Past Newsletters

No. 481 APRIL 2011 Edited by Peter Pickering

An update on Church Farmhouse Museum. Don Cooper

After Barnet Council’s meeting on the budget which confirmed the withdrawal of funds from Church Farmhouse Museum from the end of March 2011, we met with Barnet Council officials on 3rd March with a view to pursuing the possibility of taking over the running of the museum and the Grade II* listed building. At the meeting we asked a number of questions: What are the current operating costs? What are the closure costs? What form of lease would we be offered?

We have now (14/3/2011) received the operating statements versus the budget figures for the last three years. These show that the museum, excluding labour, costs approximately £25,000 a year to run. This would mean in practice that HADAS and the Friends would have to raise about £20,000 per year. Answers to our other questions have not yet been received!

In any event the museum will have closed on 31st March 2011 (by the time you get this newsletter). Externally owned collections are being withdrawn, the curator (Gerrard Roots) is retiring and it is anticipated that the museum will remain closed for at least a year.

Should HADAS take on this responsibility? Are you willing to be a volunteer? In what ways could we raise the money? Would you be prepared to be a trustee of the charity that we would need to form to run the museum?

Please let us know your views. We cannot undertake this project without your active help and support.

HADAS DIARY – Forthcoming Lectures and Events.

The winter lecture series is at Avenue House. Lectures start promptly at 8pm; non-members £1; coffee, tea and biscuits can be bought.

Tuesday 12th April 2011 Dr Robin Woolven Bomb Damage in London and Middlesex

Dr Robin Woolven’s first career, of 23 years, was as a specialist navigator in the Royal Air Force and his second, of 17 years, was in the Security Service when, living in Hampstead, he was a Council member of the Camden Historical Society. On retiring to the Cotswolds in 1997 he researched the administration of wartime London in the War Studies Department of King’s College, London. A current interest is writing on wartime home front topics. He wrote the introduction to the London Topographical Society’s London County Council Bomb Damage Maps 1939-1945 (2005). His article on the Middlesex Bomb Damage Maps is in the current London Topographical Record (2010).

Tuesday, 10th May 2011- Ken Brereton The Markfield Beam Engine

Tuesday, 14th June 2011 the 50th HADAS Annual General Meeting – an important date for your diaries. Nomination papers for committee places will be sent out next month – so if you wish to join our committee of volunteers this is your opportunity.

Sunday July 31st 2011 Our Sunday outings in the last two years have worked well. This year we hope to go to Chatham Docks, where we haven’t been since 1991; there have been considerable changes and updates since then

Monday 19th – Friday, 23rd September 2011. Trip to the Isle of Wight

Tuesday 11th October 2011 Dr John Creighton: Silchester The revelation of an Iron Age and Roman city

Tuesday 8th November 2011 Nathalie Cohen: The Thames Discovery Programme

Jack Newbury

Members will be very pleased to learn that Jack is now back at work following the horrendous accident he suffered in November

Friern Hospital

A hundred and sixty years ago, on Thursday 17 July 1851, the second Middlesex County Pauper Lunatic Asylum at Colney Hatch received its first patients. The Friern Barnet & District Local History Society has embarked on the compilation of a comprehensive history of the asylum, through from its inception and its renaming as Friern Hospital to its eventual closure in March 1993 and its subsequent redevelopment as luxury apartments.

There is a wealth of material held at the London Metropolitan Archives which we are gradually going through, but of equal importance will be the reminiscences of local people. If you worked there or visited it or if you know someone who did, we would welcome the opportunity to talk to you and, if you are agreeable, to tape record your memories for posterity.

Please contact David Berguer on 020 8368 8314 or by email at friernbarnethistory@hotmail.co.uk.

Under the Wires at Tally Ho

Today pollution-free transport is high on the political agenda, yet it is sometimes forgotten that electric vehicles ran on the streets of London from the early 1900s until 1962. The story of trams and trolleybuses in north west London is covered in a new book by David Berguer, Chairman of the Friern Barnet & District Local History Society. In it he describes the vehicles themselves and the effect that they had on the development of the suburbs. It paints a picture of what life was like in the capital during this golden age and includes material based on newspaper reports, council and official minutes and oral histories from those involved. With many previously unpublished photographs, there is even a chapter on the colourful “pirate” buses which were in competition to the trams in the 1920s.

The book runs to 128 pages and contains over 90 photographs and illustrations and is published by The History Press at £12.99. It can be obtained direct from the publishers through their website www.thehistorypress.co.uk or on www.amazon.co.uk or through local booksellers. ISBN 978 0 7524 5875 5

Heritage Crime seminar at the RAF Museum Hendon Andy Simpson

With some 26 delegates, this informative seminar on 27th January, subtitled ‘Policing the Past, Protecting the Future’ was chaired by English Heritage Policing Adviser Chief Inspector Mark Harrison, seconded from Kent Police. In addition to delegates from English Heritage who are involved in the post-designation management of historic sites, other delegates represented a wide variety of bodies, with much useful networking throughout the day by a mix of practising archaeologists, museum professionals, and law enforcement agencies.

All of these groups are affected by Heritage crime (such as theft and vandalism) within the historic environment – damage through illegal metal-detecting (also known as ‘night hawking’) and unauthorised excavation of aircraft crash sites and anti-social behaviour affecting the fabric of a heritage asset or its setting in a wide range of sites. In police terms, heritage crime often comes under the umbrella of anti-social behaviour and can include graffiti, substance abuse, damage to sites by off-roading vehicles and motorbikes (who particularly like hillforts as

venues, it would appear) and all activities that affect the quality of life for law-abiding visitors and neighbours. Heritage crime, including arson and graffiti, needs to be reported/described in terms local and national partner agencies can understand and can be covered by local government areas setting their own crime reduction plans. It is necessary to decide who leads and supports initiatives to deal with heritage crime, and define the benefits from tackling it. These functions are set out within the heritage crime Memorandum of Understanding that has

now been signed by English Heritage, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Crown Prosecution Service. Local authorities are also being invited to sign the Memorandum.

Acts of Parliament provide statutory protection for some 500,000 listed buildings in England and 20,000 scheduled ancient monuments. Wreck sites and military remains are covered, as are some 9,000 conservation areas, often town centres, and 18 World Heritage Sites, plus registered parks and gardens and 43 registered battlefields. Listed buildings, in particular churches, are suffering regular theft of metals and architectural materials. All of them potential locations for heritage crime.

Associated problems include criminal damage, theft of fuel oil in rural communities, intimidation of locals/witnesses, and the potentially irreversible damage from water ingress following theft of roof lead. There is a clear need to raise the profile and awareness of heritage crime with authorities such as magistrates, as it may be under-reported and is not always seen as a priority unless linked to other issues such as rural crime. The upcoming Localism Bill may help make people aware of what is on their own doorstep.

It can be useful to define crime and anti-social behaviour. Illicit metal-detecting or ‘Night Hawking’ sounds romantic; it is actually thieving, often with criminal damage and intimidation involved; the damage is great. Priority areas perhaps need to be established for action, by understanding specific threats to sites such as antisocial behaviour. Given that 70% of the population have visited at least one historic site in the past year, a possible source of observation/assistance are the very large number of members of historical and archaeological

societies, both local (such as HADAS) and national (such as the CBA and National Trust – English Heritage and the National Trust have 4.5 million members between them). These could provide a large pool of interested enthusiasts and volunteers (though from personal experience, given the age profile of many of these groups, active participation may not be an option – more desk-based than in the field, at best). An intelligence-led approach should be used, with information from all sources including evidence gathering and forensic analysis.

Impact Statements should be used in court to heighten court and public awareness of crime to get tougher sentences passed on those caught. A strategic assessment should be made of what the problem is, where it is, and who the perpetrators are. Arson, theft, disturbance to buried sites including illegal diving on wrecks and vehicle damage can be part of rural/wildlife issues extended to include heritage issues. The Strategic Assessment undertaken in November 2010 recommended the following priorities: to prevent and

detect damage caused to the historic environment; the excavation and removal of artefacts from protected archaeological sites; architectural theft from historic buildings, and the deliberate and unlawful alteration/demolition of listed buildings.

To combat such threats, crimes and anti-social behaviour that damage the historic environment will be tackled in a much more coordinated way through an initiative launched by English Heritage on 11th February 2011, when representatives from over 40 organisations met to discuss the formation of the Alliance to Reduce Crime against Heritage (ARCH) – a voluntary national network to take forward the initiatives and galvanise local action.

Under the strategic guidance of English Heritage, the Police (through the Association of Chief Police Officers) and the Crown Prosecution Service, a nationwide network is developing among enforcement bodies, local authorities, non-governmental organisations, professional groups and amenity societies to systematically tackle and reduce offences such as architectural theft, including metal theft, criminal damage, illegal metal detecting, graffiti, vehicle nuisance and arson.

A memorandum of understanding to delineate responsibilities between the three strategic partners was signed at the event. Local authorities will be encouraged to join the coordinated effort, with Canterbury City Council being the first authority also to have agreed to sign the memorandum. Local history societies, amenity groups, neighbourhood watch and residents associations will be encouraged to raise awareness of the risk of criminal damage to historic sites and buildings in their area.

Anniversaries heighten awareness and increase looting of sites, such as the upcoming 1914 centenary. Those who could encourage such behaviour, such as the media, need to be educated in the issues so as not to promote unlicensed and poorly recorded aviation archaeology, for instance, sometimes under the argued guise of ‘recovering bodies for the families’ when from personal observation of aviation magazines and websites it seems much material is hoarded in private collections or simply sold on eBay.

All this, against the background of limited resources available now, and even more limited in the future, with drastic cuts to the policing establishment suggested, and fewer prison places, will heighten the need for local partnerships, such as those already run by Canterbury City Council and other stewardship and guardian schemes where sites are assessed for vulnerability, and ‘Key Individual’ (contact/co-ordinator) roles, with stakeholders at various levels.

When drafting warning signs it cannot be assumed that potential offenders will understand even the simple written word, since many may have a low educational standard. Where warnings are made and understood, research indicates that 65% of those caught subject to an effective first intervention did not reoffend.

It seems to me that those involved in Heritage Protection need to make a clear case to argue why the offence is wrong, such as the hoarding/sale of aviation archaeology items with little care shown for the asset. Also sometimes affected are catastrophic burials – human remains from plague pits, sunken warships, battlefields or aviation crash sites, where the victims are largely of similar age and original function (sailors/troops, for instance) and not buried deliberately (as opposed to attritional losses such as those accumulated gradually in graveyards). An example is HMS London, which blew up off Southend in 1665, and was made a designated wreck site in 2008; very fresh looking human bone from the wreck is now being washed ashore which could be taken for a potential modern crime victim. A more recent victim, with the potentiality for living relatives of the dead, is the Storoa, torpedoed in 1943 when it sank in 30 seconds, with disarticulated human remains recently noted on her deck. If 100 years is taken to cover three generations, perhaps the minimum for archaeological investigation

should be four generations – those we never knew.

Richard Stein: The Roman Wooden Water pump – an ingenious machine. Sue Willetts

In this February lecture Richard provided a well illustrated overview of his research at Reading

University, on wooden water pumps which have survived from the Roman world. The technical expertise of the Romans is often under-estimated owing to the rare survival of machines compared to that of building materials. While we have evidence of the Roman use of technology and descriptions in the literature, the force pump is the only Roman machine of which we have substantial remains. They were used on the surface to fight fires, but also to raise water from wells for irrigation, for domestic use, or for industrial use such as pottery making. Eighteen examples are known, which have survived in wells. From such finds it has been possible to work out the dimensions of these machines, how they were configured and driven, the materials used, the different types and an estimation of their performance.

Richard illustrated how Roman ingenuity, perhaps in the first century AD, turned the existing technology on its head. Instead of using numerous (sometimes 30+) individual metal components to construct a pump, engineers used a wooden block (usually oak, typically 500mm high x 350mm wide x 250mm deep) and carved out the spaces required for the two (lined) cylinders, in which the pistons moved, the valve chamber and the connecting passages. The water flow was ensured by inlet and outlet valves set respectively in the base of the cylinders and in the valve chamber. The internal spaces were made safe against high water pressure with wooden plugs and plates. The plates of the valves and the liners of the cylinders were made of metal, usually lead. This type of pump was superior to metal since it was easier and cheaper to produce, maintain and repair.

The operation of the pump is achieved by having two pistons: as one goes up, the other goes down and the easiest way to achieve this is for them to be driven by a rocker arm through connecting rods. The performance of a pump depends on a number of factors: the height through which the water is raised (the lift), the diameter of the cylinders/liners and the stroke of the pistons. Richard’s calculations (insufficient space to reproduce here) show that it is more likely that two men, rather than one, would have been used to work a pump. (You had to be

there to see the diagram and the model which explained the components and the motion!) No complete driving mechanism has been found but the iron fittings of a rocker were found in Luxembourg in 1998. Delivery of the water to the surface would have been via a pipeline made of wood.

Of the eighteen known wooden force pumps only the remains of thirteen survive. The first was found in 1868 by a schoolmaster in Alsace at the bottom of a Roman well. They have been found at a range of depths from 2.7 to over 26 m. and their distribution is as follows: 10 in the Rhine/Moselle area, (5 around Trier), 3 in Milan, 1 in Rome, 2 in Southern France (Perigueux and Lyon) and 2 in Southern England. In Britain, the pump at Tarrant Hinton in Dorset was found in the deepest well at a depth of 26.4 m and would have supplied the villa site and

bath house; the other from the shallowest well was from Silchester, where although over eighty wells were found, only one contained a pump.

Once at the surface, water could be distributed or stored in tanks. If a tank was set at a higher level, water could be distributed to a site using gravity. The advantage of a force pump is that it can produce a strong jet of water and can be used to drain water from uneven twisting inclines as in mines. However, pumps fixed in wells would be difficult to repair compared to the above ground portable type used for fire-fighting. None of the portable ones survive today but one found in a cellar of the amphitheatre at Trier in 1908 (now lost) may have been used for this purpose and/or for removing water from the cellar or even to spray perfume into the arena.

No pumps are known from Spain, North Africa, or the eastern empire. Work continues on this subject and Richard speculated that archaeologists may have missed the evidence from some sites in the form of small finds. since even if major parts were re-used / recycled, and the wood perished, the metal valve plates should survive. Finally, what might be the meaning of numerals XV scratched on the block of the Bertrange pump from Luxembourg? Richard suggests: Size 15, model number 15, the 15th in a particular batch, the 15th one made by the engineer? Does anyone have any ideas?

For full details and further references: Stein, R.J.B. Roman wooden force pumps: a case study in innovation. Journal of Roman Archaeology 17, 2004, pp. 221-250.

In origin, a Greek invention, the principle of the force pump is attributed to Ctesibius of Alexandria (c.270 B.C.) and is described by 3 ancient authors, Philo, Vitruvius and Hero.

Current Archaeology Conference Peter Pickering

From 25th to 27th February I was at the conference in the British Museum organised by Current Archaeology. It was very well attended, mainly, as far as I could judge, by people from all over Britain who were having a weekend in London.

On the Friday eight people contended for ‘Presentation of Heritage Research Awards’, designed to encourage researchers to present their work to a wider public. Three of the entries were from the Irish Republic, including one of the joint winners, on the use of new techniques to date Irish Tower Houses. The other winner was a study of mediaeval (and some much later) graffiti in Norfolk churches -of which there are a very large number, hitherto completely unobserved and unrecorded; there are for instance sixty carvings of ships, with a date range

of over 300 years, on piers in Blakeney church. They require careful photography at various angles, and computer enhancement, to see now, but when they were originally made, the speaker said, they would have been incised through paint into the stone, and therefore easily visible. The only London presentation was by Natalie Cohen on possible explanations for human remains found in the Thames (some from makeshift graves).

On Saturday and Sunday there were two parallel sessions. There were five papers about Hadrian’s Wall, its purpose and effect. One paper compared it with other frontiers, including the defensive structures in early colonial North America, where the English and French were guarding against each other rather than the native population. David Breeze argued that the emperor himself had a lot to do with the design of the wall which correctly bears his name. What emerged most strikingly from the session as a whole was that the Wall had a

primarily military function, defending against raids from the north, and that it was not primarily a peaceful customs barrier or a means of keeping the inhabitants of the Roman province within it.

Another thought-provoking session was entitled ‘How Civilisations End’ – perhaps intended to make us think about our own civilisation. But the emerging message was that civilisations do not end, they change; people in the past muddled through, and so shall we. Cyprian Broodbank looked at the convulsions around 1200BC, when the Hittite Empire and the near eastern palace states (including Mycenae) fell and Egypt was sorely troubled; he rejected climate, foreigners, entrepreneurial failure and economic problems (e.g. a shortage of tin) as the cause.

Elizabeth Graham denied that the Maya civilisation had suffered a major catastrophe through deforestation, soil run-off, or such; individual Mayan states of course rose and fell, but the biggest change was from building ceremonial monuments in enduring stone (now conserved for tourists) to using wood, which does not survive well and is often not thought worth meticulous investigation or study. As for the Roman Empire, well Miles Russell emphasised that not only did it continue after 476 for a millennium in the east, but also the tribes that invaded (Goths, Vandals, etc) wanted to be part of the Roman system, not to destroy it, and in 800 Charlemagne was crowned Emperor of the Romans.

Among the other papers I was particularly interested in close studies of the Lewis chessmen, and of hoards of Viking silver, and in Barry Cunliffe’s theory that the Celtic language developed in the west of Spain in the Bronze Age or even earlier. There was also a lively panel discussion about ‘archaeology and the cuts’. Other Societies’ Events Eric Morgan

Wednesday 6th April, 8pm – Stanmore & Harrow Historical Society, Wealdstone Baptist Church, High Street, Wealdstone, ‘Ruislip: An Early 20th Century Garden Suburb’ Eileen Bowlt Visitors £1.

Friday 8th April 10.30 to 12 noon Friends of Barnet Borough Libraries South Friern Library, Colney Hatch Lane N10 ‘Historic Towns of S E England’ Coffee

Saturday 9th April, 11 am-5.30 pm -LAMAS ARCHAEOLOGY CONFERENCE, Weston Theatre, Museum of London, EC2. Morning Session 11am – 1 pm: Recent Work. Afternoon Session 2-5.30pm “The Archaeology of Modern London”. Cost for HADAS members including afternoon tea (3.30-4.30pm) £8. Ticket application to Jon Cotton, Dept. of Archaeological Collections and Archive, Museum of London, 150 London

Wall, EC2Y 5HN. [mailto: jcotton@museumoflondon.org.uk]. Make cheques/P.O.s payable to LAMAS and enclose S.A.E. There will be displays of publications.

Saturday 9th April, 10 am to 4 pm, Museum of Domestic Design and Architecture (MoDA), Cat Hill

Enfield Chase: from hunters to commuters. A study day by the London Parks and Gardens Trust “to explore the evolution of Enfield Chase from its origins as a privileged medieval hunting domain to the residential suburb it is today”. Tickets £30. For programme and booking form go to www.londongardenstrust.org.

