Archaeology in Marlow

Transcription

1 Archaeology in Marlow NEWSLETTER Volume 7 Issue 2, April Forthcoming events We are planning to use our surveying equipment to enter the dowsers findings at Happy Valley onto our master map, in late April or early May. Again all volunteers are welcome and no experience will be required. Contact John Laker for details Thursday 16th of April Dr Anna Williams of Cranfield University will be giving us a talk on Forsensic Science in Archaeology in the Garden Room, Liston Hall, Liston Road, Marlow at 8.00pm. Members 2.50, non-members 3.50 Thursday 21st May AIM s AGM, followed by the screening of our new ROMADAM video, produced by AIM member Robert Dunsmuir in the Garden Room, Liston Hall, Liston Road, Marlow at 8.00pm. Free entry - only members can vote at the AGM. Thursday 11th of June - To assist co-ordinator David Green with his efforts on the Marlow section of the Historic Towns Project, we will be inviting both local photographers and collectors of photographs in an attempt to accumulate a selection of new and older photographs that will give an accurate feel for the Town of Marlow. David is also looking for old maps that may not be in the Aylesbury archives; so we also hope to see a selection of interesting maps on the 11th. So why not come along to see the pictorial and map records of the Town and, if you have any of your own, please bring them along too. We will gather in the Garden Room, Liston Hall, Liston Road, Marlow at 8.00pm. Free event for Members and non-members alike.

2 AiM Walks and Talks On Thursday 23rd of April AIM will be giving a talk to the Rotary Club of Marlow at the Grouse and Ale in Lane End at 12 noon. This is a Rotary club Members only event. On Tuesday the 12th of May at 8.00pm, we will be giving an AIM presentation to an audience at the Hughenden Church House in High Wycombe, as part of the Wycombe Arts Festival. Free event everyone welcome. On Sunday the 31st of May, AIM will be leading a walk starting at Happy Valley and then taking in the First World War Training Trenches at Pullingshill Wood. We will start off at the Henley Road entry to Happy Valley at 10.00am. All welcome no Many Thanks To all the kind members who supply AIM with used C5 and C4 size envelopes. It is hugely appreciated and saves as a considerable amount of money over the year. Appeal AIM needs a good selection of committee members to help run the organisation. We organise practical events, talks, visits and walks, as well as maintain and improve an excellent website. Our newsletter needs distributing, after all the articles, information, adverts, etc., are collated into a very good read. We give talks to outside bodies, put on displays and gain local publicity for our activities. All these activities require volunteers to make sure they all happen and happen effectively and efficiently. So, if you have and hour or two a month spare, why not donate them to AIM to help improve our impressive record? 2

3 Annual General Meeting Please be officially notified that the Annual General Meeting of Archaeology in Marlow will be held in the Garden Room, Liston Hall on Thursday 21st May 2009 at 8.00pm You are most cordially invited, not only to attend the meeting, but also to consider standing for election to the Committee and to propose motions for the meeting, should you so wish. Motions for Debate & Volunteers to serve on the Committee As this is a formal event, we require that any motions for debate, to be presented at the AGM, are proposed and seconded by AIM Members and forwarded to the AIM Secretary (see below), those wishing to volunteer to stand for positions on the committee need to be proposed and seconded by AIM Members, with the documentation being sent to the AIM Secretary, 61 Springfield Park, Maidenhead, Berks, SL6 2YU, by post, to arrive by the 31st of April. We will have 12 committee positions to fill, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Secretary and 7 committee members. If there are still vacancies on the night of the AGM, these vacancies may be filled by members volunteering at that time. Approximately two weeks before the meeting, you will be sent an agenda, the minutes of the 2008 meeting, reports of the Committee, a full résumé of all our activities and investigations over the past 12 months, audited accounts for 2007/2008, a list of those nominated for election to the committee and any motions for debate at the meeting. After the meeting, there will be a short break for refreshments and nibbles, followed by a viewing of the ROMADAM Project film, created by AIM Member Robert Dunsmuir. All AIM members are invited to attend our AGM and we hope you will be able to participate in the meeting and look forward to seeing you there. Please make a note of the 21st of May in your diary, as it is your, the member s, night. Saddle Safari CYCLE SALES & SERVICE Crown Lane, Off Spittal Street, Marlow, Buckinghamshire. Tel

