2022/23 Annual Report
This proved a difficult year initially, as despite the lifting of Covid restrictions there was a continued reluctance by many organisations to facilitate archaeological activities and amongst sections of the public to attend such events. Never the less we managed to revive our regular coffee mornings with some interesting variations; to welcome guest speakers; embark on our own excavations; organize our annual residential away trip to Tewkesbury; and to attract a membership of over 80. In addition we have been able to keep in almost daily email contact not only with members, but a far wider interest group, providing a regular news service on archaeological developments, along with introductions to the wealth of information available online.
The year saw us organize plenty of local archaeology walks led by Dorne Coggins or Mick Graves, all attracting a good turnout, as did a walk by Robert Allcroft on Stanton Moor. Group visits included guided tours of Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, Anglo Saxon Bakewell, and the National Coal Mining Museum. Guest speakers provided talks on the work of a Medieval barber-surgeon, on Medieval clothes and most recently on Beauchief Abbey. In July we also ran a stall about our group and our finds, at a public event in Conisborough Castle.
During the year several members took part individually in digs and other archaeological activities arranged by other organisations. Sadly the decision by Whirlow Farm not to plough any land meant we were unable to organize any fieldwalking and no community based professional digs took place locally during the year. However we did ourselves organize a series of three increasingly popular ‘test pit’ digs, both as a training activity for new members, and to refresh our troweling skills. These took place in two Dore back gardens and on the Abbeydale model railway site. These established the deposition of industrial slag on one site, possible Roman pottery at the railway and a typical assembly of Victorian pottery on the third.
The committee has continued to meet regularly, maintained contact with other groups such as Friends of Graves Park, and kept alive projects and initiatives that might have otherwise lapsed. Our Roman Landscape Group continues to thrive with regular walks and meetings debating the evidence of local Roman activity.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow committee members for their hard work and commitment. We hope in the year ahead we can get back to a full schedule of activities and reflect the wide interests of our members.
John Baker
Chairman
April 2023
The year saw us organize plenty of local archaeology walks led by Dorne Coggins or Mick Graves, all attracting a good turnout, as did a walk by Robert Allcroft on Stanton Moor. Group visits included guided tours of Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, Anglo Saxon Bakewell, and the National Coal Mining Museum. Guest speakers provided talks on the work of a Medieval barber-surgeon, on Medieval clothes and most recently on Beauchief Abbey. In July we also ran a stall about our group and our finds, at a public event in Conisborough Castle.
During the year several members took part individually in digs and other archaeological activities arranged by other organisations. Sadly the decision by Whirlow Farm not to plough any land meant we were unable to organize any fieldwalking and no community based professional digs took place locally during the year. However we did ourselves organize a series of three increasingly popular ‘test pit’ digs, both as a training activity for new members, and to refresh our troweling skills. These took place in two Dore back gardens and on the Abbeydale model railway site. These established the deposition of industrial slag on one site, possible Roman pottery at the railway and a typical assembly of Victorian pottery on the third.
The committee has continued to meet regularly, maintained contact with other groups such as Friends of Graves Park, and kept alive projects and initiatives that might have otherwise lapsed. Our Roman Landscape Group continues to thrive with regular walks and meetings debating the evidence of local Roman activity.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow committee members for their hard work and commitment. We hope in the year ahead we can get back to a full schedule of activities and reflect the wide interests of our members.
John Baker
Chairman
April 2023