Monday 11th April 3pm Barnet and District Local History Society. Church House Wood Street Barnet (opposite museum) “The Revolting Peasants” Talk by Patricia Pearce. Tea at 2.30 pm

Wednesday 13th April 8pm Hornsey Historical Society. Union Church Hall; Corner of Ferme Park Road and Weston Park N8 “The History of Tottenham” Chris Protz Visitors £2.

Thursday 14th April 7.30 pm Camden HIstory Society ‘The Eyre estate in St John’s Wood and Camden ‘: Charlie Ratchford Resource Centre, Belmont Street NW1 (Belmont Street is a turning off Chalk Farm Road, opposite the Roundhouse). Visitors £1

Friday 15th April 7pm COLAS St Olave’s Parish Hall, Mark Lane EC3. “Clocks and Watches in the British Museum” Talk by David Thompson. Visitors £2.

Friday 15th April. 7.30 for 8pm Enfield Archaeological Society Jubilee Hall, 2 Parsonage Lane\Junction Chase Side Enfield. AGM & ‘The excavations and fieldwork of Enfield Archaeological Society 2010’ Visitors £1.

Saturday 16th April 10 am to 4 pm London Maze. Guildhall, Guildhall Yard (off Gresham Street) EC2V 5AE Free local history fair devoted to London; for one day the City of London opens up the whole of the Guildhall complex to host displays by community history groups, local societies, museums, archives and libraries; talks; guided walks; tours of the Guildhall Art Gallery and the Roman Amphitheatre; film shows from the City’s archives and performances from youth and adult groups.

Tuesday 19 April 6.30 pm LAMAS. Clore Learning Centre, Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2.

‘Expanding City, 1670s – 1850s: Creating One of the New Galleries of Modern London at the Museum of London’ Alex Werner, Curator, Museum of London

Wednesday 20th April. 7.30 for 8pm Edmonton Hundred Historical Society Jubilee Hall, 2 Parsonage Lane\Junction Chase Side Enfield. ‘The story of Trent Park’ Talk by Keith Hammond. Visitors £1.

Wednesday 20th April – 8 pm Islington Archaeology & History Society Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, N1. ‘Insanity in Islington: treatment and records (provisional title)’ Dr Kathy Chater

Wednesday 27th April. 7.45pm Friern Barnet and District Local History Society. St John’s Church Hall (next to Whetstone Police Station) Friern Barnet Lane N20. ‘Local Archaeology: Fifty Years of HADAS’ Talk by our Chairman, Don Cooper. Visitors £2. Refreshments.

Thursday 28th April 8pm Finchley Society. Trinity Church Centre, 15 Nether Street, N12 (note unusual venue) ‘Slides of yesteryear and planning issues in North Finchley’

Exhibitions

Till 3rd May Monday-Friday from 11 am to 4 pm. Dugdale Centre, Thomas Hardy House, 39 London Road, Enfield ‘Roman Enfield – From Settlement to London Suburb’

Till 16th June Hampstead Museum, Burgh House ‘Past Poems and Personalities: a Look at Hampstead’s Poets’

Till 3rd July British Museum ‘Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World’

Till 4th September Museum of London ‘London Street Photography’

No. 480 MARCH 2011 Edited by Deirdre Barrie

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MORE ON THE FUTURE OF BARNET’S MUSEUMS

The January 2011 Newsletter broke the dire news that Barnet Council propose to withdraw funding to operate Church Farmhouse Museum and support Barnet Museum, taking effect from 1st April 2011.

HADAS are considering taking over Church Farmhouse Museum from Barnet Council, and running it as a Community-operated museum, with the aid of volunteers. Don Cooper, as Chairman of HADAS, wrote the following discussion document to Barnet Council in response to their withdrawing funding from the Museum.

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Discussion document for Church Farmhouse Museum – Jan 2011

1. Purpose of this document

This document is prepared in order to present a case to the London Borough of Barnet Council (LBBC) to allow the Hendon and District Archaeological Society (HADAS) with help from the Friends of Church Farmhouse Museum (FCFM) to take over from Barnet Council the Grade II * listed Church Farmhouse and its grounds, in order to continue running Church Farmhouse as a Community-operated museum with the aid of volunteers and to expand its range of activities so as to provide a valuable service to the local community. The building is 350 years old and was a working farmhouse until the 1930s. It is the biggest exhibit of the museum, providing the context for the artefacts which it contains and for the educational activities that take place both within the building and in the grounds.

This document is a discussion document only and represents an example proposal. Any potential or actual agreement would have to be approved by the HADAS and FCFM membership.

2. Background

The London Borough of Barnet (LBB) produced a “Museum Consultation” document on 17th December 2010 (see Appendix A). This document set out the criteria for consultation for the following proposition:

“The Council proposes that funding to operate Church Farmhouse Museum and support Barnet Museum is withdrawn, taking effect from 1st April 2011.”

In summary the Council’s reasons for this proposal are:

i. The severe funding restrictions they have over the coming years

ii. The high cost in financial terms of each visitor to the museum.

The consultation document allowed for other options for the future of Church Farmhouse Museum to be presented, hence this proposal.

3. Partner Details

a. The Hendon and District Archaeological Society (HADAS).

HADAS is a registered charity (charity register no. 269948) with approximately 200 members by subscription. It is in its 50th year having been founded in 1961 by Themistocles Constantinides, with the then specific objective of finding by excavation the Saxon origins of Hendon. Over the years it has expanded its remit (a) to cover the whole of the LBB and (b) its scope to include training and education, as well as running community projects for both schools and adults. It is a financially-sound local society.

HADAS’s relationship with Church Farmhouse Museum is long standing. From its first exhibition, of many, there in 1963 to many excavations with the participation of local schools in the museum grounds, HADAS has supported the museum. The HADAS-owned Moxon collection is stored there and HADAS has sponsored a permanent display case. HADAS has a long list of publications on local history and archaeology to its name. It runs a winter series of lectures, outings to places of interest in the summer including a long week-end, as well as running excavations on local sites with pupils from nearby schools and adult volunteers.

b. The Friends of Church Farmhouse Museum

FCFM is a registered charity (no. 1031227) with approximately 116 members by annual subscription. It has constitution and elected committee. FCFM was formed in 1993 with the express purpose of raising awareness of Church Farmhouse Museum, promoting the museum’s activities and events, fundraising for the museum, providing practical assistance in the operation of the museum and the collection and preservation of artefacts for the museum’s collection and displays. FCFM is financially sound.

4. Proposed method of operation

HADAS and FCFM would provide volunteers to man the museum to an agreed schedule of opening hours. From the resources of the London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre (LAARC) and HADAS, artefacts representing Barnet’s past would be displayed in an upstairs room. These artefacts would be inter alia from the Roman site at Brockley Hill and elsewhere in the borough, as well as Mesolithic flints from Hampstead Heath and historical items from local excavations.

HADAS would move its education course and stores from Avenue House to Church Farmhouse which would contribute £4385pa to the running costs of the museum. We would expand the range of adult education courses to cover those in the heritage, culture, leisure and allied areas which are no longer provided by either Barnet or Birkbeck colleges. Courses which attract between 10 and 20 adult students have become increasingly difficult to house whether run by the WEA, U3A or other local societies. By closing the current museum shop and converting that space into a meeting room with appropriate facilities local community organisations could use it for meetings and/or lectures. The cost of adult “leisure” courses has spiralled following the withdrawal of subsidies. For example, the equivalent course, currently run by HADAS for £275 per person, costs £600 at Birkbeck College. HADAS’s course expenses include a space cost of £21.60 per hour. The course is tutored by the same lecturer.

HADAS and FCFM would create a new trust and apply for charitable status. As a registered charity, the new trust would be able to apply to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a grant to bring the building up to an appropriate standard consistent with its status as a Grade II* listed building which was considered by Pevsner and the Victoria County History to be of significant importance (see Appendix B).

The grounds contain an 11th century ditch running approximately parallel to St Mary’s Church boundary; artefacts from the excavation of the ditch so far would be displayed in the museum.

HADAS expect that the ongoing costs of running the museum following negotiations to be about £15,000 per annum.

A warranty would be required from LBB that the building in its present state met all relevant standards and was fit for purpose.

HADAS would be prepared to provide up to £10,000 towards the initial setting up of this proposal. FCFM and HADAS would run funding raising events at the museum to support this proposal and would solicit support from local enterprises.

5. Services to local schools

HADAS runs courses in practical archaeology with local schools in conjunction with University College London’s archaeology department, which include running excavations for year 8 and 9 pupils both in the grounds of CFM and well as on their own playing fields. These excavations are well established having been run, for instance, with Hendon School for the last six years. Finds from these excavations would be displayed in the museum. Tours of the museum and talks on local history and archaeology would be provided to local schools. The trust would seek to establish a partnership with LBB’s Local Studies and Archives team to allow LBB staff to use the building for educational outreach work.

6. Conclusion

HADAS would like to initiate discussions with LBB with the objective of ensuring the Church Farmhouse Museum continues to serve the local community as a museum housed as it is in an architecturally special and historical Grade II* listed building.

(Document ends)

– – – – – – –

There are two main issues to be considered, if this option were accepted by the Council:

1. Would members be prepared to commit to act as volunteers for, say, one day a month?

2. We would need to raise, by activities, about £15,000 per annum towards the running costs of the building.

Would members be willing to organise and take part in fund raising events?

Please give this some thought and we will canvass opinion before a final decision takes place.

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HADAS DIARY – Forthcoming Lectures and Events in 2011

The winter lecture series takes place at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley N3 3QE. Nearest tube Finchley Central. Buses 82, 125, 143, 326 & 460 pass nearby. Lectures start promptly at 8 pm, non-members welcome – £1 donation please, coffee or tea available.

Tuesday 8th March 2011 – The Archaeology of Baldock – lecture by Keith J Fitzpatrick-Matthews (Archaeology Officer, North Hertfordshire DC)

Baldock is arguably the first urban settlement in Britain. Dating from the early first century BC, it became a thriving Roman small town and survived the collapse of Roman rule before being abandoned in the sixth century AD. Its most remarkable feature is the number and range of cemeteries so far discovered, of which

twenty-two have been excavated in part or completely, with over two thousand burials recorded. They range

from very high status Iron Age ‘chieftain’s’ burials to those of very poor individuals with appallingly low life

expectation. Other evidence from the town suggests that it was the centre of an important religious cult, attracting visitors, who may occasionally have deposited the ashes of deceased relatives in its cemeteries.

Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews graduated from Lancaster University in 1980. His first paid work was on the excavations carried out by Gil Burleigh at Baldock in the 1980s, where numerous Iron Age and Roman burials

were excavated in advance of building work. Leaving North Hertfordshire for Chester in 1990, he went on to establish the degree in archaeology at the University of Chester, and began excavations at the city’s amphitheatre in 2000. In 2004, he returned to North Herts, where he has been editing the reports of Gil Burleigh’s excavations for publication.

Tuesday 12th April – Bomb Damage in London and Middlesex – Dr Robin Woolven

Tuesday 10th May 2011 – The Markfield Beam Engine – the influence of effluence – Ken Brereton

Tuesday 11th October 2011 – Silchester: The Revelation of an Iron Age and Roman City – Dr John Creighton

Tuesday 8th November 2011 – The Thames Discovery Programme – Nathalie Cohen:

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Jane Sidell: Archaeological Science and London’s Archaeology Sigrid Padel

Science as a tool to help understand London’s archaeology.

In this January lecture Jane Sidell set out to deal with two questions: what is archaeological science, and what is its contribution to the interpretation of archaeological sites?

To answer the first, Jane gave a brief overview of scientific techniques used in archaeology at the moment.

Human osteology is probably the most popular: it provides fundamental information about sex, age, possible disease and the cause of death of individuals. Even methods of medical procedure can sometimes be detected. A spectacular example is a trepanned skull fragment from about 1500 BC found on the Chelsea foreshore, which showed signs of bone tissue formed after the operation, indicating survival of the patient. More recently stable isotope examination of dental material is contributing exciting data on diet and possible origin. These techniques have in fact proved more useful than the investigation of DNA.

Dating: several methods are in common use. Dendrochronology is very useful, but depends on the availability of tables specific to the area of origin. It goes hand in hand with radiocarbon dating methods. Today much use is made of optically stimulated thermo-luminescence dating, which gives dates as far back as 750,000 years ago. (Jane also mentioned thermal dating which is rather less reliable, because it only tells us when an object was last exposed to heat, which may be different from its date of manufacture.)

Conservation: used both in the field and laboratory, it makes possible the investigation and identification of objects. It can also provide data on materials and techniques used in the manufacture of artefacts.

Geophysics: Jane did not enlarge on this as it is well known to and used by members of HADAS.

Environmental archaeology: Jane’s hobbyhorse. In her case, as often, it began with an interest in food. It has many aspects, from looking at evidence in context to its landscape at the time of deposition, investigation of pollen, diatoms, plant fossils and water supply (often neglected). Jane also stressed the importance of zooarchaeology. It concentrates on anything from the use and manipulation of animals to the presence of insects. The latter can provide good dating evidence because they tend to be climate and food supply specific.

Ancient technology: looking at materials and manufacturing processes and use.

Part two of the lecture dealt with the application of some of these methods on specific sites in and around London.

Erith is a salt marsh on the Thames estuary east of London, where remains of a large prehistoric forest are visible at low tide. First commented on by Spurrell in 1889, they have been investigated over several seasons since 1998. Two distinctly different types of forest have been identified. Labelled “Upper and Lower Exposure” it has been possible to date these to 990-790 cal BC and 3800-1700 cal BC respectively. The older levels showed a surprising prevalence of yew trees, whereas the later consisted of a greater variety of deciduous forest.

Dendrochronology has played a huge part in the dating and interpretation of the London waterfront, indicating type of wood, its origin and use and how timber was often recycled. At best this technique can establish the dates when the trees in question were felled to within six months in any year. An example is Bull Wharf, where dating has been very comprehensive and accurate.

Comprehensive use of all available techniques of the 10,516 human bodies from St. Mary Spital has produced a wealth of information on social conditions, epidemics, possible famine and various types of disease and the timing and phasing of these.

This lecture provided a fascinating overview of a huge area of archaeological investigation. Jane emphasised that the targets of investigation in archaeology are constantly changing. Science in archaeology has opened the way to answering new and different questions. She ended by stating that in the end the most important thing is that we ask the right questions.

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Membership Renewal – by Stephen Brunning, Membership Secretary

The HADAS membership year runs from 1st April, so all memberships are now due for renewal apart from those new members who have joined since January this year. I have enclosed a renewal form for those people who pay by cheque, and would ask that you return the form to me along with your remittance for the

appropriate amount. The rates remain unchanged.

Anyone who thinks they should have had a membership renewal form or Standing Order form but hasn’t received one, anyone who wants to make their membership under Gift Aid and hasn’t already done so, or anyone who has any question at all about their membership, please contact me. (contact details on back page)

Many thanks.

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COLESHILL ESTATE Brian Warren

I was interested to read in the January Newsletter about the non-invasive survey proposed for Coleshill Estate. When I was a local volunteer for the National Trust in the Thames and Chilterns Region, by way of a thank you, volunteers were invited once a year to attend a day at one of their properties. The day involved a summary of the region’s activities and a visit to a NT property. On the 19th July 1998 I was one of the group to visit Coleshill and in the afternoon Alfred’s Castle.

Coleshill House was an ideal place to become the headquarters of the Auxiliary Units, as it was isolated and had extensive, secluded grounds and parkland. The Auxiliaries were mobilised from people often in reserved occupations like farmers, foresters and gamekeepers, who had a detailed knowledge of the local countryside. The leader of each Auxiliary Unit team would be trained by the nucleus of training officers and instructors over a long weekend at Coleshill. They would be trained in destruction, reconnaissance survival skills, silent killing and how to move about the countryside undetected by day or night. On the completion of the course they would return to their daily occupation, and recruit and train their group of eight men.

At Coleshill there was the prototype of all the secret underground hides of Operational Bases. On our visit we went into the only one that had been discovered at that time. We were told they had possibly located a further two, but it was believed there had been seven structures, so well-hidden were the others. At this distance in time two things stand out: one was the very tall hollow tree, which acted as a chimney, to carry the smoke and smells high up into the canopy of the encircling trees. The other was the escape route from the underground base, via a trench which led to a ditch that enabled the Auxiliaries to leave along a ditch at the edge of a large field. We were shown the secret trapdoor and the entrance via a ladder down a vertical shaft, where we viewed the rooms.

There were over 2,000 OB’s, each manned by eight saboteurs. Had we been invaded, they would have gone to earth, only to resurface when the enemy was established in their area. The Auxiliary Units were so secret that it was only many years after the end of the War that their organisation become common knowledge.

Source:- Thames and Chilterns Region Newsletter, No. 5, January 1999. “Clandestine Coleshill” by Keith Blaxhall, Ashdown Park Estate Office.

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TIME TEAM 2011

Would you like to work for “Time Team“? Present vacancies include Past Preservers: Casting for Time Team – Various Opportunities including a Presenter/Co-host & an Archaeologist. Also, a Landscape Archaeologist & a Computing Archaeologist for occasional contributions. See the website:

http://www.le.ac.uk/ms/jobs/full_job_descriptions/28009.htm . The unofficial Time Team website [lists forthcoming programmes of the series for 2011. http://www.timeteam.k1z.com/]. Still to come are:

Furnace in the Forest 6th Mar – Derwentcote, Co Durham
Under the Gravestones 13th Mar – Castor, Cambs
House of the White Queen 20th Mar – Groby Hall, Leics
Cannons v Castles 27th Mar – Mont Orgueil, Jersey
Mystery of the Manor Moat 3rd Apr – Llancaiach Fawr, S Wales
Search for the Doomesday Mill 10th Apr – Buck Mill, Somerset
Rooting for the Romans 17th Apr – Bedford Purlieus Wood, Cambs
Castle of the Saxon Kings 24th Apr – Bamburgh, Northumberland
Looking Underground 1st May – Geophysics Compilation
Hunters to Hearths 8th May – “The way we lived” compilation

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Hephzibah – a twist in the tale Jim Nelhams

In previous newsletters, I have charted our hunt to locate Jo’s Great Half-Auntie Hephzibah, born Hephzibah Willows in Coton, near Cambridge in 1842. In the October 2010 newsletter, I reported that during a visit to Australia in February 2010, we had stayed with Hephzibah’s Great Grandson, Norman Dyer, and found that his cousin Duncan had a photograph of Hephzibah. Also that the niece we had hoped to visit near Sydney was actually with her mother in Ealing when we got to Oz, though we did visit her sister in the US Virgin Islands on our way home..

Hephzibah’s daughter Ethel had become the second wife of a gentleman named Jesse Dyer, who had both a citrus fruit farm at Gosford, north of Sydney, and a shop near Sydney harbour selling goods and provisions to the boats there.

While visiting Norman, we found that he had no information about Jesse’s origins, so I promised to follow this up when we returned to England.

