C

CBA West Midlands

Newsletter

Issue Number 27 Winter 2018

ARCHAEOLOGY

West Midlands

News from the Past 2019Saturday 23rd March

Carrs Lane Church CentreCarrs Lane, Birmingham

Ranging from prehistory to the industrial period, and throughout the West Midlands region, talks this year include two speakers on HS2 about new discoveries coming from

this major infrastructure project

Fee: £20, CBAWM members may deduct £5Light refreshments included (please bring your own lunch).

Send cheques payable to CBA West Midlands to Caroline Mosley CBA West Midlands, 16 Beverley Court Road, Quinton, Birmingham B32 1HD

See our website for details -http://cbawm.archaeologyuk.org/meetings.php#newsEnquiries: 07786 941059 or emailnftp.cbawm@gmail.com

In this Issue

Lectures, events and museum updates

Friends of Letocetum– Wall Museum

Sutton Park archaeology walk

New sites uncovered by cropmarks

Sixty Years of West Midlands archaeology

Ironbridge

AGM at DitheringtonFlax Mill

Committee Contact Details

Talks and Lectures

Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society

February 5th 2019Speaker: Dr Jim AndrewThe Lunar Society’s Welcome to a Scottish Inventor

March 5th 2019Speaker: Shelagh NortonWhen is a Hillfort not a Hillfort –Marsh-forts in North Shropshire

April 2nd 2019Speaker: Roger WhiteExcavations of an Anglo Saxon hall site at Atcham, Shropshire

ALL lectures are held at the Birmingham and Midland Institute.

Evening lectures start at 7pm. Non-members welcome - £3 –pay on the door.

https://bwas-online.co.uk/

Worcestershire Archaeological Society

4th February 2019 Homeless, driven out: what next? Nuns’ lives after the DissolutionMargaret Goodrich

25th Feb 2019The Celtic place-names of WorcestershireProfessor Andrew Breeze

25th March 2019AGM followed by presentation

8th April 2019THE BERKELEY LECTURESurviving or thriving? New approaches to Worcestershire peasants in the later middle ages (1200-1540)Professor Chris Dyer

Meetings take place at 7.30 pm at St Peter’s Baptist Church, Eden Close, St Peter’s Drive, Worcester WR5 3TZVisitors welcome: Guest membership is £2 per meeting (FREE for registered students)http://worcestershirearchaeologicalsociety.org.uk/

Talks and Lectures

Staffordshire Archaeological and Historical Society

22nd February 2019 8:00pmDr Henry Chapman: Bog Bodies and Sacrifice

8th March 2019 7:30pmTim Skelton: Lutyens and the Great War

22nd March 2019 8:00pmDr Chris Callow: What happened in Medieval Iceland

5th April 2019 8:00pmJane Hearn: Britain’s Post War Prefabs – Building the Post-War World

26th April 2019 8:00pmDr Jenny Gilbert: The Hodson Shop Collection

10th May 2019 7:30pmDr Della Hooke: Water and the Environment in the Anglo-Saxon World

Lectures are held in the Guildhall, Bore Street, Lichfield WS13 6LX. The doors are open from 7:30pm, refreshments are available.Admission is free to members. Visitors are welcome: £3

https://www.sahs.uk.net/

Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society

9th February 2019 2:30pmA Review of Recent Archaeological Investigations in ShropshireDr Andy Wigley

9th March 2019 2:30pmThomas Telford and the Holyhead Road in East ShropshireNeil Clarke

13th April 2019 2:30pmAn Anglo-Saxon hall at Atcham: excavations and explorations in 2017Roger White

Meetings take place at the Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, SY2 6ND

https://shropshirearchaeologyhistory.org/events/

Friends of Letocetum:Wall Museum is open more often in 2019

The Museum at Wall Roman site (Watling Street, Wall (near Lichfield) WS14

0AW), which is manned by volunteers from the Friends of Letocetum, is

opening more often in 2019. It will be open from 11am to 4pm on the

following dates (all dates are weekends or Bank Holiday Mondays):

March 16, 17, 30, 31; April 20, 21, 22, 27, 28; May 4, 5, 6, 25, 26, 27: June

15, 16, 29, 30; July 13, 14, 27, 28; August 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 26;

September 14, 15, 28, 29; October 12, 13, 26, 27.

The Museum is close to the excavated remains of the baths and mansio

(owned by the National Trust and managed by English Heritage) and you

can buy an illustrated guide book to Roman Wall at the Museum. There is a

small car park nearby, and an interpretation panel and leaflets at the car

park describe a self-guided walking trail on footpaths around the village.