4 A report on the Talk on Thursday 19 th March The Archaeology of Sutton Hoo and the Treasures Found There This was a superbly presented and illustrated talk by Dr Angela Evans, retired head of the Anglo- Saxon Department of the British Museum. Sutton Hoo, often thought of as a treasure laden ship burial excavated about 70 years ago is much more than that. A major series of mounds, sited on ground overlooking an important river valley was the burial place for the upper echelon of local Anglo-Saxon society, the leaders, the warriors, their relatives and some of their animals have been unearthed over the years. Many of the mounds appear to have collapsed but further investigation has revealed that they were robbed out in times past. Furthermore recent excavations (1980s 1990s) uncovered much new material from existing and previously uncovered burials. Dr Evans knowledge of the major artifacts uncovered across northern, middle and eastern Europe and beyond to Asian regions has enabled a better understanding of trading routes of this period in history. The raw materials, processes of manufacture, design, embellishment and decoration all contribute to the creation of patterns of movement and the advancement of peoples towards the British Isles. The sheer quality of the workmanship and craftsmanship in the items on display and stored in the British Museum, the choice of base materials and the complexity of decoration make it quite obvious that these were grave goods of important people. Heaving a 90 foot boat to its hilltop resting place must have been an Dr Angela Evans enormous organizational task. The items revealed on excavation show how incredibly technical and developed (despite the lack of specialized tools and equipment) this society had reached. How lucky we are, that ancient graves, with the burial goods, i.e. the necessities for the next life, can still be found and researched and continue to give us more and more information about our ancestors. Dr Evans presentation was not to be missed, her awareness of the Sutton Hoo site to date, is impressive, her knowledge of its history even more impressive. She sold the whole concept of Anglo-Saxon life brilliantly to a limited, but very interested, audience. Gerry Platten Marlow Town Regatta & Festival Do you have an interest in being part of a team who will set up and look after a stand for AIM at the Marlow Town Regatta and Festival in Higginson Park on Saturday 13 and/or Sunday 14 June? AIM has had a stand at the Regatta for the last three years and we need volunteers to help set up and be around to hand out leaflets, explain what the pictures are and what we do. You will be provided with the gazebo, the tables, the chairs, the display stands, joining leaflets, archaeology magazines etc. We are allocated a space along the path that leads from Court Garden to the river, between the cricket ground and the putting green and we can have this space between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., but we usually set up for around 12 noon. It s usually a good day, we get to talk to people, members come and have a chat and we can also get ice cream! We have to let the Regatta committee know by 31 May, so if you have an interest or want to find out more, please contact me, Ann Pitwell, my details are on the back page. Marlow Market Dean Street Car Park, Marlow - Every Wednesday and Saturday, 9.00am pm. A small friendly market offering top quality cut flowers, a full floristry service, a large selection of herbaceous plants and all seasonal plants. Also, large quantities of English and Foreign fruits and vegetables & discounts for bulk orders. Also fresh eggs, pet foods, peanuts and wild bird foods. All enquiries - Di Roberts

5 Other Societies Events Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Biodiversity Partnership Saturday 18 April, Cliveden Ancient Tree Hunt or Marlow Society, Local History Group Talk Monday 20 Apr pm - Garden Room Liston Hall, Marlow Postal History By Brian Moore High Wycombe Museum, Priory Ave, High Wycombe Medieval Mayhem Saturday 9 May 12pm - 4pm After Mayor Making in town, wander up to Wycombe Museum and make merry at the family fun day. Join Sun Jester Theatre Group in a re-enactment of a medieval court and mingle with costumed characters from the past. Try your hand at quill pen writing and creating colorful illuminated letters. Find out about the Buckinghamshire Manorial Records and the interesting stories they tell. There will be a range of fun activities for all the family. In partnership with Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies. Suitable for All Free Drop-in Phone: museum@wycombe.gov.uk Marlow Society, Local History Group Talk Monday 18 May pm - Garden Room, Liston Hall, Marlow Law & Order in Marlow By Rachel Brown Henley River and Rowing Museum Mill Meadows, Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire RG9 1BF, UK. Tel: An Early Medieval Logboat from Shottesbrook Saturday 6 June 2009 Steve Allen 11.30am (coffee from 11am) This exciting archaeological mystery was found during the excavation of a pond in Berkshire. Archaeologist Steve Allen used the same techniques as those used on the Mary Rose to conserve the log boat and enable it to be displayed in the Museum galleries. Steve will explain the painstaking process that stopped the boat disintegrating, and how it was originally made and might have been used

6 Time Team programme 14th February Keen observers would have seen Roger Ainslie on the Time Team investigation at Radcot in Oxfordshire (Roger conducted both Resistivity and Magnetometry surveys for us at Medmenham Iron Age Hill Fort in 2005 and see photograph from 2006). Time Team were investigating the possibility of there being a Norman castle on the site and initially they examined the results of a Geophysical survey that Roger had previously conducted. The castle was dated to 'the Anarchy', or civil war fought between King Stephen and Matilda during the middle of the 12th century. The castle was probably a stronghold under Matilda's control. Also featured in the programme was John Blair who has provided AIM with expert opinion on the dating of Widmere Chapel, off the Lane End Road, north of Marlow. Roger Ainslie at Medmenham Iron Age Hill Fort 32 Station Road, Marlow, Bucks, SL7 1NE Telephone: Facsimile: Hunt s of Marlow For First Class DIY, Hardware and Model Railway Supplies 35 Station Road, Marlow Tel