Having looked at the census and emigration records, there was one possible candidate, born in Crawley, Oxfordshire, just north of Witney, in 1853, the son of a farmer. In the 1861, he is with his family, and in 1871, he is an apprentice grocer in Witney. After 1871, he did not show on any census records. It sounded promising.

I ordered a copy of Jesse’s death certificate on the internet. This provided lots of information including the names of both his parents – I had the right person. Checking various records, we found that Jesse had two sisters and two brothers, all of whom stayed in England. Could we find any of their descendants?

This actually proved quite easy. Crawley came into the parish of Hailey, and there Jesse’s father had his farm. When he died, the farm was divided between the two sons still in Hailey, so they stayed in the village, as did both sisters. Jesse had actually sailed to Australia two days after his father had died.

And in the churchyard at Hailey, there are five family graves.

By 1901, most of the family are still in Hailey, but one name caught my eye. This was Ada Fanny Dyer, daughter of Jesse’s eldest brother Robert. Ada married in 1898 in Hailey to Ernest John Chandler, a draper from Derbyshire, and in 1901, they were living with two sons in Southall. By the 1911 census, there were three more sons and a daughter, and the family had moved to a large house in Ealing. Their eldest son was named Robert Storer Chandler – a name which rang a bell in my memory. So I checked first with Jo, and then with her sister. Armed with this, I re-checked, and confirmed that Robert Storer Chandler had a son named Robert Hugh Chandler, born in Ealing in 1930 (and died in 1999 in Ipswich).

Why did this ring a bell? In 1959, Robert Hugh Chandler married Patricia Ann Willows in Ealing, and their daughters were born in Ealing in 1961 and 1964. Pat is Jo’s sister, and the two girls are the nieces we visited and missed on our journey.

So to summarise: –

· William Willows was born in 1821 in the village of Coton, near Cambridge.

· William Dyer, born 1813, lived 100 miles away in Hailey in Oxfordshire.

· William Willows’ granddaughter Ethel married William Dyer’s son Jesse in Sydney, Australia in 1903.

· William Willows’ great granddaughter Patricia married William Dyer’s great grandson Robert in Ealing in 1959.

It’s a small world.

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OTHER SOCIETIES’ LECTURES AND EVENTS Eric Morgan

Wednesday 2nd March, 5pm – Stanmore & Harrow Historical Society, Wealdstone Baptist Church, High Street, Wealdstone, “General History of Pinner.” Pat Clark. Visitors £1.

Sunday 6th March – 2.30 – 5pm, St.Mary-at-Finchley Parish Church Hendon Lane, N3 – History Day in the church. Guided tour of churchyard. Learn about monuments and other aspects of church interior. Teas served. Entry free. Part of Oral History Project.

Wednesday 9th March – 2.30 – 4 pm. Mill Hill Historical Society, Wilberforce Centre, St. Paul’s Church, The Ridgeway, NW7. “Russia Past and Present” – talk by Michael Beech..

Wednesday 9th March – 7.45 pm, Hornsey Historical Society, Union Church Hall, Corner Ferme Park Road/ Weston Park , N8. “St. Mary’s Hornsey – the Final Phase”. Talk by Bridget Cherry. Visitors £2, refreshments, sales and info.

Monday 14th March, 3 pm, Barnet & District Local History Society, Church House, Wood Street, Barnet (opposite Museum) “Jesus Hospital Charity – Almshouses.” Talk by Simon Smith. Tea and biscuits afterwards.

Tuesday 15th March – 6.30 pm, L.A.M.A.S. Clore Learning Centre, Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2. “Moving to Smithfield – a History of the Halls of the Haberdashers’ Company.” Talk by Dr. David Bartle (Archivist). Refreshments 6 pm.

Wednesday 16th March – 8 pm, Islington Archaeology & History Society, Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, N1. “T.U.C. Library Collection: Union History on the Holloway Road.” Talk by Christine Coates.

Thursday 17th March, 7.30 pm. Camden History Society, Burgh House, New End Square, NW3. “How the London & Birmingham Railway Reached Euston”. Talk by John Liffen.

Friday 18th March, 7 pm – C.O.L.A.S, St Olave’s Church Hall, Mark Lane, EC3. “Excavations at Kings Mead Quarry, Horton, 2003-10. Talk by Gareth Chaffey (Wessex Archaeology). Visitors £2. Light refreshments after.

Friday 18th March, 8 pm – Enfield Archaeological Society, Jubilee Hall, 2 Parsonage Lane, Enfield. “Thames Discovery Programme”. Talk by Natalie Cohen. Visitors £1. Refreshments, sales and info. from 7.30pm and after.

Wednesday 23rd March – 7.45 pm Friern Barnet & District Local History Society St John’s Church Hall, (next to Whetstone Police Station) Friern Barnet Lane, N20 “The New River.” Talk by Harry Gluck. Cost £2. Refreshments 7.45 pm and after.

Thursday 31st March, 2.30 pm. Finchley Society, Drawing Room, Avenue House, East End Road, N3. “The Rise and Fall of Fleet Street” – Brenda Cole. Visitors £2.

EXHIBITION – Till Sunday 27th March – Church Farmhouse Museum, Greyhound Hill, NW4. “Harry Beck and the London Tube Map”. Mon-Thurs.10am-1pm and 2 – 5pm; Saturday 10am-1pm and 2 – 5pm.

ADVANCE NOTICE

1st, 8th and 15th April and 6th 13th and 20th May – Mill Hill Archaeological Study Society are running a course of six meetings, “The Archaeology of the Mayan Civilisation”, price £40. For further details contact Peter Nicholson (020 8959 4757) or see MHAS’s website: www.mhass.co.uk.

Saturday 9th April, 11 am-5.30 pm – LAMAS ARCHAEOLOGY CONFERENCE, Weston Theatre, Museum of London, EC2. Morning Session 11am – 1 pm: Recent Work. Afternoon Session 2-5.30pm “The Archaeology of Modern London”. Cost for HADAS members including afternoon tea (3.30-4.30pm) £8. Ticket application to Jon Cotton, Dept. of Archaeological Collections and Archive, Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN. [mailto: jcotton@museumoflondon.org.uk]. Make cheques/P.O.s payable to LAMAS and enclose S.A.E. There will be displays of publications (hopefully HADAS may have a table).

HADAS EVENTS 2011

The winter lecture series is held, as ever, at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley. Nearest tube Finchley Central. Lectures start promptly at 8pm, non-members £1, coffee/biscuits available for purchase (80p).

Erratum Bill Bass

“Apologies for the page folding difficulties and for spelling Stewart Wild’s name in a variety of different ways in the last Newsletter!”

Tuesday 8th February 2011

Dr. Richard Stein: The Roman Wooden Water Pump – an ingenious machine (Abstract. on p.7)

Tuesday 8th March 2011

Keith J Fitzpatrick-Matthews: The Archaeology of Baldock

Tuesday 12th April 2011

Dr Robin Woolven: Bomb Damage in London and Middlesex

Tuesday 10th May 2011

Ken Brereton: The Markfield Beam Engine — the influence of effluence

Tuesday 11th October 2011

Dr John Creighton: Silchester The revelation of an Iron Age and Roman city

Tuesday 8th November 2011

Nathalie Cohen: The Thames Discovery Programme

A note from PETER PICKERING; On December 4th I attended the annual Heritage Day organised by the Heritage Alliance. It was in the splendid surroundings of the Banqueting House; King Charles I himself, Loyd Grossman (he of the sauces and Chairman of Heritage Alliance) and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Mr Jeremy Hunt) all spoke to us, and there were messages relevant to HA DAS in what the latter two said and in the discussions.

Loyd Grossman emphasised the need to keep pressing the place of heritage in the core values of the United Kingdom, which needed appropriate and sustainable funding; (try telling THAT to Barnet Council – Ed) it was not valuable only for tourism. It was important therefore for everyone to make their local MP aware of how important heritage was to their constituents.

I was in a discussion group which concentrated on the effects of the recession and the cuts in the numbers of public servants. This could ironically, have some benefits for voluntary organisations if it led to an increase in the number of people with experience coming forward and offering their services, and organisations should be ready to welcome them and use their talents. People in the group also laid stress on the economic return from heritage — visitors to historic buildings etc — quoting some other countries, and wanted to see this pressed hard on Ministers. The old civil servant in me made me point to the expensive millennium projects that had closed because visitor numbers had never reached the forecast level.

Mr Hunt emphasised the importance of heritage to the Government’s agenda, for its intrinsic value as well as its great importance for tourism. The historic environment was crucial in attracting investment, and transformed development. He urged local authorities to remember that “heritage is your friend and your ally when it comes to regeneration projects. Heritage and a link to a community‟s past can provide the x-factor that transforms a development into something that really works and has the support of the local community.” He returned several times to the absolute need for big reductions in government expenditure, but said that though there was a 50% cut in English Heritage, the Arts Council, the Sports Council and the Dept. for Culture, Media & Sport, the overall cut to the heritage sector was no more than 2.5%. The Heritage Lottery Fund would be a stronger force in funding projects. He spoke with enthusiasm of the need to have more philanthropy in the country, as in the USA; there was to be a full review of philanthropy, with Treasury participation, and there was to be a £80m fund to help smaller organisations develop their fund-raising capacity.

Norwich trip — The final day -Castle Acre — Castle, Priory and Town Emma Robinson

Our first sight of Castle Acre from the coach revealed a landscape which was clearly meant to impress us with the power of its medieval owners. The Castle, although robbed of most of its stonework, has truly massive earthworks and is an outstanding example of a motte-and-bailey Norman castle. The extensive monastic remains – amongst the most complete in England – demonstrate the wealth and influence of the medieval Church. The planned fortified medieval town – with its substantial town church just outside its walls – nestles between the Castle and Priory further stressing the economic prosperity of this successful settlement.

On our arrival at Castle Acre the coach set us down at the Priory where coffee awaited us. However, after my husband David and I had made an initial brief exploration of the Priory site – making a particular note of the surrounding landscape particularly the proximity and course of the River Nar – we decided to start our full explorations from the Castle since this is where the story of Castle Acre really began.

Before embarking on an account of our wanderings, perhaps it might be helpful to start by saying a little of the history of Castle Acre and its origins? At the time of William the Conqueror‟s [William I] victory at the Battle of Hastings (1066) there was already a substantial settlement at Acre as it was already known. This included a significant house and a church. The Anglo-Saxon landowner was one Toki who, in common with many of his class, was dispossessed. His lands were granted by William I to a Norman knight who he had created the First Earl of Chester. By 1070-1071 the lands had passed to William W arenne – probably through his wife Gunrada who was the sister and heir of the Earl of Chester. It was the Warrene family who were to create Castle Acre as their power base in Norfolk. The site was doubtless selected because of fine strategic location and because it was central to Warenne‟s other Norfolk holdings. In any case it was already a prosperous long established Anglo-Saxon estate and the focus of an existing communication network. Soon after 1066 the new Norman lords began building hundreds of castles across the country to protect their new estates – with new religious foundations and planned towns often following soon after. The new settlement at Castle Acre followed this plan and was to flourish for many years. Its decline began after the town defences and Castle were abandoned in the Middle Ages. However, it was ultimately the suppression of the monasteries by Henry VIII which was to lead to the closure of the Priory in 1537.

The landscape of Castle Acre is a remarkable survival by any reckoning. It tells us the story of the enormous impact the Norman Conquest made not only on the physical face of the landscape but also on the ownership, government, social, religious and economic life of England. Today, this is naturally manifested by the physical remains of the castle, priory and defended medieval town – but it is also well represented in surviving rich manuscripts and other records created by the monastic community and the owners of Castle Acre. In a strange way as we will see it was due to the suppression of the monasteries that visitors today are able to see this remarkably well preserved relict landscape from the Middle Ages – which gives us such tantalising glimpses into the lives of people many centuries ago.

Castle Acre was built on rising land above low lying meadows and is bounded to the south east by the River Nar. The massive Castle earthworks were raised on a hill to the northeast of the site and are a remarkable statement of what can be achieved by the physical labour of working people. The planned walled town and Priory lie to the west beneath the Castle on gently sloping land above the meadows and the river.

To obtain a good view over the landscape David and I made for the vantage point of the Castle motte. We walked from the Priory in an easterly direction down Stocks Green (the main street of today‟s village) passing the ancient parish church and northern defences of the medieval town. In passing we made a note of the ancient Ostrich Inn with a view to rewarding our exertions in due course. It proved a good choice!

We entered the Castle from the north scaling the great motte on which are located the remains of the strongly defended inner bailey. To the south of us lay the vast inner bailey – whilst to the east an enclosure known as the barbican protected the castle entrance which faced open country. The Castle was impressive even though it has been robbed of most of its stone and the walls which remained are largely composed of flint and mortar. But nevertheless the ruins which remain are a superb example of a Norman motte-and-bailey castle. Little remains of the succession of buildings in the inner bailey which was to culminate in the building of a great tower. Even less remains of the domestic buildings and stables, storehouses and workshops within the outer bailey without which no castle could function.

Crossing the outer bailey we left through the south eastern Castle gate and entered the town through what had been the southern town gate – although the gate and the ramparts sadly have been destroyed. The medieval fortified town was a discrete settlement the boundaries of which are remarkably well preserved. We traced the line of the massive ramparts – some of which still exist. The houses to the south of Stock Green – the main street of today‟s settlement – are actually built on the filled in ditch of the northern rampart. On this thoroughfare stands the main northern entrance to the town – the 12th century Bailey Gate – leading to Bailey Street the main street of the medieval town which runs south east towards the site of the southern gate. Unlike many medieval towns which were also the site of monasteries the town possesses its own separate church (dedicated to St James the Great) and this lies in a large enclosure outside the town walls. The church has a long and rich history which will form the subject of another contribution to the Newsletter.

Our wanderings then took us in a south westerly direction towards the line of the Priory Precinct wall. Here we followed the course of the River Nar and the medieval stream which was built to take water from the river to serve the needs of the Priory cleansing the site before returning to the river – flowing last under the latrine block.

Perhaps here a few words first about the origins of the monastic settlement at Castle Acre might be helpful – since this is not without interest and helps tell the story of Castle Acre. About 1080 William W arenne first settled a small group of Cluniac monks here bringing them from his own foundation of the Priory of St Pancras at Lewes in Sussex. This was to become what is widely considered to be England‟s first Cluniac monastery. Such Cluniac foundations were called priories since formally the prior was subject to the French Abbot of Cluny. The Cluniacs followed a rigorous interpretation of the 6th century Rule of St Benedict – which formed the basis of so much of medieval monastic life. However, they were also distinguished by their love of art and decoration which is so well documented at Castle Acre. An initial gift of land was made by William Warenne – but for this first small group of monks their church was almost certainly on the site of the pre-Conquest site of the parish church. It is suggested that this was enveloped in the development of the Castle site and was perhaps retained as the castle chapel. The Priory thus began modestly. It was through an initiative by William‟s son William II (probably in 1090) that the Priory was re-founded and the current site given to the monks.

In our wandering we then traced the Priory‟s eastern precinct walls northwards entering the Priory again by the main entrance. The roofless but otherwise remarkably fine early 16th century gatehouse remains. The gatehouse and precinct wall (which enclosed some 40 acres) reminded us that this was essentially a gated community – which many monks would rarely leave. The life of the monastic community naturally centred in the church and buildings around the cloister (to which laymen were only admitted by permission of the guest master). Here seven times a day the monks would assemble in divine worship and follow the complex and elaborate liturgy of their order – comprising song, prayer, reading and the processions for which their order was famed. The buildings therefore needed to be fit for these special purposes, but it must also be remembered that an important role of medieval religious houses was to provide hospitality to pilgrims, royalty, clergy, nobility and other travellers. In this way they could be seen to act as the first hotels.

To bring some organisation to our wanderings we followed the English Heritage guide book tour [1]. By convention this first took us through the Priory church – the west front of which is widely considered to be the finest of the 12th century English facades. The tour then progressed to the buildings where the monks lived and worked. These comprise of the cloister, chapter house, dormitory, day room, infirmary, latrine block and warming room, refectory and kitchens. Whilst the life of the monks was an austere one – one can only be impressed by the ingenuity in their ordering of the buildings around the cloister to serve their way of life. For example, the special night stairs which lead from the dormitory to the church, and fact that the dormitory was served with first floor access to the latrine block!

From there the tour continued to what is known as the west range. Here are to be found the Prior‟s private accommodation (parlour and chapel), guest hall and, significantly the food and drink store. After the suppression the prior‟s lodging was retained as a house by the Coke family and remains roofed to this day – a fascinating survival. The Priory tour ended with some consideration of the buildings and activities contained in the precinct. For me one of the real fascinations of my tour round the Priory is that the remains are so complete that with a little imagination it is possible to transport oneself back to the world of the Priory when it was in its heyday. It was a substantial and diverse community and not only home to the monks – but also to their diverse numbers of lay servants and visitors. To sustain the daily way of life and economy of life the precinct supported numerous activities. The guide book listed fishponds, gardens, orchards, a vineyard, barns, a dovecote, a mill, granaries, a brewhouse, a bakery, a dairy and stables. Traces of some of which we were able to identity. But beyond the physical remains of the buildings to the monks of Castle Acre we also owe the creation of a number of remarkable manuscripts which helps to tell us more about the way of life of the Priory.

The end for Castle Acre during Henry VIII‟s suppression of the monasteries came quickly. Under Thomas Cromwell the process of suppression started with the smaller houses in 1536 and the larger ones between 1537 and 1540. Castle Acre was surrendered in 1537 by the prior Thomas Malling. John Howard third duke of Norfolk acquired the lease for the priory‟s site, lands and rights. Demolition of the buildings was underway by the summer of 1558. By 1615 the whole Castle Acre property had been purchased by Sir Edward Coke (1551-1633) in whose family the estate remains. From the 17th to the 20th century the Castle site was used for grazing and the masonry ruthlessly quarried for stone. The Priory precinct, however, was for many years until c. 1900 used as a farm – with the Prior‟s lodging the farm house. In 1929, “thanks to a suggestion by the Norfolk Archaeological Society, the main buildings were taken into State guardianship by the Ministry of Works … and the publication of the first official guidebook swiftly followed” [ 1 ] .

Today the Priory site lies in a tranquil backwater beside the river Nar. It is easy to forget that for some 450 years it was part of the vast monastic network in Europe which was centred on Cluny Abbey in France – with the priory heads required to attend an annual Chapter there. When taken together with the comings and goings of Castle, Priory and town folk together with visitors and traders – Castle Acre must have been a lively settlement.

After our wanderings we were pleased to be able to retire to the garden of the Ostrich Inn with a pleasant bottle of chilled white wine and reflect on what we had seen!

[1] Impey, E. 2008. Castle Acre Priory and Castle / English Heritage Guidebooks.

St. James the Great at Castle Acre Micky Watkins

Quite separate from Castle Acre Priory, the village church, far from being a ruin, shows every sign of care and frequent use. St. James was the first of the apostles to be martyred and there is a shrine to him at Compostela. Pilgrimages to Compostela were favoured by the Cluniac monks in the priory, and St. James is depicted with a pilgrim‟s shell and staff.