The museum displays a range of objects from excavations on the baths,

mansio, cemetery and other sites in Wall, including pottery, carved stones,

metalwork and glassware, and includes information about the baths and

mansio and other Roman sites in the area. There is also a small handling

collection. The Museum is suitable for all ages, and admission is free.

Further details: http://www.wallromansitefriendsofletocetum.co.uk/

Friends of Sutton Park Association:

Sutton Park Archaeology Walk

Saturday 6th April 2019

Start 10am, Car park near Bracebridge Pool SP104978 (enter Park via Four Oaks Gate off Four Oaks Road, nearest postcode B74 2XX- please note that there may be a parking charge). Finish by noon.

A walk of approx. 2 miles, led by Mike Hodder, which will include a wide range of well-preserved archaeological remains including military practice trenches, wood boundaries, medieval deer park subdivisions, a medieval fishpond and a recently-discovered site that is probably a medieval hunting lodge.

Free, no need to book in advance.

Please wear suitable outdoor clothing as there is no shelter on the walk route and some paths may be muddy.

Further information: http://fospa.org.uk/

New sites uncovered by cropmarksAfter a summer of exceptionally dry conditions, a number

of new archaeological sites have been identified throughout England.

Historic England have reported that a range of sites, including Neolithic cursus monuments, Iron Age settlements, square barrows and a Roman farm have been discovered by their flying archaeologists, who surveyed the parched landscape from the skies during the long dry summer of 2018 .

Tixel Hall, Staffordshire © Historic England

In the West Midlands region, more detail can be seen of the lost Elizabethan buildings and gardens associated with Tixall Hall, which is a site that was already known. The Hall’s Grade I listed gatehouse built in 1557 still stands, however lighter lines can now be seen in the ground which reveal the buried foundations of Tixall Hall which was built in 1555. Among them are also the foundations of a new hall that was begun during the First World War, but demolished in 1926.

Historic England

Sixty years of West Midlands archaeology in West Midlands Archaeology

Coming up in WMA 60 - To celebrate the 60th anniversary of West Midlands Archaeology, Mike Hodder and John Hunt (past Chairmen of CBA West Midlands) have written an overview of the last 60 years of archaeology in the West Midlands region. The article covers the history of the groups, the personalities, and projects undertaken, along side commentary of technological advances and broader political changes that have occurred over the last 6 decades.

Originally published as the West Midlands Archaeological News Sheet, the above text is the introduction to the first news sheet, by Graham Webster. This edition, along with many others, is available online - http://cbawm.archaeologyuk.org/WMA.php

Coming soon – An exciting new exhibition about Saxon Tamworth and the

Staffordshire Hoard.

Featuring 18 pieces from the Staffordshire Hoard, the exhibition will help visitors explore more about the power struggles of the Anglo-Saxon era, the battles, the blows and the bloodshed. Artefacts will be bought to life with replica weapons, hands-on activities and period costumes to try on.

There will be no additional charge to view this exhibition – normal admission charges will apply

Staffordshire Hoard at Tamworth Castle

Blakesley Hall is a timber-framed house built in 1590 by Richard Smalbroke, a member of one of Birmingham’s leading merchant families.

More than 400 years later, beautiful Blakesley is still a haven; secluded from the avenues of modern houses that lie beyond its gates. The house is furnished using an inventory taken in the 17th century and reflects the lifestyle of a wealthy family of the late Tudor and Stuart period of English history.

A visit to the Hall also includes a chance to enjoy the traditional herb garden and orchard, a haven for butterflies and birds.

Upcoming events include:

Sunday Local History Talks (£5 adult, £3 child)3rd February – Medieval Moats in the Metropolis, Past and PresentMike Hodder7th April – Fired Clay: Pottery, brick and tile manufacture in BirminghamMike Hodder

Behind the Scenes Guided Tours (£7 adult (£5), child £3, family reductions)30th January 11.15am, 12.am, 1.15pm, 2.15pm

More info and booking - http://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/blakesley

Blakesley Hall, Birmingham

Iron Bridge

William Williams' 1780 painting featuring the red-brown paint. Image by courtesy of Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.

Following English Heritage's £3.6 million conservation programme, the newly restored and re-painted Iron Bridge is now open.

Historic paint researchers studied previously inaccessible parts of the ironwork and examined parts which have become detached from the bridge over the past 200 years. This research has shown that the Iron Bridge was originally painted a red-brown colour, not the grey-blue colour with which we are familiar.

The Iron Bridge is the world's first bridge made of cast iron and is considered to be a symbol of the Industrial Revolution.

