for kids.
Sunday 19th March: The Romans are
Coming! A day highlighting the Roman
period in Leicestershire. Visitors are
encouraged to bring along their Roman
finds for display: please contact Pete
Liddle if you would like to do so.
All events take place between 11am
and 4pm.
Work on the Donington Improvement
Project has led to some restrictions in
viewing the building and exhibitions
during recent months. This work
proceeds apace ahead of a Grand
Opening in late March 2006.
ARCHAEOLOGY STAFF IN
LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY
COUNCIL, ENVIRONMENT AND
HERITAGE SERVICES
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES
TEAM
The County Council’s archaeologists
are based at: Room 500, County Hall,
Heritage Services
Room 500, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8TE
(0116) 265 8324 Fax:(0116) 265 7965
Leicester Road, Glenfield, Leicester
LE3 8TE (Fax (0116) 265 7965)
Loughborough. Open Mon-Sat 10 am 4.30pm; Sun 2 - 5pm (Nov 1 – March
31, Sun 1 - 4pm). Tel: (01509) 233754.
KEEPER OF ARCHAEOLOGY, also
FIELD SURVEY, FIELDWORK
GROUP; BOSWORTH BATTLEFIELD
PROJECT
Peter Liddle (0116) 265 8326
email: pliddle@leics.gov.uk
DONINGTON-LE-HEATH
MANOR
HOUSE
Manor Road, Donington-le-Heath,
Coalville. Open daily 11am – 4pm until
18th December 2005. Re-opens on 7th
January 2006, and throughout January
on weekends only, from 11am – 4pm.
From 4th February it will be again be
open daily from 11am – 4pm. Tel:
(01530) 831259.
ARCHAEOLOGY COLLECTIONS,
LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND
ARCHAEOLOGICAL NETWORK:
Richard Pollard (0116) 265 8324
email: rpollard@leics.gov.uk
EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS
(DONINGTON-LE-HEATH):
Richard Knox (0116) 265 8327
email: rknox@leics.gov.uk
ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES
CENTRE (HOLLY HAYES)
216 Birstall Road, Birstall. Open
(except for Bank Holidays) Mon-Fri
10am – 4pm by appointment. Tel:
(0116) 267 1950.
FINDS
LIASON
OFFICER,
PORTABLE ANTIQUITIES SCHEME,
(archaeological identifications service):
Wendy Scott (0116) 265 8325
email: wscott@leics.gov.uk
HARBOROUGH MUSEUM
Council Offices, Adam and Eve Street,
Market Harborough. Open Mon-Sat
10am - 4.30pm; Sun 2 – 5pm.
Tel: (01858) 821085.
YOUNG ARCHAEOLOGISTS CLUB:
Pete Liddle (0116) 265 8326
MELTON CARNEGIE MUSEUM
Thorpe End, Melton Mowbray. Open
daily 10am - 4.30pm. Tel: (01664)
569946.
HISTORIC AND NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT TEAM
SENIOR PLANNING
ARCHAEOLOGIST:
Richard Clark (0116) 265 8322
email: riclark@leics.gov.uk
PLANNING ARCHAEOLOGIST (also
Sites and Monuments Record):
Helen Wells (0116) 265 8323
email: hwells@leics.gov.uk
LEICESTERSHIRE
COUNCIL MUSEUMS
CHARNWOOD MUSEUM
Queen’s Hall, Granby Street,
COUNTY
SNIBSTON DISCOVERY PARK
Ashby Road, Coalville.
Open Apr to Sept daily 10am – 5pm;
Oct – Mar Mon-Fri 10am – 3pm; Sat &
Sun 10am – 5pm. Admission: Adults
£5.70, Concessions £3.90, Child
£3.60, under 5's free; half price after
3pm. Free to all for last two hours
opening time on Weds. Season tickets
and Group discounts: call for details.
Tel: (01530) 278444.
THIS NEWSLETTER HAS
PRODUCED
BY
Heritage Services
Room 500, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8TE
(0116) 265 8324 Fax:(0116) 265 7965
BEEN
THE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
SERVICES
TEAM FOR THE LEICESTERSHIRE
AND RUTLAND ARCHAEOLOGICAL
NETWORK
Heritage Services
Room 500, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8TE
(0116) 265 8324 Fax:(0116) 265 7965