Some of the church was built in the 13th century but most of it dates from the 15th century. Two restorations were carried out in the 19th century, in 1846 and 1875, but the original character of the church has not been lost. It is a big church with a broad nave and the perpendicular windows with clerestories above flood it with light.

The rood screen dating from the 13th century is unusually well preserved. The lower half shows the 12 apostles and is painted. Some fragments of the top part remain. The 15th century hexagonal font is on an unusually high pedestal and we wondered how some of the shorter clergy could have managed baptisms. On top is a strangely tall wooden font cover. The guide suggests it is the tabernacle of St. Katherine which was left to the church in 1506. There are traces of red, green and gold paintwork on the carved wood and a golden ball a‟top. The purpose of the font cover was to protect the holy water from theft, maybe for witchcraft.

The 14th century pews and misericords in the choir stalls are richly carved with lions and dogs, smooth from centuries of stroking. The pulpit is hexagonal on a wineglass stem. The panels show St. Gregory, St. Jerome who translated the Bible into Latin, St. Ambrose who fought against the Aryan heresy, and St. Augustine whose famous confessions include “O Lord, make me chaste, but not yet”.

All Saints Church Icklingham Jo Nelhams

Our final stop was the village of Icklingham Suffolk situated on the A1101 from Bury St. Edmunds to Mildenhall . Icklingham appears to have been a very early settlement. The village sign depicts the towers of Icklingham‟s two churches with Roman soldiers and Boudica in her chariot. Roman remains have been found including coins of the 3rd century, two lead cisterns and part of a Roman settlement, which may have lasted to the 5th century. The adjoining parish of West Stow an Anglo-Saxon settlement visited on our outward journey, dates possibly from the 4th century.

The two ancient churches are about half a mile apart as Icklingham was once two separate parishes. St. James‟ church in the village centre is now the parish church; All Saints ceased regular use in 1972 and is in the care of The Churches Conservation Trust.

The most striking feature of the exterior is its thatched roof, except for the tower, which although common in earlier times on East Anglian churches, is a rarity today.

The church has evolved over the years from the 11th century.

The north wall of the nave contains some of the original masonry remains, with flints and stones in horizontal layers. The tower and south aisle were added between 1270 and 1350. The variety of windows are a study on their own and the 14th century octagonal font is described as being like a small textbook of early 14th century window design. The three doorways are also of the first half of the 14th century.

At one time there was a small musicians’ gallery at the west end of the nave, believed to have been broken by the Puritan soldiers, who used the church as a stable. Other aspects of interest include a complete 13th century stone coffin, a 16th century parish chest with the evidence of 3 locks, the dado of the 15th century rood screen and a rood -loft staircase. There was much more in this rare and beautiful survival, but time was marching on.

A welcome cup of coffee (or other liquid) at the convenient „Plough Inn‟ on the opposite side of the road, fortified us for the final lap of our journey as all climbed aboard Dave‟s chariot for the last time.

A birding opportunity Sylvia Javes

Whenever I go on a trip with HADAS I take my birding binoculars, as there is nearly always an opportunity to indulge in my favourite pastime, and our trip to Norwich was no exception. Through the weekend I saw 32 species of birds, some of which were very common, but others were birds we certainly don‟t see every day.

At the Anglo-Saxon village at Stowe, they had feeders outside the cafe, and in no time I had counted up to a dozen species including Coal Tits, Blue and Great Tits, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Nuthatch, Pheasant, and Collared Dove. Also that day, at Thetford Priory, were a Robin, Jackdaws and a Heron.

Late August isn‟t the most productive time of year for bird spotting, so over the next few days there were few different birds to add to my list, however, at Caistor St Edmunds, there were Rooks, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Starlings in a sheep field, and House Martins and Swallows were seen in various places. On our final full day, on the boat ride to Berney Arms, there was a real treat. From the boat could be seen Cormorants, Herring Gulls, Lapwings, Great Crested Grebe, Redshanks, Goldfinches, Egyptian Geese, and Little Egret.

Perhaps the biggest birding surprise of the weekend was right at the end of our trip. Castle Acre Priory was bathed in sunshine; there were Swallows visiting nests on the ruins, a large flock of Goldfinches fed on thistles in an adjacent field … and in a large tree at the end of the Priory grounds was a Spotted Flycatcher. Once common, these birds are sadly becoming quite rare. I suspect this one was travelling through on its way back to Africa, as the Priory staff (who were well aware of the wildlife in the grounds) had not seen it. It was the only one I had seen all year, so I was really delighted.

HADAS in Norfolk- the plane spotter’s perspective Andy Simpson

Our splendid boat trip out of Great Yarmouth on the „Southern Belle‟ to Berney Mill provided an unexpected bonus in the form of a solo (probably practice) aerobatic display-complete with looping the loop – by a very rumbly-radial engined light aircraft. Vicki‟s telephoto lens showed up the aircraft‟s registration, G- IMIC, which identified it as a 1989- built Yakovlev Yak-52 two-seat primary trainer, originally designed for use by the Soviet Air Force. The type originally flew in 1976 and is still in production in Romania.

The gloriously sunny visit to the wonderful Castle Acre Priory and Castle gave plenty of opportunity to admire passing (at v. low level!) RAF Panavia Tornado jet aircraft, known as „Tonkas‟ (after the old „70s toys) for the strength of their construction.

These were probably from the four squadrons of Tornado GR4 reconnaissance aircraft based not too far away at RAF Marham, Norfolk.

On our way back home on the Wednesday via the A 1065 we passed the end of the main runway and main gate of RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk. Although an RAF base, the residents are American; The USAF 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath is the Statue of Liberty Wing, the only USAF wing with a number and name. In addition to supporting three combat-ready squadrons of F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15C Eagle tactical fighter aircraft, the Liberty Wing houses the 56th Rescue Squadron‟s HH-60G Combat Search and Rescue helicopters.
RAF Lakenheath, and nearby, RAF Mildenhall , are the two main U.S. Air Force-operated bases in United Kingdom, and 48th Fighter Wing is the only U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USA FE) McDonnell Douglas F-15 fighter Wing. A good deal of neck-straining gave a few tantalising glimpses of distinctive F-15 twin tails peeping out from behind buildings and hangars as we passed.
Prominent on the main gate as we passed was pole-mounted North American

F-100D-16-NA „Super Sabre‟ serial number 42269. This particular classic „Cold War‟ jet fighter-bomber actually last served with the French Air Force, one of 100 F-100s supplied to them under the Military Assistance Programme. Not visible from the road was the base‟s „Wings of Liberty‟ Memorial park, with three former USAF jets and a full-sized replica Spitfire.

Last aircraft of the weekend was a superb landing view from the motorway of a FedEx freight aircraft on finals to London Stansted airport. I believe this was either one of a dwindling handful of 1970s McDonnell Douglas DC-10 tri-jet former airliners still operated by the carrier; their final withdrawal is due in a year or so, or, more likely, one of the many M D-11 F freight-carrying derivatives operated by FedEx.
So, truly – a weekend with something for all!

Round up Jim Nelhams

Here endeth our reports on the trip to Norwich. Thanks to all those who have contributed reports for the newsletter. We hope that each of our fellow passengers and you, our readers, will have found something of interest, perhaps unexpected, and not necessarily archaeological.
ABSTRACT; Richard Stein: The Roman Wooden Water Pump – an ingenious machine

We know that the Romans used many types of machine. Ancient authors mention them, and we can often see evidence of their use. But their remains are, at best, fragmentary. Unlike buildings, which often survive very well, they are made of wood, metal, rope, and leather, which have either perished, or been recycled. But there is one exception — the force pump. This was used to fight fires – and also to raise water from wells, or from the surface to an even higher level.

The principle of the force pump is attributed to Ctesibius of Alexandria (fl. c.270 B.C.). The earlier examples were made of bronze, but the original design was cleverly re-engineered in Roman times to make pumps easier and cheaper to make and to maintain, by cutting apertures in a large block of oak, and making internal spaces pressure proof by plugging their extremities.
Eighteen wooden pumps have been found, mostly in wells, and remains of thirteen survive, some in very good condition. We now know how they were configured; how their parts were made and put together; and how they were driven – and we can estimate their performance. This machine therefore gives us a unique insight into the capabilities of Roman mechanical engineers.
Richard Stein has been a member of HADAS since 2005. His Cambridge degree is in engineering, though most of his career was as a finance director in British multinationals. He had always been interested in the Roman world, and in retirement worked for his PhD on the wooden force pump at the University of Reading, where he had the good fortune to have two joint supervisors — a Professor of Archaeology, and a Professor of Engineering. He continues to work on the subject, as new finds are made, and new theories are proposed.

Text Box: OTHER SOCIETIES’ LECTURES & EVENTS ERIC MORGANThursday 3 February 8pm Pinner Local History Society Village Hall, Chapel Lane Car Park, Pinner. Roman London Dr. Isobel Thompson. Visitors £2.
Wednesday 9 February 2.30pm Mill Hill Historical Society Wilberforce Centre, St Paul‟s Church, The Ridgway NW 7 St Lawrence Church-Little Stanmore. Talk by Sheila Woodward (HADAS Member) Preceded by AGM.
Monday 14 February 3pm Barnet & District Local History Society Church House, Wood St, Barnet (Opposite Museum) From Barclays to Barclaycard Talk by Richard Selby Tea & Biscuits afterwards.
Tuesday 15 February 6.15pm LAMAS Clore Learning Centre, Museum of London, London Wall, EC2 The London boyhood of Thomas More Talk by Prof. Caroline Barron. Preceded by AGM. Refreshments 5.30pm.
Tuesday 15 February 2.15pm Edmonton Hundred Historical Society Jubilee Hall, 2, Parsonage Lane Junction Chase Side, Enfield. Ice Houses – talk by Ruth Hazeldine (Hornsey Historical Society) Visitors £1.
Wednesday 16 February 8pm Islington Archaeology & History Society Islington Town Hall, Upper St, N1. Charterhouse Square & the English Stage rebirthing Talk by Colin D. Brooking on proposed visual archaeology around Charterhouse
Friday 18 February 8pm Enfield Archaeological Society Jubilee Hall 2, Parsonage Lane Enfield The Fourth Cradle? New Discoveries in Bronze Age Iran Talk by Ian Jones Visitors £1. Refreshments, sales and info from 7.30pm.
Wednesday 23 February7.45pm Friern Barnet & District Local History Society St John‟s Church Hall (Next to Whetstone Police Station) Friern Barnet Lane, N20 Recycling & Waste Prevention Verity Jones Cost £2. Refreshments available.
Thursday 24 February 2.30pm Finchley Society Drawing Room, Avenue House, East End Rd, N3 The Royal Air Force Museum Talk by David Keen Visitors £2
Thanks as ever to this month’s contributors; Bill Bass; Sylvia Javes; Eric Morgan; Jim and Jo Nelhams; Peter Pickering; Emma Robinson; Richard Stein; Micky Watkins.

1961-2011 The 50th Anniversary year of the Hendon & District Archaeology Society

URGENT – THE FUTURE OF BARNET’S MUSEUMS

Barnet Council proposes that funding to operate Church Farmhouse Museum and support Barnet Museum is withdrawn, taking effect from 1 April 2011.

As these are the only two council supported museums in the borough, residents and particularly school children would be deprived of the opportunity to see, appreciate and engage with the long history and archaeology of Barnet. WE MUST NOT LET THIS HAPPEN. Please take any opportunity to oppose this shoddy proposal (the total annual saving according to the Council figures is £40k in the first year followed by £60 per annum thereafter, hardly a fortune. The Council’s cabinet met on Monday, 13th December 2010 to initially approve the budget for 2010/2011 which includes this proposal. Then there is a period of public consultation up to the 17th January 2011, followed by a final recommendation by the Cabinet in February to be put to the full council meeting in March 2011. Please write to your local councillor, to the local press and, in addition, according to the council a survey on the museums will be available on the Barnet web site from Monday 13th December for your views.

We should all write before the 17th January 2011 with our views to:

Museum Consultation, C/O Mike Fahey, London Borough of Barnet, North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road South, London N11 1NP.

HADAS EVENTS 2011

The winter lecture series takes place at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley N3 3QE. Nearest tube Finchley Central. Buses 82, 125, 143, 326 & 460 pass nearby. Lectures start promptly at 8 pm, non-members welcome – £1 donation please, coffee or tea available.

Tues. 11th January lecture by Jane Sidell

Science as a tool to help understand London’s archaeology.

Jane Sidell has worked as an archaeologist in London since 1991 – as an environmental archaeologist, scientific advisor and more recently as Inspector of Ancient Monuments. Archaeological science is her first love and the evening’s talk will focus on a range of techniques including environmental archaeology and scientific dating, and how these have contributed to archaeology at key sites in London.

Tues. 8th February lecture by Dr. Richard Stein,

The Roman Wooden Water Pump – an ingenious machine.

Tues. 8th March lecture by Keith J Fitzpatrick-Matthews, The Archaeology of Baldock.

Tues. 12th April lecture by Dr. Robin Woolven, Bomb Damage in London and Middlesex.

Tues. 10th May lecture by Ken Brereton, The Markfield Beam Engine – the influence of effluence.

Membership Matters Stephen Brunning

In last month’s newsletter under “Membership Matters” we in-correctly stated that Joanna Faktor was the daughter of Rachel McPhail, when in fact it was the other way around. We apologise for this error.

Planning Applications Bill Bass

Sometime ago HADAS had a system of reviewing planning applications as a back-up and to assist English Heritage and Barnet Council in their assessments of applications affecting ‘Local areas of special archaeological significance’ in The London Borough of Barnet. Generally speaking this system has lapsed in recent years as it was seen that the ‘official’ system of picking-up sensitive applications between EH and Barnet Council was working well enough. However, recent staff reductions at EH means that it is difficult for them to monitor all applications at present and some may fall through the ‘net’.

Therefore we would encourage members to check and keep an eye out for Planning Applications in their area which may affect sensitive archaeological sites. These areas are defined and are marked-out on maps of the Borough they include the likes of town centres, find spots, roads, and known archaeological places e.g The Battle of Barnet, Hadley or Roman Brockley Hill north of Edgware.

In theory you should be able to access these maps online by going to http://www.barnet.gov.uk/, then follow Barnet maps, planning, archaeological areas. You will need to download some software to use the maps fully. However, when I tried this it would not work – you may have better luck (we do hold printed copies of the areas). The planning applications can be found here http://www.barnet.gov.uk/online-services/planning-cases.htm

Generally speaking it’s perhaps larger developments that need to be checked rather than domestic extensions etc. Any sensitive applications should be sent to – kim.stabler@english-heritage.org.uk

Heritage Lottery Fund

The House Mill has been given the green light by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a £2.65million grant. A development grant of £248,000 has been awarded to help the River Lea Tidal Mill Trust progress their plans, which include restoring the mill, its neighbour Miller’s House, and creating a self-sustaining and vibrant visitor centre. The Trust aims to incorporate hydro-electricity production using the restored waterwheels and additional turbines, which will not only boost income at the site but also provide a key educational hook for learning about the milling process for visitors of all ages.

Coleshill Estate Survey

During last summer’s excavation of the air-raid shelters in Sunny Hill Park, Hendon, members of Subterranea Brittanica (including HADAS’s Stewart Wilding) inspected the structures and made a photographic survey. The ‘Sub Britters’ are now involved in another project of an archaeological site survey at the Coleshill Estate near Swindon, this is the site of an Auxiliary Unit Operational Base – a ‘hide out’ where officers could conduct resistance if they were overtaken by German occupation.

“It has now been confirmed that this non-invasive survey will be taking place over the course of the weekend of 22nd and 23rd of January 2011 and will be overseen by archaeologist Neil Faulkner / Bristol University. Sub Brit will be taking an active role along with the Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team (CART), other relevant interest groups and the National Trust. The main aim of the survey is to gain a better understanding of the site and to seek physical evidence of further OBs (Operational Bases). Any finds from detection, or surface finds from visual survey will be recorded using GPS. There is not going to be any excavation at this stage. It is really a mapping and reporting project, so everything needs to be recorded in situ”.

http://www.coleshillhouse.com/coleshill-uncovered.php

Norwich – Day 4 Jim Nelhams

After our “steam” day, Tuesday saw us at two shore forts, medieval houses in Great Yarmouth, and a boat ride to a windmill (and pub), with opportunities for some twitching and plane spotting. Thanks to Don Cooper for negotiating the boat ride – the operators had planned to end their season the previous day. A brief drive along the front at Great Yarmouth also took us past Caesar’s Palace. More details now from our travelling correspondents.

Caistor On Sea and Burgh Castle Saxon Shore Forts by Lydia Demetris

Saxon Shore Forts have been my interest for some years and so I really appreciated the inclusion in the HADAS long weekend. It was such a pleasure to see these sites for myself, rather than reading interpretations. The weather was kind on both visits, and although cold and sometimes windy, the sun shone most of the time.

The Notitia Dignitatum, a late Roman document of uncertain age, lists 9 forts under the command of the Comes Litoris Saxonice – Count of the Saxon Shore defences of Britain. Caistor, probably built in the Severan period of the early 200’sAD and Burgh Castle, approximately 260+AD in either the second stage of continental coastal installations or Carausian defences, can both lay claim to the Saxon Shore Fort of Gariannum named in this document. It is just plausible that this was an area name incorporating all forts and installations protecting the Great Estuary from seaward incursions. The two Forts were both big enough to contain 1000 infantry or 500 Cavalry plus horses or a mixture with emphasis on naval personnel. Roman pottery at natural high points along the coast suggests signal stations or lookouts.

A feature of all Saxon shore forts is that they have slightly differing builds and/or components, which may be due to location, sourcing of materials or local administration. Those in Norfolk are mainly built with flint and wood, freely available in contrast to the paucity of stone locally.

Both forts have evidence of women and children within the fort itself and vici close by. Each fort would have probably comprised buildings for Headquarter, Barracks, Stables, Granary, workshops, stores and baths. Caistor has some flint foundation buildings but Burgh has none discernable so that interior constructions within its walls may have been raised in timber. Caistor has evidence of a bathhouse whereas Burgh does not, suggesting that here one may have been built outside, as at Chester, but later sank into the river.

Caistor on Sea (TG516123) In Roman Times this Fort was situated on a large island, known as Flegg, facing Burgh Castle across the open sea protecting the mouth of the Great Estuary. This small site has traffic roaring past and is seen directly from the road through a chain link fence. Our Coach stopped on a lay-by on the very busy Norwich Road for a short visit. Originally built on 3.5 hectares it was a working fort from 200-390AD when it was deserted and not reoccupied until 650AD. Caistor Roman Fort was square in shape with rounded corners and three semi-circular footings that projected from the outer face of the wall. It was difficult to imagine that this site was once on the edge of the Great Estuary as so much land has been reclaimed since the 17th c drainage. Only 10% is now visible with 90% including the vicus sleeping under a modern housing estate, along with a large Saxon Cemetery comprising 163 graves with boat like timbers. Examination of these remains there showed a hard working life. The information boards were interesting but confusing as to layout. Finds include a small bronze Curse sheet stating that Aurelius Attricanus fulfilled his vow to Mercury, suggesting a temple just outside the fort.