The Black Country is an amazing place at the geological and industrial heart of England, and two projects are working on celebrating the wealth and diversity of the geology, culture and history of the region.

The Black Country Living Museum: Forging Ahead

Over the next 4 years (2018-2022) the Black Country Living Museum, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, is creating a major new historic 1940s-1960s development, new learning spaces and a brand new visitor centre, taking the story of the Black Country up to the closure of the Baggeridge Coal Mine in 1968.

This exciting £23m project BCLM:Forging Ahead will use real things, real people and real stories to engage and inspire visitors, of all ages, to learn about the Black Country’s heritage.

More info https://www.bclm.co.uk/forging-ahead.htm

The Black Country Geopark Project

The Black Country Geopark project, a collaboration between the 4 Black Country Authorities and other partners, aims to win UNESCO Global Geopark status in recognition of the 428 million years of geology that fuelled the industrial revolution, and the spectacular history and culture that was born of it.

Individual geosites include Wren’s Nest, Galton Valley, West Park, and Barr Beacon.

More info http://blackcountrygeopark.dudley.gov.uk/

The Heritage of the Black Country

Council for British Archaeology West Midlands

Annual General Meeting Saturday 13th JulyAdvance Notice – Reserve this date in your diary!

The 2019 Annual General Meeting of CBA West Midlands will take place on Saturday July 13th and is being organised in partnership with the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society. We are excited to announce that the meeting will be held at the Ditherington Flax Mill in Shrewsbury (SY1 2SZ), an immensely important site that has undergone a major multi-partner restoration over recent years, and we have been fortunate enough to exclusively secure the building to accommodate our meeting for the day.

Situated on the northern edge of Shrewsbury, the Flaxmill Maltings site at Ditherington is a site of international importance, comprising eight listed buildings. Among them is the Main Mill which, when built in 1797, was the world’s first iron-framed building and, as a forerunner to the engineering that would later make skyscrapers a reality, it is one of the most important buildings of the industrial revolution. The site operated as a steam-powered flaxmill spinning linen thread from flax, but the end of the 19th century the complex was converted into a maltings, and it has also seen various other uses, particularly as a military barracks. The maltings closed in 1987 and the site became derelict until in 2005 it was taken over by a partnership that includes Historic England and Shropshire Council to restore the buildings and ensure a future for the site. Our AGM will include an opportunity to see the building, hear about the restoration project and join an accompanied tour to visit the site.

The business meeting of the AGM will take place between 10.30 am and 11.00 am and then, following coffee, there will be a series of short talks on the archaeology of the area. Following lunch there will be tours of Ditherington Mill. Our day will conclude at 4.00 pm.

There is car parking at Ditherington Mill, and the site is about a 10 minute walk from Shrewsbury Railway Station. Although there are some pubs in the locality, it cannot be guaranteed that they will be offering food at lunchtime, and therefore it is strongly recommended that you bring a packed lunch!

Don’t miss the chance to see this remarkable site, as well as to hear about some of the latest work and research around the Shrewsbury area. Fuller details of the meeting and booking arrangements will follow shortly. Keep an eye on our website for more information. http://cbawm.archaeologyuk.org/index.php

THis

http://www.archaeologyuk.org/cbawm/

Name Role Contact Details

Sheena Payne-

Lunn

Chair sheena.paynelunn@worcester.gov.uk

Dr John Hunt Vice-Chair j.r.hunt@bham.ac.uk

Ellie Ramsey Secretary, Membership

Secretary and Newsletter

Editor

ellie_cbawm@outlook.com

Position Vacant Supporter Liaison and

Social Media

Caroline Moseley Treasurer and Day School

Admin

cmmosley@talktalk.net

Peter Reavill WMA Editor peter.reavill@shropshire.gov.uk

Dr Peter Crouch Website Editor pccrouch@bcs.org.uk

Jan Pick Education Liaison janethpick@gmail.com

Esme Hookway HE Student Liaison and

NftP Programme

Organiser

esmeh@tinyworld.co.uk

John Haslam j.w.haslam@hotmail.com

Dr Mike Hodder mike.hodder@blueyonder.co.uk

Mike Shaw mikeshaw10@aol.com

Liam Delaney Liam.Delaney@Herefordshire.gov.uk

ARCHAEOLOGY

West Midlands

CBA West Midlands would like to warmly congratulate Dr Malcolm Dick, Lecturer in Regional and Local History and Director in the Centre for West Midlands History at the University of Birmingham, on his OBE for services to history in the West Midlands.