7 Thursday 12 February ROMADAM Project Update and Members Evening Despite the bad weather (this was the week of the snow) we had an interesting and informative evening. John Laker showed the latest ROMADAM video, edited by Robert Dunsmuir, complete with music. It gave us a good overall picture of the project and was a very good reminder of how much we had accomplished Kathy Bragg then gave us an illustrated talk on Woodland Archaeology, showing us different landscapes of trees and explaining what they mean and what the trees were and what to look for in ancient woodland. Dave Greenwood had brought along the maps he has collected and photocopied, some very old, Tithe maps, county maps etc which showed Marlow over the years, how names and boundaries had changed. Gerry Platten had brought part of his large collection of original postcards, focusing on the Burnham Beeches area, showing trees and views, from around the turn of the century, when the Beeches was the place to go. Thanks to everyone for an interesting evening. Chiltern Woodlands Project Visit On Thursday the 12 th of February, John Morris and Rachel Sanderson (see photo ) visited the ROMADAM Project site at Warren Wood (off Winchbottom Lane, Little Marlow). John is the Director of the Chiltern Woodlands Project and Rachel also works for the Project, running the Special Trees & Woods Project division. John and Rachel were most interested in the earthwork and its interpretation board (see photo ). John is investigating iron working within the Chilterns and it is possible that the adjacent Bloom Wood may have been an iron working site. If anyone finds iron slag on their travels, John would be delighted to know by either ing him at (woodlands@chilternsaonb.org), or ringing him on AIM Fieldwork Meeting on 1st April On Wednesday 1st of April we gathered at Dave Greenwood s house to establish our Fieldwork and Research priorities for Following the excellent results from our investigations at Warren Wood, we decided to put a detailed plan of further work to Sandy Kidd (Senior Archaeologist for Bucks) asking for advice as to what we do next. Concerning Happy Valley, readers will have noticed on the front page of this issue that we intend to do some more there in a few weeks time. Plans to field walk areas of Bisham that might locate Roman Roads are coming to fruition and members will be kept in touch with future plans and developments. A draft report from the Historic Towns Project (Haddenham) was circulated so that we had a good idea of what we can expect for Marlow. The archaeological information is being provided by the University of Leicester, but a need for a selection of present and past photographs and historic maps has been established and it hoped that AIM s meeting on the 11th of June (see front page) will help to fulfil this need. 7

8 Warren Wood Investigations On Sunday the 22nd of March, Geoff Deakin and seven AIM members gathered at the Earthwork at Warren Wood. Following our cold and extremely wet visit in November 2008, we were blessed, this time, with a bright warm sunny day. We helped Geoff to set up a 20 metre by 20 metre square within the inner enclosure of the Earthwork. Geoff conducted a resistivity survey within the laid-out square, but had to repeat the exercise as unnaturally high resistance readings were present during the first survey. Geoff Deakin and helpers at Warren Wood Whilst Geoff surveyed, AIM members erected the Total Station in order to survey the site and its two Temporary Bench Marks (TBMs). The four corners of Geoff s resistivity square were also surveyed in. A few days later we received Geoff s results, which we added to the graphic on the right. 8

9 Quiz Time Where is this plaque of Thomas Love Peacock, the Novelist, to be found? Answer to last Newsletter s quiz question 9

10 AiM ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP RATES Individual Membership or 4.50 if in full time education Family Membership , School Membership Corporate Membership is available on application AiM Committee Meetings Next AiM Committee Meetings Main Committee Meeting, 7.30 Wednesday 22nd April at 9 Spinfield Lane, Marlow. The Annual General meeting of Archaeology in Marlow will be held in the Garden Room, Liston Hall on Thursday 21st May 2009 at 8.00pm All members are welcome to attend all AiM meetings AiM Committee Members Chairman Vacant Secretary aim@knowledgescape.co.uk Kathy Bragg Treasurer 9 Spinfield Lane, Marlow, SL7 2JT annpitwell@thamesinternet.com Ann Pitwell Membership Secretary 12 The Croft, Marlow SL7 1UP Gerry Platten Newsletter Compiler Andy Wallace 24 Crabtree Lane, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 9EG Articles to andrew.wallace8@live.co.uk Field Work Co-ordinator 9 Spinfield Lane, Marlow, SL7 2JT johnlaker@thamesinternet.com John Laker