There is a large ditch just inside the entrance innermost of several around the fort originally 1.8m deep and 5m wide. A road and substantial timber bridge crossed these obstacles to the South Gate – probably the main entrance. A line of modern concrete between ditch and fort wall indicates where excavation revealed palisades. The fort walls were probably 4-5m high. A metalled road runs from the South gate, where a guard chamber has been excavated to the left, northward towards the centre of the site. This road would have led from the gate to a shoreline, in Roman times around 350m distant. On site are the remains of two buildings, with a suggested build of flint/mortar base and timber upper construction. Building 1 had 10 rooms, domestic reverting to industrial, the remains of a hypocaust and finds including 86 coins of 330-340AD plus pottery, animal bones, personal ornaments, hairpins and floral painted plaster. Building 2 had the remains of a hypocaust and a waterproof floor. Apart from the Roman remains there is also a mid-late Saxon working hollow.

Burgh Castle (TG476060) in Roman times was the garrison of Equites Stablesiani, a cavalry unit, evidenced by an iron helmet found in 30 pieces dating to 300 AD. At this time the Fort was situated on the tip of land known as Lothingland on the edge of the Great Estuary served by major rivers of Waveney and Yare. Although Burgh retains something of its original setting, silt and reclamation have narrowed the water channel. Reedham Church once thought to be a pharos or signal station on the opposite side of a wide estuary is now seen on the horizon, inland on the opposite side of the river.

In complete contrast to our trip to Caister our coach arrived at a purpose made car park close to the Fort for our prior visit to the Church of St Peter and Paul. Afterwards we walked across a field to Burgh Castle. The view of the Fort was not immediately apparent as it was obscured by a hedge. When rounding this, the three huge walls of Burgh Castle, set in a parkland site between an open field and the river, was breathtaking and very atmospheric. It was easy to conjure up a vision of the past at this site, finally at peace with itself. As with Anderida, the walls are almost extant to full height with the exception of the fourth water side collapsed, here namely the western wall fronting the River Waveney which has long time since disappeared into the riverside Marsh. The surviving walls measure nearly 3.2m thick at base tapering to 1.5 at the top, reaching a possible original height of 4.6m tall without protective parapet. The core is rubble held together with sandy yellow mortar faced with squared flints and up to 7 bonding layers of red fired clay tiles. The mortar on facing was mixed with crushed tiles making it harder and waterproof. Much of the facing was removed in medieval times and used on the nearby church of St Peter and St Paul.

The Fort stands on approximately 2.2 hectares and is quadrilateral in shape with longer sides’ parallel. It has rounded angles with six remaining, of possibly ten original, projecting pear shaped bastions. Unusually the bastions are jointed at the bottom but built as part of the structure higher in the wall suggesting a change in plan during building. The corner bastions have holes in the top suggesting wooden watchtowers. The toppled bastion on the South wall, facing outwards, has the faint impression of T shaped foundation plank like timbers. Large cracks show the structural weakness of imperfect construction.

At the South-West corner of the fort the slight remains of an earthen mound suggest the motte of a typical Norman Castle with a large gap cut into the wall to allow for a deep ditch. Inside the wall to the right there are seven large vertical holes possibly 1 metre from the ground thought to be the remains of a Roman wooden lean-to building. In the North-east corner of the fort there is a further feature of six indentations at ground level which may be evidence of another roman lean-to.

A 19th c excavation along the modern riverfront revealed huge oak timbers suggesting a Roman Wharf where boats would have been moored. The fields on either side of the track, partly excavated, evidenced vicus, roman field systems, and a 200 ad lead seal of Provincia Britannia Superioris together with many other coins. Part of the field to the east of the fort was used as a burial ground during both Roman and Anglo Saxon periods. In the latter period the Castle area may have been known as Cnobheresburg. Bede refers to a similar site being used as a monastery in 630AD.

English Heritage has guardianship of the walls and remains at both sites. Norwich Archaeological Trust manage the site at Burgh Castle and Great Yarmouth Borough Council have responsibility for Caistor on Sea.

The parish church of St Peter and St Paul, Burgh Castle – Graham Javes

Norfolk has far more round-tower churches than any other county in England and in 1974 it gained another one, St Peter and St Paul’s, when the Norfolk-Suffolk boundary was redrawn. A church may have stood here for much longer than its Saxo-Norman tower would indicate. Both tower and nave contain the inevitable Roman tiles robbed out from the walls of the nearby Roman fortress. Originally the tower was about 16 feet high but it was raised soon after the Restoration of the Monarchy to accommodate the bells: the earliest, the tenor bell is inscribed: ‘John Darbie made me 1663’. Darbie was an Ipswich bell founder.

We were warmly welcomed by members of the congregation, who showed us around the church. The church proved delightfully simple. It consists of a medieval nave, a larger than expected chancel, tower, and mid-nineteenth century north aisle.

The font is a typical East Anglian Lion font and is carved by the mason who made the font at nearby Lound, documented to c. 1389. The bowl is supported by four lions; the panels of the octagonal bowl are carved alternately with an angel supporting a heraldic shield, and a lion. The shields in turn display: three crowns, the accepted arms of the Saxon kings of East Anglia; a symbol of the Trinity; three hosts and chalices; and the Instruments of the Passion.

The glory of this church is its 19th and 20th century commemorative stained glass, notably fine for a rural parish church. The east window resembles the 11th and 12th century glass in the cathedral of Le Mans and commemorates the incumbency of the Reverend Charles Green, who died in 1857. Another incumbent and a major benefactor of the church was Canon George Venables, who, with his wife are portrayed in a north aisle window as Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth. In a chancel window an older Venables is depicted as Moses descending from Mount Sinai raising above his head the tablet bearing the Ten Commandments. The image of St Fursey in a lancet window in the south wall is copied from a manuscript miniature in the British Library, which itself may have been drawn from his body, said to have remained uncorrupted at Péronne Abbey in the Somme, where he was abbot. St Fursey founded a monastery within the walls of the Roman fort at Burgh Castle. A further noteworthy window is, ‘In Memory Of The Two Best Monarchs Of Britain Lineally Connected thoVgh One ThoVsand Years Apart. King Alfred Died AD 901. QVeen Victoria Died AD 1901’. Actually Alfred died two years earlier, but who’s counting?

Great Yarmouth Row Houses – Audrey Hooson

Our visit started on the South Quay at the English Heritage owned , Old Merchant’s House and Row House 111. These, carefully restored, buildings are rare remnants of Great Yarmouth’s original distinctive C16 ‘Rows’. A network of narrow alleyways linking the main thoroughfares. In 1804 there were 145 Rows crammed within the city walls

By the 1930’s the area was considered an insanitary slum and there was conflict between those who wished it demolished and conservationists. However the extensive bombing of the harbour area in WW2 and subsequent clearance decided the issue.

The interiors of both red brick houses were altered considerably, during their long history but the immediately noticeable aspect, was the very narrow spiral staircases. It was hard to imagine women in long full skirts using them.

Before the damaged Rows were finally cleared they were placed in the care of the Secretary of State and looked after by the Ministry of Works. Efforts were made to collect as many remaining significant architectural items as possible and place them in the restored houses. This enabled us to see a representative collection of cast iron fire grates, wrought iron wall decorations, carved door jambs, ‘Delft’ ceramics and decorated doors.

The Old Merchant’s House was originally very imposing. The large front room was later sub-divided but part of a magnificent plaster-work ceiling remains. The arms of King James I, which would have been central, are surrounded by foliate designs and pendants with Angels. After admiring the ceiling it was rather alarming to enter the next room and find a man sitting at a table. Having just finished his meal, he was looking out at the harbour with his dog by his chair. Sometimes English Heritage can be too clever! Their intention is to display the rooms, in use, during various periods. Later tableux showed a 19th Century woman cutting out a pattern for a bustle dress, a WW2 woman, at the kitchen table preparing bottled fruit and children playing in their bedroom.

Our final view, through the trusses of the steep pitched roof of No.111 was of modern metal shelving with storage boxes containing the rest of what is obviously an extensive collection.

Across Breydon Water in the Southern Belle – Ken Carter

She began life in Plymouth in 1925, named, in effect, Shuttlecock the Second. Now, she is a veteran of industrial archaeology, 85 years old, refurbished and still chugging. Her upper deck holds the captain’s bridge, with passenger seats behind. Her lower deck encloses the steward in his narrow, wood-paneled bar with passenger seats fore and aft.

Breydon Water is a vast, shallow stretch of water 4 miles long and 1 mile wide, bulging with sandbanks and interlaced with crucial navigation posts. It receives the rivers Bure, Waveney and Yare. Roman merchant vessels docked here; Anglo Saxon predators marauded here and Arthur Ransome used it as the setting for ‘Coot Club’.

We saw a vast, bobbing stretch of blue-grey liquid. It conveyed the Southern Belle, and us, on the last journey of the season, towards the sole pub in England reachable only by foot or vessel. The afternoon held weak sunshine and a gentle breeze. September had arrived.

To make our journey, our captain had to liaise with the Harbour Master over the raising of the cantilever Breydon Bridge – at 2.15 precisely. Earlier in the day, our coach had been delayed on the A47, waiting for the bridge to rise. Now we could see vehicles queuing as we sputtered underneath the up-ended section of road, admiring the machinery that had enabled the swift, sleek, stately movement to take place.

Our journey was a soothing, entrancing experience. The tide was in. The water expanse spread wide and serene – though we glimpsed in the distance the ridges that marked the original, much wider extent of this one-time greater, busier waterway.

Berney Arms Mill – Vicki Baldwin

Nat Grid Ref TG46520496

Unlike its predecessor whom it replaced in 1865, the Berney Arms Mill was never intended for processing grain. It was built primarily for grinding cement clinker* for Thomas Trench Berney who was listed as a Brick and Roman Cement maker in an 1836 directory. A date of 1870 is penciled in the mill’s cap. The manufacture and grinding of the clinker was part of the cement-making process. Sandy silt from the river and chalk from pits near Norwich were combined and then baked at a very high temperature to remove moisture. The resulting dry mass or clinker was then crushed by the grindstones in the mill. There was at least one other cement factory in the area being the Burgh Castle Portland Cement Company on the other side of the river.

In 1886 when cement clinker grinding ceased, the mill was converted to a drainage mill driving a 24 foot diameter scoop wheel. The grindstones were probably moved from the second floor at this time and it is known that they were still on the ground floor in 1972. The mill continued as a drainage pump until 1948 when it was replaced by ‘an electric pump lifting 35 tons a minute…’ (Eastern Daily Press).

The mill had apparently been kept in a state of good repair until then but it is noted that earlier that year fractures had appeared at the top of the tower which prevented the head turning which in turn could have damaged the mill itself. It was then transferred to the Ministry of Works as an Ancient Monument. The mill was used as a sailing centre for a few years in the early 1950s but was closed following an accident. In 1967 restoration work was carried out by the Ministry of Public Works and Buildings. Currently it is looked after by English Heritage and only open at certain times.

Berney Arms Mill is an example of a tower mill, other types being post mills and smock mills. The sails of a post mill are attached to the wooden body housing the mechanism and the whole body of a post mill has to be turned around a central vertical post in order to face the sails into the wind. Tower and smock mills both have a ‘cap’ on which the sails and fantail are set and it is the cap which is turned to set the sails to the wind. The cap of Berney Arms Mill is ‘boat-shaped’. The seven storey mill is brick built and stands about 70 foot tall. Painted black and with a white cap, it is an imposing sight and visible for a considerable distance over the flat landscape.

The scoop wheel is connected to the mill by a horizontal shaft and is further away from the mill than in most of the other examples. This may be because the mill was adapted for drainage rather than purpose built. An iron door opening into the river allowed the water to be pumped up and out from the lower level of the marsh, but prevented water flowing back again.

We were particularly lucky with the weather when we visited and as an added extra we were treated to an aerial display from the pilot of a Yakovlev making the most of a sunny afternoon.

*clinker: 1769, from klincard (1641), a type of paving brick made in Holland, from Dutch klinkaerd, from klinken “to ring” (as it does when struck).

http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/WindmillsD/reedham-berney-arms-drainage.html

The Berney Arms Inn – Stewart Wild

As our boat neared the windmill, my attention was drawn to an attractive waterside pub and free house, the Berney Arms Inn, which we passed about 300 yards from the mill. I had heard of this unique pub, the only one in England without road access, which means its refreshments can only be enjoyed by folk who have reached this isolated spot by boat, as we had; by rail to the tiny Berney Arms station nearly a mile away; or on foot all the way across the nature reserve and marshes from Reedham, Halvergate or Great Yarmouth.

In days gone by, the pub served as a meeting place for wherrymen, wildfowlers, fishermen, poachers and brick-workers. Fortunately these days the pub stands on two long-distance Norfolk footpaths: the Weavers’ Way and the Wherryman’s Way, which makes it a popular way-station not only for day-trippers by boat but also for a number of Rail Ale Rambles in summer for fit people with equal enthusiasm for hiking and real ale.

Thus, in the interests of research, I decided to forgo the attractions of the splendid windmill and investigate the history and amenities of the old pub (after all, I have a reputation to uphold).

My visit was, of necessity, rather short, and I did not have time to sample all the many beers on offer. But I did manage three quick halves of real ale, which were all local and all excellent. Unfortunately I did not take notes, and now I am unable to remember the details, although I am certain that all three brews were unfamiliar to me. While carrying out my research I was able to chat to the friendly bar staff and wander around the premises.

The place was like stepping back in time. The building originally dates from the 1760s, if I remember correctly, but has undergone a number of additions and renovations since. Despite this, the interior and atmosphere was similar to what I remember from the 1960s, with very old furniture, much of it broken, a neglected and empty aquarium, a back room that looked as though it hadn’t been used for ages, bits of old carpet on the floor, and the walls covered in faded pictures and adverts and a score of traditional brass-plate boating apophthegms like Always have a life jacket for everyone in the boat, plus one extra for the beer cooler.

There was a darts board and a pool table and a wide terrace outside overlooking the Broads and Burgh Castle in the distance. In fine weather it’s almost idyllic; however, there is so little passing trade in winter that the pub closes for around four or five months and the owners go back to their home in Birmingham. I got the impression that the business hardly made ends meet, but the owners, nice people whose lifestyle is, shall we say, a little unconventional, seemed happy with their lot.

If you wonder, as I did, how they get their beer barrels and supplies delivered to such a location, it’s simple. There is road access, but it’s across private land owned by the RSPB as a nature reserve, and the pub has special permission to use the track for deliveries only. No other vehicles are allowed.

I felt privileged to have been able to wet my whistle in such an unusual and iconic pub, and much appreciated the opportunity afforded by our boat trip, even though I missed the views from the windmill. I must make another visit…

Journey through the afterlife – Ancient Egypt Book of the Dead, British Museum, until 6th March 2011

You are taken along a path of the Egyptian’s attempt to persuade the gods and devine beings in the underworld to let them pass into the afterlife. They are armed with The Book of Dead, spells and phrases at first carved on the pyramids, then written on their coffins, artefacts or papyrus placed with them. It’s a tortuous affair with ‘the devourer’ waiting to eat their heart and snuff out their existence if they got it wrong! Usually, it’s a happy ending with the dead person throwing his or her hands up in glee as they successfully pass into the ever after. The BM visitor however, passes into the gift-shop where their cash may not be so everlasting…….

Other Societies’ Events Eric Morgan

Weds 5th Jan: 8.00pm, Stanmore & Harrow Historical Society, Wealdstone Baptist Church Hall, High St, Wealdstone.

Euston for the north, by Malcolm Grant

Thur 6th Jan: 8.00pm, Pinner Local History Society, Village Hall, Chapel Lane Car Park, Pinner.

Mr Waite & Mr Rose & their first shop in Acton by Janet Appleyard White. Visitors £2.

Mon 10th Jan: 2.30 for 3.00pm, Barnet & Local History Society, Church House, Wood St, Barnet, (opposite museum).

15 years of Calendars, by Terence Atkins.

Weds 12th Jan: 2.30pm, Mill Hill Historical Society, The Wilberforce Centre, St Paul’s Church, The Ridgeway NW7.

Antiques & their stories, by Simon Brown. Finishes at 4pm.

Weds 12th Jan: 7.45pm, Hornsey Historical Society, Union Church Hall, Corner of Ferme Park Rd/Weston Park, N8.

100 years of cinema in Harringey, by Jeremy Buck Visitors £1.

Tues 18th Jan: 6.30pm, LAMAS, Clore Learning Centre, Museum of London, London Wall, EC2.

Anne Mobray = London’s Forgotten 15th century princess, by Bruce Watson (MoLA)

Tues 18th Jan: 5.30pm, Institute of Archaeology & British Museum Medieval Seminar, Room 612, IoA, UCL, Gordon Sq, WC1.

Southumbrian Book Culture & The implications of recent archaeological discoveries, by Michelle Brown

Weds 19th Jan: 8.00pm Islington Archaeological & Historical Society, Islington Town Hall, Upper St, N1.

Caroline Chisholm & the family colonisation loan society, by Dr. Carole Walker.

Fri 21st Jan: 7.30pm, CoLAS St Olaves’s Parish Hall, Mark Lane, EC3.

The diamond sutra of 868AD: The world’s oldest printed book, by Dr. Frances Wood (British Library). Visitors £2.

Weds 26th Jan: 7.45pm, Friern Barnet & District Local History Society, St John’s Hall (next Whetstone Police stn), Friern Barnet Lane, N20. Thames Sailing Barges, by Ken Cain. £2

Thanks to contributors: Stephen Brunning, Don Cooper, Eric Morgan, ‘The Long Weekend Team’ & Stuart Wilding

No. 477 DECEMBER 2010 Edited by Don Cooper

Doesn’t time go quickly, here we are in the middle of November looking forward to that end-of-year holiday period again!! May we, however, take this opportunity to wish all our readers a joyous holiday and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

HADAS Diary

HADAS 50th Anniversary by Don Cooper

Next year (2011) is the 50th anniversary of the founding of HADAS by Themistocles Constantinides in 1961. He founded the society with the main aim of finding and proving the Anglo-Saxon origins of Hendon. Themistocles would be delighted at the progress that has been made. This year will see the publication of the results of the excavation at Church Terrace which provides ample evidence of occupation in Anglo-Saxon times. LET’S MAKE IT A YEAR OF CELEBRATION! Plans are already being laid for an Exhibition of HADAS’ achievements and history at Church Farm Museum, A Roman Cookery day, a number of excavations, the launch of the Church Terrace book and, hopefully, many other events. I and your committee call on all HADAS members to celebrate this momentous year, by helping to organise the events and proposing events that they themselves would like to organise. For your ideas and offers of help please contact any of the officers mentioned at the end of this newsletter.

HADAS Holiday September 2011

I know it seems very early to be thinking of holidays already, but our able planning team (Jo & Jim Nelhams) have found a seaside holiday hotel on the Isle of Wight (see October’s newsletter for places that we might visit). The only dates available are the Monday 19th – Friday, 23rd September 2011. Prices are expected be very similar to this year at £345 per person sharing a double room and £395 for singles. We will travel by coach and stay at the hotel for four nights on a Dinner, Bed and Breakfast basis. Jo & Jim would very much like an early indication of members (and/or non-members/friends) who would like to come on this exciting trip. Please phone or send them an email to their address below. Numbers as usual will be limited – so first come first served!!

Lectures for 2011

Tuesday 11th January 2011

Jane Siddel: Science as a tool to help understand London’s archaeology

Tuesday 8th February 2011

Richard Stein: The Roman Wooden Water Pump – an ingenious machine

Tuesday 8th March 2011

Keith J Fitzpatrick-Matthews: The Archaeology of Baldock

Tuesday 12th April 2011

Dr Robin Woolven: Bomb Damage in London and Middlesex

Tuesday 10th May 2011

Ken Brereton: The Markfield Beam Engine – the influence of effluence

Tuesday 11th October 2011

Dr John Creighton: Silchester -: the revelation of an Iron Age and Roman city

Tuesday 8th November 2011

Nathalie Cohen: The Thames Discovery Programme

Lectures are held in the Drawing Room at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley, N3 3QE, and start promptly at 8 pm, with coffee/tea and biscuits afterwards. Non-members: £1. Buses 82, 125, 143, 326 & 460 pass nearby and Finchley Central station (Northern Line), is a short walk away.

Membership Matters by Stephen Brunning

I would like to extend a warm welcome to the following members who have joined (or rejoined) HADAS since May 2010: Alan Aris, Judy Kazarnovsky, Audrey Lewis, Margaret O’Reilly, James Rea, Emma Tait and Guy Taylor. I hope to see you at a forthcoming event.

Patricia Karet.

Pat Karet joined our society before 1973. Though not active in HADAS in recent years, she may be remembered by some of our long standing members. Sadly, she died in April after a long battle with a brain tumour. For most of her working life, she ran the administrative side of UCS school in Hampstead, and when she retired, turned her talents to supporting the North London Hospice.

Virginia Pell

Virginia was greatly interested in theatre and opera, and also in travelling. She joined us on a number of our longer outings, the last being our trip to Beverley in 2008. She had booked to join us again this year in Norwich, but sadly died in April.

Jack Newbury by Don Cooper

By now many of you will have heard that Jack (Dorothy Newbury’s husband) was knocked down by a car on the crossing on his way to work at his business Hilary Press Printers. Jack ,who is 91, suffered multiple injuries and was taken to The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel where he was placed in intensive care. As of this morning 17/11/2010 Jack is making good progress and is out of intensive care. We all wish Jack a complete and speedy recovery. If sending a card please send it to 55 Sunningfields Road, Hendon, NW4 4RA.

Barnet Archive.

The Barnet Archive is open again. It has completed the move from Daws Lane and is now housed on the top floor of Hendon Library. The address of Hendon Library is as follows: The Burroughs, Hendon, London. NW4 4BT Tel. No. 0208359 2628. Either Yasmine Webb and Hugh Petrie will be there to answer your queries. Parking is a nightmare in the area so try and use public transport if possible and do make an appointment in advance of your visit either by phone or email

Report on the first lecture of the 2010 Winter series by the speaker

Hard hats and stripy jumpers – Behind the Scenes With Time Team By Raksha Dave

Time Team has been at the forefront of popular television for the past 18 years. In October Time Team archaeologist, Raksha Dave came to HADAS to give us an inside perspective on how the show operates and most importantly how this fits into the archaeological arena today.

From the viewpoint of a professional archaeologist being asked to become a Time Team member has been both daunting and challenging. Indeed from day one and to the past 8 years of working on the programme I and the team constantly question what we do and how we are perceived by the public and our profession. Before I even started working on Time Team I shared many thoughts touted by the archaeological community. How do they manage to excavate in three days? Do they record and report their findings accurately and in a timely fashion? Does the telly-making process takeover? or is it just dumbing down archaeology?

The Three-Day Format

Tony Robinson’s opening gambit “we only have three days….” is often mind boggling. People don’t often realise that although the programme is filmed over a period of three days, hours of research, meetings and consultation has gone into making one episode of Time Team. At the beginning of every year a production team pours over a list of possible sites and determines whether sites are viable or if they fit into the category of community archaeology, rescue archaeology or ‘special’ sites i.e sites in inaccessible areas or in areas of special, scientific interest. The influx of viewer’s letters also determines whether or not there are any viable options to be explored. Time Team’s strength is going to communities and finding sites in places they wouldn’t perceive archaeology to be present. It isn’t until everything is thrown into the mix that the final cut is made and sites are chosen for the year.

So what about excavating in three days? Time Team is essentially a glorified archaeological evaluation which is commonplace in professional archaeological practice today. Often developer-led projects are evaluations where there are set questions asked within a brief. Time Team follows the same process with initial questions asked at the outset. The archaeology leads the direction of the programme and in some cases other questions may be asked and answered outside of the original brief. Throughout this process there is continuous consultation with field archaeologists, specialists, inspectors and directors (film and field!) that determine the strategy of the day. I often call this the ‘wikipedia effect’, there is always someone to talk to with an opinion, more information or an alternative interpretation. Knowledge of archaeological sites, finds and processes are not finite so having regional or local knowledge is very important in determining what you have or don’t have!

A fluid process

Time Team has pushed the boundaries of archaeological techniques over the past years and we are always looking at processes to make things better or to improve output over the three days without sacrificing quality. In the past Time Team have rightly been criticised for the lack of effective and punctual report writing. In 2003 the decision was made to bring in Wessex Archaeology to take over the process of post-excavation and writing the final report. This has worked very well with Wessex personnel on site during the excavating process and supervising the recording on the three days of filming and the fourth day of reinstatement. The report is normally completed within 6 months of excavation and is published on the Wessex website. Time Team also look at other ways to improve what information we can add to the archaeological record and often pioneer or test new forms of technology. The pioneering geophysics team are constantly building new geophysics hybrids to improve performance. One shoot involved trialling a hybrid magnetometer and GPS survey to give us a instantaneous geophysics results on a surveyed location grid. Other shoots have involved inviting other companies to use new technology and adapting their use to use on archaeological sites.

Just Entertainment?

The hardest part of this process is trying to relay this information to the public in an interesting and informative way. How do you make digging in a muddy field interesting? The process of excavating can be painstaking and tedious and packaging this into something informative and entertaining can be quite tricky. The programme aims to tell a story of an area or region. We have clear objectives of what this might be and we aim to try and relay this throughout the programme. That’s not to say the archaeology behaves itself! On several programmes we have had to change the shift of a story from Roman temple to Bronze Age Barrow or as in the case of Warburton in 2006 broadcasting an episode on finding absolutely nothing! However, the really interesting sites are the ones where we bring archaeology to communities. We have termed this ‘back garden archaeology’ when we get to dig within towns and villages and often end up digging up back gardens of the residents who have volunteered to lose their gardens for three days. Many of these sites have originated from letters sent in by viewers who have done research on their local area. I find this an interesting process as it becomes more intimate and personal. Last year we excavated in the back gardens and open field areas of a village called Litlington in Cambridgeshire. The premise was to test the theory that there was a high status Roman building in the village, a portion of which had been excavated by antiquarians in the 1800s. The residents of Litlington were completely engaged in the process and interested in what the archaeology could tell them about their village. More importantly however, it bought the community together; neighbours started talking to each other by visiting gardens that had been test-pitted and by the end of the three days had become firm friends. This is as satisfying as excavating a site, this for me brings to the forefront the relevance of archaeology today. Time Team already reaches 3 million people a week but to have such a direct effect on a group of people is in some way more worthwhile.

Further information

Time Team www.channel4.com/programmes/time-team

Post Excavation Reports www.wessexarch.co.uk/reports

Get Involved www.britarch.ac.uk

Young Archaeologists’ www.britarch.ac.uk/yac/

Battle of Britain HQ has been saved! By Stephen Brunning

On 15th September 2010 Harrow Council unanimously approved the application to create the long-hoped for museum on this historic site, the former RAF Bentley Priory, which closed in 2008. The developers have been committed to contributing approximately £9.5m to help maintain and run a Battle of Britain museum in the Grade II* listed house. Visitors will be able to see the ground floor office where Air Chief Marshal “Stuffy” Dowding worked, (as seen in the classic 1969 film ‘Battle of Britain’) and see a holographic recreation of the great man himself. As part of the deal, 103 private homes will be built on the upper floor and elsewhere on the site. It is expected to take 2 years to complete the transformation, and the Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust still needs to raise at least £1m in order to equip an education centre and renovate their collection.

Erica Ferguson, Executive Consultant of the Trust gave a lecture to HADAS on 9th March 2010, and the report of her talk on the history of RAF Bentley Priory can be found in the April newsletter.

For a history of the whole site, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Bentley_Priory

Report on the Council of British Archaeology’s Annual General Meeting

The Council for British Archaeology (CBA) held its Annual General Meeting at the Royal College of Pathologists in London on the 6th November 2010. After the customary business of approving the annual report and accounts the over fifty attendees listened attentively as the trustees and staff outlined a strategy for the next five years. The key themes were Increasing Participation (helping to get more people involved by initiating and promoting projects that attract and encourage greater public participation), Enhancing Discovery (by creating a better learning environment, improving publications etc.), Strengthening Advocacy ( continuing to champion archaeological causes by mobilising an informed public) and Developing Sustainability (ensuring that the historic and archaeological legacy is sustained against the ravages of climate change, bureaucratic interference etc., and that the CBA itself can secure its future by building its reserves and increasing its membership). The presentation of the strategy was followed by a highly entertaining talk by Michael Woods highlighting the archaeological aspects of his recent television series “The Story of England” told through the history and archaeology of Kibworth, a Leicestershire village. The AGM was followed by a reception at the House of Lords hosted by Lord Colin Renfrew.

North Finchley Congregational Church by Jim Nelhams

Many of you will remember that a church used to stand on Ballards Lane, North Finchley, close to Tally Ho Corner. This was originally called Finchley Common Congregational Church.

The railway reached New Southgate in 1850, making access to and from London much simpler and leading to a growth in the local population. In 1863, a group of influential nonconformist gentlemen met to discuss the building of a new Church, and they received encouragement from Mr John Hey Puget, a prominent nonconformist, though parish records show that he was baptised in the Church of England at St Andrews Holborn in 1803. Mr Puget lived at Poynters Hall, Totteridge, close to Totteridge church, and had already, with his mother, been responsible for the building of a Chapel in Totteridge Lane.

As well as encouragement, Mr Puget gave some land at North End, Finchley, and later added more in Dale Grove for the erection of a school building. Mr Puget and his daughter Hannah, and others laid foundation stones for the two buildings. The church and the school opened in 1864. In 1894, the church was extended – strangely, the funds for this were found by selling the school to the Baptist Church.

During the twentieth century, congregations dwindled in many churches, leading to the merger of various groups. Thus some church buildings became superfluous. In North Finchley, less than 200 yards from the Congregational Church stood Trinity Church in Nether Street – originally the Baptist Church, and the two church groups agreed to merge. So the Congregational Church and the now Baptist School were demolished providing funds for Trinity Church now designated Baptist/United Reformed Church to be renovated and further rooms to be added.

The Congregational Church disappeared. Or did it? There are at Trinity Church a number of stones rescued from Ballards Lane, including most of the foundation stones from 1864.

These are mainly displayed in the concourse on the west side of the church. One of these reads –

THIS MEMORIAL STONE

OF THE SCHOOLS

IN CONNECTION WITH THE

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

FINCHLEY COMMON

WAS LAID BY

Miss HANNAH PUGET

JUNE 23RD 1864

THE GROUND HAVING BEEN

PRESENTED BY HER FATHER

JOHN HEY PUGET ESQRE

Incidentally, Mr Puget was also a benefactor to St Andrews Church of England Church in Totteridge. When the churchyard became full, he donated land for an extension. Because it was not his church, he is not buried there, but there is a memorial to him inside the church.

Norfolk DAY 3 – Monday 30th August – BANK HOLIDAY

Trains and Stations Andy Simpson

The day started bright and early with a run to the privately (mainly volunteer) run Mid-Norfolk Railway at Dereham to join our reserved coach on the first train of the day. When we arrived in the station car park there was an instant ‘photo opportunity’ as there awaiting a comparison shot with our ultra-modern coach was a superb late-1950s vintage preserved ‘Bristol Lodekka’ doubler deck bus in Eastern Counties colours. Our driver was soon engaged in a technical conversation with her crew!

On a line dating back to 1847, our 11.5-mile, 40-minute steam hauled run was headed by former GWR design, but BR-built, pannier tank No. 9466 of 1952, one of the 200 or so steam locos rescued from the famous Woodham Bros. Barry Scrapyard in South Wales. Normally a resident of the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, she is a well-travelled loco, and in the 1990s was a stalwart of the late-lamented annual ‘Steam on the Met’ runs from Harrow to Amersham and Watford, following overhaul at Neasden LT depot. As the line concentrates on ‘Heritage Traction’ – historic ex BR main-line diesel locos and railcars like the ones I trainspotted in the 1970s/80s – this is normally the only steam loco on the line. Dereham station retains a very 1960s main-line feel, and the well-stocked souvenir shop there did a roaring trade – helped by a very tempting selection of second hand books.

The line closed to goods in 1989 and has been undergoing gradual restoration and tourist trains have run since 1995. The five miles or so of line north from Dereham via North Elmham to County School is also undergoing gradual restoration, though not open to the public as yet. More details from http://www.mnr.org.uk

After a leisurely run south through Yaxham, Thuxton, Hardingham and Kimberley Park, with several level crossings and views of pleasant countryside, we arrived at Wymondham Abbey station, and many of the group strolled to the nearby level crossing to watch the loco run round its train for the return journey, before we boarded the coach for the short run to the elegant Wymondham main line station, situated on the Norwich – Ely railway line. Here we enjoyed a leisurely coffee stop at the Brief Encounter Refreshment Room, obviously very popular with the locals – always a good sign. It is packed with a treasure trove of Railwayana (and a small shop) and themed to pay homage to the classic 1945 film ‘Brief Encounter’ (actually partly filmed at Carnforth Station, which was visited on a previous HADAS long weekend, together with its own similarly named restaurant). The station itself, with semaphore signals, signal box and junction with the Mid Norfolk Railway, offered plenty of photo opportunities.

We then departed for the magnificent Wymondham Abbey, already glimpsed from the train.

Wymondham Abbey Jeffrey Lesser

Wymondham Abbey has differing towers, one at each end of the present building. Founded in 1107 by William D’Albini as a Benedictine Priory as a dependency of St. Alban’s Abbey, it served also as Parish Church. This was the root of continued disputes with the townspeople. The monastery buildings were torn down at the Dissolution, leaving the present Parish Church with its two towers, as agreed by Henry VIII. The present Central Tower is a rebuild in 1409 of the weakened original Norman Tower.

The 12thC Nave of Caen stone has seventy angels carved in the 15thC. Above the altar the Nave is dominated by the impressive golden Screen and Tester with images and heraldry designed by Sir Ninian Comper in 1919 and finished in 1934. At each side of the altar is a low door in a wall erected by the laity to exclude the clergy from the Parish Church. It was built as a result of the disputes of monks and townspeople about the bells. The former objected to those of the latter, which could be rung independently: the latter objected to those of the former being hung higher and therefore being heard better than those in their own rebuilt Central Tower.

Within the Abbey, the 15thC hammer-beam roof with wooden and painted angels and stone corbels is of great beauty as is the 18thC brass chandelier which originally illuminated the Nave. Among other features of interest are the octagonal stone font of 1440 with some residual paint and a modern wooden spire cover; the mahogany organ case of 1793 and the main organ in the West Tower; the chamber organ of 1810 in the North Aisle; the terracotta Sedillia near the High Altar; the fascinating reversed monogram of flint inlaid into the column nearest the West Door.

The Abbey Church is still in everyday use as a particularly fine Parish Church.

As usual, not enough time to experience it properly!

Wymondham Heritage Museum Emma Robinson

Although not on our formal tour programme many (perhaps a majority) of our group visited this fascinating local museum – although some of us might have spent longer there if we had not first been diverted by the attractions of the real ale festival in the ancient Green Dragon Inn. For me the Museum was a real exemplar of what could be achieved at a local level by a voluntary group. It was no surprise, therefore, to learn later from the webpage (http://www.wymondhamheritagemuseum.co.uk/?p=home) that the Museum was a recipient of a prestigious Gulbenkian Award – being highly commended for the most outstanding achievement of a museum with limited resources.

Before coming to the Museum I knew very little about Wymondham – apart from that it possessed the fine remains of an Abbey. By the time I left to hurry back to the coach I felt much better informed about the history of the town and its people. The stated objective of the Museum was to tell the story of Wymondham through displays and collections – with a particular focus on introducing characters from the town’s past. This it achieved with great flair and made the history of the town come to life for people of all ages.

The Museum is an initiative of the Wymondham Heritage Society. It was first set up in a small bake-house in 1984. Ten years later the Society purchased the Bridewell and re-located the Museum there in 1996. The name Bridewell itself has fascinating origins. In 1553 one of Henry VIII’s palaces was converted into a House of Correction to deal with vagrants. It became know as Bridewell Palace – since it was near the Holy Well of St Bride in London. Other houses of correction then came to be called Bridewells. The building now houses other activities and resources for the Heritage Society – including the popular tearoom which is based in the original exercise yard for prisoners in the police remand cells. The space has been well used and the guiding round the Museum is particularly clear. Even the shop counter is the converted magistrate’s bench of the court once housed in the building.

In the time available it was not possible to do much more than to skim the surface of the Museum’s displays and collections. So perhaps it would be best just to give a few personal highlights. I did not know, for example, that the town had once been an important centre of the brush making industry – and home of the Briton Brush Factory. The working machinery, displays and photographs were further interpreted by an audio commentary of people who had worked in the industry. I really felt that the essence had been captured of what it must have been to work in the factory. The displays relating to Norfolk’s Home Guard and ‘Secret Army’ during World War II were fascinating – as was the history of Girl Guiding since the early 20th century and farming with horses in the early to mid-20th century. Visitors were repeatedly invited to help identify local individuals in photographs. The notion of people’s memories of the town in the recent past was explored most helpfully. The more distant past, however, was not forgotten and it was good to see archaeological displays focussing on particular periods of pre- and more recent history.

It would have been good to have more time to do justice to the Heritage Museum and I am also grateful to the voluntary staff for helping me make best use of my visit.

Forncett St Mary Industrial Steam Museum by David Robinson

I confess that I approached the trip to a display of stationary steam engines in the depths of the Norfolk countryside with some trepidation since the group already knew that none of the engines would be in steam for our visit. However, any doubts I may have had as to how interesting the museum or the tour might be were at once dispelled by three factors. First, the magnificent restoration work carried out on the machines themselves; second, the fact that a 1904 vintage mechanical piano was serenading the party with extracts from Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta Patience; and, third, the extraordinary enthusiasm and knowledge displayed by the owner / curator of the collection Dr Rowan Francis. Guided tours often add little to what the visitor sees but Dr Francis proved a notable exception to this rule, giving first class descriptions of the origins of the stationary engines and explaining how he had spent substantial parts of his career abroad to finance the purchases and restoration work.

One point that Dr Francis made is one which is, on reflection, obvious but will nevertheless bear repetition. For about 200 years (up to the 1960s) most of the manufacturing processes carried out in this country were powered by steam engines of the type on display. They were responsible for enabling such varied processes as lace making and vinegar production to take place and they were used too for other basic processes such a pumping water and raising bridges. When these fine engines became redundant it was possible to pick them up for relatively small sums of money; often little more than their scrap value but, as Dr Francis explained, purchasing an engine itself was the least of his worries. These came rather with the transport and restoration of the machines which were often in a sad state of disrepair. Thus Dr Francis, an anaesthetist by profession, had to turn himself into an engineer and learn how to strip down and rebuild engines. He explained further that the machines themselves are relatively simple to dismantle and reassemble and that (with only one exception) they are all now in working order. However, looking at the size and complexity of the machinery on display I think there may have been an excess in modesty in Dr Francis’ suggestion that restoration was a relatively straightforward matter.

A second issue mentioned by the doctor related to a number of the larger machines (particularly the beam engines) on display. For example, the Easton Andrews beam engine which had been used to pump water near Pontefract was of such a size that it needed to occupy its own building. Indeed, the building in which it was housed formed part of the engine itself in that it provided stability to enable the engine to work effectively. After the engine’s relocation to the museum huge “A” frames, built by Dr Francis and his team, had been used to stabilize the engine again. Here the need to take such measures again emphasizes the complexity of the work carried out. In addition, the group was shown a beam engine named “Spruce” constructed by Gimson and Company of Leicester (a firm which now incidentally manufactures stair lifts) that originally pumped a well which was 420 feet deep and was located near Tamworth. Again, the massive proportions of this engine required it to be properly housed for the sake of stability. It should not be thought however that all of the machines on display are large and indeed Dr Francis explained how he had started the collection with some of the smaller machines on show, partly due to the fact that they were easier to transport. These machines include, the earliest in the collection, a Corless value gear engine of 1873 which, despite its relative modest proportions, was responsible for providing power for all seven floors of a Nottingham lace factory.

Industrial historians often comment on the noise levels produced by a variety of the manufacturing processes employed in this country. However, a third point made by Dr Francis was that the machinery providing the power was relatively quiet. Indeed, when working the machines were silent, apart from the odd hiss of escaping steam. Thus, even a huge machine like the Worthington Simpson triple expansion engine of 1947 that had been used to pump water near Dover for the Folkestone and District Water Company was relatively quiet when working. The only noise to be heard after the acquisition of this machine by Dr Francis was from his bank manager who apparently felt that enough was enough. As a result of this the Dr was to spend three years in Saudi Arabia to earn enough professionally to keep the finances of his hobby “in the black”.

Probably the most famous stationary engine in the collection is the 147 h.p. Cross compound engine that was used to provide auxiliary power for opening Tower Bridge. This massive engine had actually been installed in 1943 to provide the main engines with support in the event of damage through enemy action. It became redundant with the introduction of new power sources in 1974 and Dr Francis and his team were able to transport it one Sunday morning in 1975: having secured the agreement of the Metropolitan Police to close Tower Bridge Road between 2 and 6 am. Dr Francis admitted that he had also almost closed Tottenham Court Road whilst attempting to remove a stationary engine from a J. Lyons Corner House. These are simply further examples of the enthusiasm with which Dr Francis has pursued the many and varied projects to restore these engines and he has more recently located and installed his own working boiler to provide steam for all of the much loved machines. He has even gone to the lengths of collecting rain water for the boiler and scavenging wood from any available source (notably cricket bat willow off cuts) to provide the fire. Thus, he has ensured that the whole of the project can truly be carried on “in house” and on his and his father’s property.

I raised one further issue with Dr Francis at the conclusion of the tour and this related to the possibility that railways might have been operated using stationary engines rather than locomotives. It is a little known fact that when the survey work was carried out at the time of the construction of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway (1827-1828) two individuals James Walker and John Rastrick were commissioned to produce a report as to the best means of providing power on the line. They had three options; horses, stationary engines or locomotives. A great deal of research was carried out and visits were paid by Walker and Rastrick to virtually all of the lines then in use; being chiefly in the north of England and used for transporting coal. The report ruled out the first option but actually came down in favour of the second largely on the grounds of cost. There was therefore the distinct possibility at the time that the first main line railway in England would be powered by engines of the type in Dr Francis’ collection. It was Dr Francis’ view that stationary engines, using a system of ropes or cables, would be quite capable of hauling heavy wagons over short distances – say from a pit head to a nearby port. However, he felt that the system would be far too inflexible for mainline working and that this was particularly the case where passengers rather than freight were of prime importance.

All in all the group were provided with an excellent and thoughtful entertainment by Dr Francis, his wife and his team who did not stint when it came to providing an excellent tea in the large refreshment room on the premises. I look forward to making a second visit to the museum this time to see the machines in steam.

Report on the second lecture of the winter 2010 series by Liz Gapp

The November lecture given to HADAS on 9th November 2010 was Archaeology and the Olympics given by David Divers who now works for Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA). David’s involvement with the Olympic site started when he was working at English Heritage. He is specifically involved with the site based in the Lower Lea Valley.

The site before the latest developments was a very dirty industrial area with areas of soil contamination. This was covered with electricity pylons which have now been removed.

This area has now been, or is still being, regenerated as a knock-on from the Olympics development which is virtually all on a flood plain. This area is (or was) crossed by several rivers which include the Lea, the City Mill, and the Channel Sea. To the North there were already some sports facilities and several bus depots.

Because of the size of the area, a Planning Authority was formed for the sole purpose of considering the Planning Applications for this area, and in the process Archaeology requirements were put on the site conditions.

Prior to the Olympic site development, very little archaeology was known on the site, although there is some in the vicinity including: a Bronze Age settlement at Oliver Close overlooking the flood plains, excavated about ten years ago; Old Ford Roman Road and settlement which is known to cross the site; Stratford Langthorne Abbey, which is a part scheduled ancient monument, the rest being unprotected; also at Stratford International Station there is Iron Age and Saxon activity on the Channel Sea Waterway. There was, however, potentially a lot of unidentified archaeology.

Development on the site was only started after considerable desk-based research to highlight the significant waterways which the committee had originally hoped to naturalize. Deposit modelling through archaeology showed the watercourses throughout history. Being a managed area, not totally natural, these were moved over time. In fact, these waterways had always been managed, so naturalizing would have changed the area detrimentally. Some bridges have been retained and refurbished; others have been removed as part of the Olympic project.

The Lea Valley Mapping Project of 2003 funded by the gravel extraction industry gave a geological stratigraphic picture of the site with the prehistoric era of the valley. An Archaeological interpretation of the area was completed to compare with the Geo-technical interpretation of the site, as a starting point.

Other surveys were: a Heritage Assessment of the Lower Lea Valley for Newham Council by Pre-Construct Archaeology; a cross-sections survey of the valley was completed to detect where settlements might have been; several OS Maps of the area including the 1st Edition were shown.

In the 1840s, Braithwaite’s viaduct was built at a time when the area was very rural. In the past water companies put several reservoirs on the site. In the Waterways 1930’s Water Act an attempt at regeneration was made using paths for horse-drawn boats all over the area.

The Metropolitan Board of works dealt with the Northern outfall sewer to which there is a plaque which includes a mention of Bazalgette. A slide showed the last Cast-Iron Sewer which went over the City Mill River.

Several slides were shown of buildings on the site before the Olympic project began. Those that were demolished for the project were recorded first. Some have been refurbished.

The area was used in the 2nd World War as the last line of defence, so several buildings still remain. A Pill Box and Tank Traps are still on the surface. About three metres down an Aircraft Battery was uncovered; apparently Mortimer Wheeler served there for a while. This was used as a Defence Training Centre and Early Warning Centre.

Once the buildings’ recording was complete, the decision as to where to site the 150 excavation trenches was made. There were no trenches in the North-West of the site, as the made ground was too deep.

The slides shown at this point were concentrated on site 25, where the Aquatic Centre is being built. A huge rectangular excavation in which a series of concentric stepped rectangles were dug within the original rectangle, it showed the very wet conditions that preserve artefacts in an anaerobic state. A sequence of samples was taken of the alluvial build-up of pollen and diatoms giving dates of organic deposits. Within the gravel is groundwater which can lead to isostatic uplift, which means the bottom of the trenches can blow up. As a result, the depth of the digging was restricted. Here was found revetments of an earlier waterway.

Digging in the river revealed an earlier 19C boat just north of the Olympic Stadium; this was in part of the river later moved, leaving the boat behind. This was lifted whole, joining the recovered artefacts kept in the repository stores at the LAARC in Eagle Wharf road.

Excavations found a Bronze Age settlement with traces of metalworking, and late Saxon/early Roman burials. They also found good evidence of the late Bronze/Neolithic traces in the water structure. The “best” artefact of this era was a Neolithic axe-head, which it was felt must have been a “ritual” offering as no traces of a haft was found, which, given the anaerobic conditions, would have been expected to survive.

Several water channels including the Roman revetments were found, but none of the medieval mills were found despite being shown on documentation. At the Northern end of Temple Mill, the 19C edge of the Channel associated with the Mill there was found. There were also 18C buildings associated with the Mill.

Other Societies activities and events by Eric Morgan

Fri. 3rd December, 10.30AM to 12.00 noon, Friends of Barnet Borough Libraries, South Friern Library, Colney Hatch Lane, N10 “175 years of the Welsh Harp Reservoir” Talk with coffee.

Wed. 8th December, 2.30 PM, Mill Hill Historical Society, Wilberforce Centre, St Paul’s Church, The Ridgeway, NW7 “ The R.N.L.I.” Talk by Keith Cunningham.

Tues. 14th December, 6.30 PM, LAMAS, Clore Learning Centre, Museum of London, London Wall, EC2 “How the Portable Antiquities Scheme is changing our understanding of Roman coin use in London & Britain” Talk by Sam Moorhead. Coffee at 6.00 PM.

Wed. 15th December, 8.00 PM, Islington Archaeological and Historical Society, Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, N1. “40 years of The Camden History Society”, Talk by John Richardson. With seasonal refreshments.

Thur. 16th December, 7.30PM, Camden History Society, Burgh House, New End Square, NW3 “ A Grand Merchant Taylors’ Feast in 1606” Talk by Dr. Ann Saunders (past President of HADAS) with seasonal refreshments from 7.00PM.

No. 476 NOVEMBER 2010 Edited by Stephen Brunning

HADAS DIARY Christmas Dinner Postponed: We hope more details of an event in January will be in next month’s Newsletter.

Tuesday, 9th November 2010, Archaeology and the Olympics. Lecture by David Divers. 7.45 for 8pm, Drawing Room, Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley, N3 3QE. Non-members £1.

The archaeological work associated with the London 2012 Olympics commenced as early as 2003 when London’s two largest archaeological organisations, Museum of London Archaeology (formally MoLAS) and Pre-Construct Archaeology joined forces to provide archaeological services for London’s Olympic bid. The talk will focus on the work of the MoLAS-PCA team in identifying the significance of the Lower Lea Valley’s

archaeology and heritage, and the subsequent investigations to record and understand the site’s archaeology before its transformation into the Olympic park. Subsequent analysis of the results of the MoLAS-PCA work is currently being progressed by Wessex Archaeology.David Divers has been involved in the project since 2003 while working for Pre-Construct Archaeology, but became increasingly involved after joining English Heritage in 2004 where he provided archaeological planning advice to the host boroughs and the Olympic Delivery Authority. David has recently left English Heritage to

join MOLA so he, like MOLA and PCA, are unfortunately no longer involved in the project.

Lectures for 2011

Tuesday 11th January 2011

Jane Siddel: Science as a tool to help understand London’s archaeology

Tuesday 8th February 2011

Richard Stein: The Roman Wooden Water Pump – an ingenious machine

Tuesday 8th March 2011

Keith J Fitzpatrick-Matthews: The Archaeology of Baldock

Tuesday 12th April 2011

Dr Robin Woolven: Bomb Damage in London and Middlesex

Tuesday 10th May 2011

Ken Brereton: The Markfield Beam Engine – the influence of effluence

Tuesday 11th October 2011

Dr John Creighton: Silchester -: the revelation of an Iron Age and Roman city

Tuesday 8th November 2011

Nathalie Cohen: The Thames Discovery Programme

Change of lecture format Stephen Brunning

Up to now, HADAS have been advertising the lecture season from October to May. However, in line with other societies we have decided to change them to run on a calendar year basis from now on..

Norwich Trip Day 2 Jim Nelhams

Firstly, Jo and I would like to thank our fellow travellers for the kind gift that was sent to us. Back to the plot…..

Following a busy day on our way to Norwich, the intention of Day 2 was to stay in the Norwich area and not cover much distance. Our starting point was the Roman town at Caistor St Edmund. Then we would drive into Norwich and, following a guided tour of the city in our coach, our intrepid travellers would decide where they would like to visit. Pocket money was issued to at least partially cover any admission costs.

Caistor St Edmund Sheila Woodward

As we all know, “the best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley.” Our scheduled arrival at Caistor St Edmund was somewhat delayed: first by the incompatibility of old narrow country lanes and a huge modern coach, and secondly by a Bank Holiday parade. But it did give us a chance to admire our coach driver’s superb skill in driving his monster vehicle backwards – thank you, Dave! We began our visit to Caistor St Edmund at its church, a pleasant unpretentious building (still in regular use) with a 950 year old nave which incorporates some “robbed” Roman tiles. The church and its manor were given by Edward the Confessor to the Abbey of Bury St Edmunds, hence the dedication. The chancel and tower basically date from the 13th and 14th centuries but changing needs and fashions have produced many alterations. There are 13th century lancet windows in the chancel, some 15th century glass in both chancel and nave, and

faded traces of medieval wall painting in the nave. The showpiece of the church is its fine stone 15th centuryfont. The sides of its octagonal bowl display carved emblems of the four evangelists (winged man, winged lion,

winged ox and eagle) alternating with angels holding armorial shields. The bowl is raised on a stem decorated

with carved lions. A truly noble vessel.

It was slightly disconcerting to discover the church being used as a (temporary) finds store and refreshment base

by the archaeological team which had just opened up a trench in the churchyard! But this post-Roman church

and graveyard fit neatly into the underlying Roman town street pattern, which may indicate continuity from an

earlier church of late Roman date. No other post-Roman structures have been found on the site. The Roman

town was of course the focus of our visit to Caistor. We were met at the church by Will Bowden, director of

Nottingham University’s current excavations and he led us on a tour of the vast site.

Venta Icenoram (its Roman name) means “market place of the Iceni”. It is mentioned in the Antonine Itinerary.

and was the centre of one of the local civil administration areas set up by the Romans in the later 1st century

AD, largely based on the existing Iron Age tribal areas. The Iceni are best remembered in history and legend for

their anti-Rome revolt led by Boudica (Boadicea) in AD61, and its brutal suppression. The creation of Venta

Icenorum as a civitas capital or “county town” seems to have begun shortly afterwards and the layout of the

street grid has been dated to about AD70. The massive town-walls, constructed of stone and flint with an inner

earth rampart, were built two centuries later and are now the chief visible remains of the Roman town. The fate

of town and inhabitants after the 4th century disintegration of the Roman Empire is unknown. There is no

evidence of Saxon settlement within the town, though plenty in the area surrounding it. The Roman town

interior seems to have crumbled away gradually and by the 9th or 10th century Norwich had become the regional

centre.

The mighty walls of old Caistor remained very visible and attracted the attention of antiquarians from William

Camden (16th/17th century) onwards but the interest was speculative and rather passive. It was only in 1928,

following a very dry summer, that aerial photographs revealed spectacular details of the Roman street lay-out

and sparked off a new active enthusiasm. It was short-lived: excavation of the Roman town was carried out

between 1929 and 1935 but was never fully written up or published, and activity at Caistor again languished.

However, interest in the site continued, with most beneficial results. A generous bequest in 1984 and grants in

1992 secured the preservation of the site. It is now owned by the Norfolk Archaeological Trust, is managed

jointly by the Trust and South Norfolk Council, and has been open to the public since 1995.

One of the best views of the site is from the London to Norwich railway line. Will Bowden recalls looking at it

as he travelled regularly to and from the University of East Anglia and thinking how many archaeological

questions might be answered by excavating there. It is one of the rare (in Europe) examples of a major Roman

town which has never been re-occupied and so is unaffected by later building work. Silchester and Wroxeter are

further examples. Last year, Dr Bowden’s objective was achieved and excavation at Caistor re-commenced.

In 2009, digging was confined to an area just south of the town; the remains of a 4th century Roman burial were

uncovered. Now, for the first time in 75 years, excavation has moved inside the town. As we walked across the

site from the church to the main trenches near the north wall, we were able to identify the street grid which had

been marked out in white lines (14km of them!) painted on the grass. The size of the place is breathtaking. The

excavation which will last for three weeks was already producing vast quantities of artefacts: coins, pottery,

metalwork, bones, etc. The unusually large number of iron styli emphasises the importance of written records in

an administrative centre. The 1929 dig seems to have produced similar evidence. The range and quantity of

animal remains suggest that butchering took place within the town walls, indicating a close link between the

town and its rural hinterland. A clearer picture of town life and activities is beginning to emerge. Some of the

recent finds were on display at the site centre; finds from earlier digs are in Norwich Castle Museum. According

to the local press, the archaeological team “is planning to dig deeper and see if it can discover evidence linking

the settlement to East Anglia’s Iceni queen, Boudica.” Remnants of her chariot perhaps? Or they might even

find clues to her burial place!

The return walk to our coach took us up and over those imposing walls of Venta Icenorum. Breasting the slope

in a howling gale certainly increased one’s admiration for the toughness and skill of those Roman builders.

Guided Tour of Norwich Patrick McSharry

Our tour of Norwich was led by John Marriage, a blue badge tourist guide, who provided us with an

informative, entertaining and eclectic mix of information. This was a coach sightseeing tour lasting 90 minutes.

Given the inclement weather that afternoon we were glad to be under cover even though it was very much a

whistle stop tour.

We learnt that Norwich had enjoyed the distinction of being the second greatest city of England. Indeed it was

the largest walled town in medieval England although today there is little visual evidence of the walls

themselves. It was the Anglo-Saxons who first settled the area besides the river Wensum and the ancient

settlement of ‘Northwic’ – as it was originally called and from which the city got its name – was first recorded in

Saxon times. Following the Norman Conquest Norwich became a thriving trading centre, equalling in

importance the City of London.

Today the sky-line of Norwich is dominated by two cathedrals. The first is the Anglican Cathedral dedicated to

the Holy and Undivided Trinity which was begun in 1096 and completed in 1145 (though only consecrated in

1276). It was founded by the first Bishop of Norwich, Herbert de Losinga, and is the most complete Norman

Cathedral in the country. It was a Benedictine foundation and was built of Caen stone (a pale honey-coloured

limestone transported over from Normandy) together with Norfolk flints and stone from Northamptonshire.

This edifice is defined by its imposing spire (315 feet in height) which is the second highest in England (after

Salisbury Cathedral – at 404 feet) and has the largest surviving monastic cloister in the country. It also enjoys

the distinction of being one of the finest complete Romanesque buildings in Europe as well as having the

biggest collection of decorative bosses in Christendom. What is more, the Cathedral Close is one of the largest

in England. We were able to view the Cathedral spire from St. James’s Hill on Mousehold Heath.

The second of the two cathedrals is the Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and enjoys the distinction of

being the second largest Catholic cathedral in the UK. Interestingly enough, Norwich is one of the few English

cities to have two cathedrals. It was built between 1882 and 1910 to designs by George Gilbert Scott and

funded by Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk. It is located on one of the highest points in the city

and “its style is said to be 13th century early English, a fine example of revival architecture.” For most of its

history it served as a parish church until 1976 when it was consecrated as a cathedral church for the newly

created Catholic Diocese of East Anglia and the seat of the Bishop of East Anglia.

The history of Norwich has also been defined by its castle which today is regarded as architecturally the most

ambitious secular Norman building in Europe. It was built as a royal palace 900 years ago. Originally it was

constructed as a wooden fortification though later replaced by (Caen) stone. This was testament to the fact that

Norwich was such an important city. It was the only Norman castle to be built in the whole of East Anglia.

From the 14th century it was used as a prison, only becoming a museum in 1894. Its exhibits include fine art,

natural history and archaeology. This museum boasts the biggest collection of paintings by the Norwich School

of Artists, has the largest collection of ceramic teapots in the world and the largest collection of provincial civic

regalia in the UK.

We were further informed by John that Medieval Norwich had 57 churches within the city walls but only 31 of

these churches still exist today. That said, the city continues to be dominated by its churches and it still remains

the fact that Norwich has more medieval churches than any city north of the Alps. Not all of those churches

continue to be used as places of worship. In fact only eleven churches are still open for that purpose. During

the 1960s the Church of England, mindful of the ever dwindling population (due in part to schemes of

redevelopment) in the city centre (becoming more commercial and less residential) and declining churchgoing,

reached the conclusion that there was no longer a need for so many churches. During the 1970s and 80s

schemes of redundancy were implemented. The majority of those churches that were closed remain under the

care of Norwich Historic Churches Trust. Many of them took on new identities, very often as arts & craft

centres, community centres, and cultural centres. One was relieved to hear that the largest medieval church, St

Peter Mancroft, with its dominating tower (located on one side of the market place) still continues to be a place

of worship. It is sometimes mistaken for Norwich Cathedral. It was built in the mid 15th century and enjoys a

long tradition of bell-ringing. The second largest medieval church in Norwich, the Church of St. Andrew, also

continues as a place of worship. It is regarded as “one of the finest examples of East Anglian ecclesiastical

architecture.”

Other buildings of historical interest which we had the opportunity of viewing (though at speed) from our coach

included the St Andrew’s and Blackfriars’ Halls. These Halls were constructed over six hundred years ago and

were an integral part of the medieval precinct of the Dominican or Black Friars – in effect monasteries. After

the dissolution of the monasteries both buildings came under the control of the civic authorities and today both

Halls hosts a range of activities from conferences to fairs and even an annual beer festival. We also caught

sight of Surrey House, one of the most elegant and opulent Edwardian office buildings in Britain. It is the

headquarters for Aviva (formerly known as Norwich Union). It took 12 years to complete. The main hall

(known as Marble Hall) is made of the finest Italian marble. We were told that the hall contained 40 columns

comprising 15 different types of marble. The staircase is also of marble construction. The marble was originally

meant for Westminster Cathedral but the prohibitive cost forced the cathedral authorities to abandon its

acquisition and George Skipper, responsible for the construction of Surrey House, purchased the consignment,

and, as they say, the rest is history.

Three other structures worthy of mention which we flew past were the Assembly Room, used as a “House of

Assemblies” for the gentry of Norwich. Like so many other listed buildings in the centre of the city, this is now

a venue for visual and performing arts as well as hosting weddings, conferences and exhibitions. The present

structure is essentially a Georgian townhouse (“originally the site of a 13th century hospital and a secular college

and church for priests, who lived a communal life in the surrounding hall and cloisters”) and was for a time

used by Norwich High School for Girls. Also of interest was the City Hall completed in 1938 which enjoys the

distinction of holding the largest clock bell in the UK. The interior is art deco in style and the entrance is

defined by its bronze lions that greet visitors to the building. Like the two Cathedrals it dominates the skyline.

It would be a mistake, however, to conclude that Norwich has failed to modernise or lives in a time warp

architecturally speaking. New, innovative structures can be seen in the centre of the city and the Forum, the

landmark Millennium building for the East of England, is a stunning example of 21st century design. Its

prominent location sitting as it does on a pre-conquest settlement was a £65million project with the main

section forming an enclosing horseshoe. What is more, the structure connects with the distant past in the sense

that the glass façade forms a stunning entrance and embraces the church tower of St. Peter Mancroft referred to

earlier.

One of the highlights of the tour was our visit to Mousehold Heath to get a panoramic view of the city and its

many significant buildings. This vantage point is dominated by HM Prison a category B/C multi-functional

prison for adult and juvenile males. This opened as a prison in 1887, on the site of the Britannia Barracks. We

were informed that it had the best equipped elderly lifer unit in the country. The prison’s commanding view

looking over the city of Norwich puts it in the premier league for being the most attractive situated prison in the

country. Now that I am a senior citizen it seems eminently sensible that, should I experience a reckless moment

necessitating custodial sentence, HM Prison Norwich would be my preferred choice. What a temptation!

No tour of Norwich would be complete without reference to Norwich City Football Club also known as The

Canaries or “The Yellows”. John Marriage was astute enough to realise that failure to pass the stadium might

easily have resulted in a mass protest from our group whether we were supporters or not. We learnt that the

celebrated Delia Smith (television cook and writer) and her husband Michael Wynn-Jones took over the

majority of Norwich City’s shares in 1996.

I have to say that we received so much factual information during our tour that the brain became addled.

However three facts that stand out about Norwich were (1) that Edith Cavell (1865-1915), British nurse,

humanitarian and alleged spy, was born in Swardeston, a village near Norwich, and her body reburied at the

east side of Norwich Cathedral; (2) that Norwich is home to Caley’s Chocolate which uses only the finest

ingredients in all its products – their chocolate bars, for example, contain no vegetable fats and have a high

percentage of cocoa solids, making them ideal for chocolate lovers (Caley’s have been making chocolate since

1883); and finally (3) that Norwich is home to Jarrolds a large, family run department store, a rare occurrence

these days. Other facts and observations will doubtless coming flooding back to the readers of this article.

There are, I am sure, things that I have neglected to mention or have simply forgotten. The frailties of memory

I’m afraid! I make no apologies other than to say (in my defence) I have slept since the 29th August.

At the end of the tour we disembarked from the coach on the opposite side to the City’s theatre and spent the

next two-and-a-half hours visiting sites of historical and/or archaeological significance. My brother and I chose

to visit the Anglican cathedral and attend Evensong. We then took a leisurely walk through the city to meet our

coach. It had been a roller-coaster of a day but so enjoyable. My final reflection is this: Norwich is a joy.

Janus-like it looks to its past and to its future: honouring, preserving and cherishing its traditions; and yet

embracing the future as exemplified in its architectural development, the entrepreneurship of the Canaries and

its defiance of global corporatism in the vibrancy of Jarrolds.

6

Visit to Norwich Cathedral Jean Bayne

We entered the Cathedral through the twenty-first century Hostry, the new Educational and Visitor Centre, with

its modern wood and glass structures. It is sensitively designed to resonate with the purpose of the original

medieval Benedictine building for the care and hospitality of pilgrims for which it was constructed. Airy, light

and welcoming, it complements the traditional grandeur and magnificence of the Cathedral itself.

Norwich Cathedral was started in 1096 and finished by 1145 – as much a sign of the power of the Normans as of

the glory of God. A great deal of the architecture has survived in spite of fire, riots, lightning, hurricanes, the

Peasants Revolt and the Black Death, the Reformation, the Puritans and the Civil War and two World Wars!

There was destruction, however, but two major events in the past saved it from wholesale decimation. In 1538,

the Benedictine monks surrendered voluntarily to Henry VIII and were immediately re-founded as a secular

institution with no material destruction. And, secondly, the Puritans were prevented from following through

their plan to pull down the Cathedral and use the stone to repair the piers and work places of Great Yarmouth,

by the Restoration in 1660.

Though additions and replacements, particularly of the wooden roof by Gothic stone vaulting and the spire by

brick encased in stone in the 15th century and stained glass in the 19th and 20th have taken place as ‘natural

evolution’, they have enhanced rather than destroyed the particular character of this beautiful edifice. However,

I like to imagine what it was like when the cathedral was painted in bright colours as it was in the Middle Ages.

All that remains on the original Caen stone now are a few scraps of wall painting.

The elegant nave, long and narrow though beautifully proportioned, with its fat Romanesque columns is intact

from floor level to the clerestory, extending by 14 arcades. The two spiralled columns probably mark the place

of the original altar table. The roof is set with carved and painted bosses which, unusually, are narrative in

character and tell the biblical story from both the Old and New Testaments. (There are 1,106 bosses in the

cathedral as a whole.) There is also a central hole or vent in the roof which may have been used to hang an

angel with burning incense, the smoke from which signified prayers flying up to God. When we visited, the

glorious visual impact of the nave was complemented by an atmosphere of reverence and awe created by a choir

from Hertfordshire practising for Evensong.

Some features of Norwich Cathedral are particularly intriguing as they reflect local links. For example, the

copper font was a gift from the now defunct Rowntree chocolate factory: an imaginative and modern addition. I

also liked the Peace Globe in the North Transept with a space for prayer for reconciliation and understanding in

the world. From inside the globe, spirals of lighted candles shine out. Also in the North Transept, there is an

affectionate wall inscription to a ‘singing man,’ Osberto Parsley, who sang at the Cathedral during the reigns of

4 monarchs for fifty years from 1535 to 1585 and survived all the upheavals of the 16th century. He was clearly

a much loved local figure.

Beyond the pulpitum screen in the nave, the choir stalls are in the same position as those of the Benedictine

monks and the earliest ones date from 1420. Many are misericords and are highly decorative, featuring flowers,

leaves and faces rather than biblical imagery. Most recently Norwich City Football Club donated a misericord at

the Millennium, with carvings of players and supporters. St Luke’s Chapel also has a local connection as it was

used by the Guild of St Luke, representing the plumbers and glaziers of the city of Norwich. Now it houses a

rare and well preserved reredos depicting the crucifixion which dates from 1381, painted on 5 joined oak

boards. It was re-discovered in 1847 as the oak boards had been used as a table with the painted side down in

order to hide them during the Civil War!

Nearly all the stained glass is Victorian apart from a few fragments of medieval glass which have been saved.

But in the North Transept, there are six new twentieth century windows. Three came from St Stephen Walbrook

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in London and three more were added in a sympathetic way by a later artist and, although all are clearly

modern, they blend in with the decorative style of the Cathedral.

In contrast, the earliest phase of Christianity is symbolized by the Presbytery which is modelled on the basilica

of the Imperial Palace in the ancient Roman city of Trier in Germany. The Bishop’s throne stands here, echoing

the position of the seat of the chief officer of the old basilica. Norwich is the only northern cathedral with the

throne still in this position. The Presbytery reflects three medieval building periods which resulted in greater

light and beauty in the windows and roof design.

I have highlighted a few aspects of Norwich Cathedral which interested me. But there are many other wonderful

objects and places. The link between the beginnings of the building and subsequent centuries is evident

everywhere within the cathedral. St. Catherine’s Chapel, for example, reserved for silent prayer, has quotations

from T.S.Eliot on the door: ‘The still point of the turning world’. A Latin inscription on the richly carved

pulpitum screen reads: ‘this work was started in 1463 and finished in 1833’ Moreover, the cloisters, which took

over 100 years to reconstruct (1297- 1430), show changing tracery patterns and events down the centuries

including Thomas à Becket and the visit of Queen Elizabeth the First. (Time also stands still: there is a game

played by the monks carved into one of the stone benches, still visible) The twenty-first century has already

been represented by, firstly, a stepping stone labyrinth in the middle of the cloister which symbolises a

continual journey on a path to the centre, suggesting a spiritual journey or pilgrimage. This was to

commemorate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee (2002). And, secondly, at the Millennium carved figures of two

people who were important in the history of the Cathedral and the city were placed on the west front of the

Cathedral: St Benedict, whose rule the monks followed, and Mother Julian, a mystic hermit who lived in

Norwich in the fourteenth century.

New additions are integrated into the ancient structure in a subtle, imaginative way which in no way detracts

from the impact of the whole. It suggests a living, vibrant institution, closely attuned both to its own

congregation and the outside world, following the traditions of hospitality, worship and learning laid down by

the Benedictines many centuries ago.

Norwich Castle Deirdre Barrie.

“This does not include battlements or dungeons,” said the entrance ticket to the Castle. But it did include entry

to the main keep, the natural history gallery, two art galleries, the Anglo-Saxon and Viking galleries and a

special Boudica (spelt with one “c”) gallery – good value for £5.

Norwich Castle is one of the city’s most famous landmarks – the square, light keep is all that remains of a

complex of buildings. William the Conqueror’s only castle in East Anglia stands four-square on a motte, with

unusual external decoration of blank arcading. It replaced over ninety Anglo-Saxon houses on a natural mound.

The pre-Norman defences are thought to have been merely ditches and walls against sea raiders; but by 1075

the timber castle had been built, followed by the 1120 building, roughly seventy feet high, of flint faced with

stone brought from Caen. (The building was refaced in 1835-8 with Bath stone.) At the top of the walls there is

still a fighting gallery, a high walkway within the walls (from which visitors are banned by Health & Safety).

The castle was built as a royal palace, and inside the keep is a splendid illuminated model showing scenes of

life in the castle during the reign of King Henry I.

The building was in use as a jail for hundreds of years until it was bought by the city in 1887 for use as a

museum / art gallery. The castle has been besieged several times and in the 16th century an army of rebels led

by Robert Kett and his brother protested in vain against the enclosure of common land by landlords. The

rebellion failed, and in 1549 Robert Kett was hanged from the castle walls.

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Autumn/ Winter exhibitions at Church Farmhouse Museum Gerrard Roots

The Phoenix Cinema: 100 Years (2 October 2010- 3 January 2011)

The Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley, which is celebrating its centenary, is one of the oldest surviving purpose

built cinemas in the UK. In its many incarnations over the past hundred years (from the Picturedrome to the

Coliseum to the Rex) it has survived two world wars, the doldrums in cinema-going from the 1950s onwards,

and the arrival of the multiplexes in the 1980s. The Phoenix has just re-opened after a £1 million restoration,

funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Millions of people have seen films at this unique venue (currently 70,000 admissions a year) and among its

many fans and supporters are its Patrons: Mike Leigh, Ken Loach, Maureen Lipman, Bill Patterson, Michael

Palin, Mark Kermode, Judi Dench and Victoria Wood.

This touring exhibition tells the story of the Phoenix and its competitors in the boroughs of Barnet and

Haringey, and is augmented here with material from the Cinema Museum, LB Barnet’s Archives and the

Phoenix itself.

The exhibition is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Film London and the UK Film Council’s Digital Film

Archive Fund, supported by the National Lottery.

‘A sin but not a crime’: the Restoration and the Regicides

The Museum is also displaying for the first time in London, an exhibition on loan from the Cromwell

Museum at Huntingdon on the grim fate of those signatories to the death warrant of Charles I in 1649

after the restoration of Charles II in 1660. (9 October 2010- 9 January 2011).

Christmas Past

Church Farm’s 1850s dining room will be decorated for a Victorian Christmas from 6 December to 6

January, and between the same dates we will be displaying Christmas cards created especially for the

Museum by the calligraphers of the North London Lettering Association.

Church Farmhouse Museum, Greyhound Hill, London NW4 4JR. Tel 0208 359 3942. Admission free.

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Proposed demolition of the White Bear Public House – The Burroughs Peter Pickering

Many members will recollect fondly the White Bear Public House almost opposite Hendon Town Hall.

According to the history of the environs of St John the Evangelist, West Hendon (published in 1996 or

thereabouts), “The White Bear has a long history. Originally the alehouse was named simply The Bear and

adopted the “White” at the time of the Wars of the Roses. After the second Battle of St. Albans London

declared for York and the Earl of March became Edward IV, hence the ‘White Bear.”

After vicissitudes, in which it became a Firkin pub with an alliterative name, then reverted to its old name, and

finally a Fried Chicken emporium, there is a planning application to demolish it and replace it with a building

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of up to five storeys (plus two basement levels) comprising a retail unit, 14 self-contained dwellings,

landscaping and car parking. The application has attracted a large number of objections (no doubt from some

who want to keep the pub and from others who do not mind its loss but think the replacement monstrous). I

have objected on behalf of HADAS emphasising that since the site is very important archaeologically,

being within one of the early medieval hamlets of Hendon and opposite the Burroughs Gardens site where

HADAS found medieval remains in 1972. No consent for redevelopment should be given without stringent

conditions requiring a full archaeological investigation, including excavation, before any construction begins

on the site. No doubt English Heritage will insist on an archaeological condition, but Barnet’s planners must

understand that there are strong feelings locally about this. I expect the application will go to a Planning

Committee of the Council before Christmas, and shall look out for it.

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Who invented the barcode? Stewart Wild

There’s something that nearly everyone uses every day, all over the world, and that has been adopted by over a

million companies. Every time we go shopping, check in for a flight or just buy a newspaper, it’s right by us.

Even those tiny stripes that appear on almost every letter we receive are an example.

So who invented the barcode? And when?

Amazingly, it was over sixty years ago, in 1949, that Norman Woodland, a lecturer in mechanical engineering

at Drexel University, Pennsylvania, was asked by a supermarket manager to design an electronic checkout

system. Later, having moved to Florida, Woodland pondered the idea while sitting on a beach. Drawing Morse

Code in the sand, he extended the lines and created the first version of the iconic uneven stripes.

He patented the design, but prior to the invention of the laser it had little practical application. Thus in 1952,

while working for IBM, he sold the rights, for very little, to a small company, Philco, later absorbed by RCA.

Coincidentally, he was still working for IBM in the late Sixties when his invention came back to him, so to

speak, as IBM took over some of RCA’s products. The Universal Product Code, as it was known, was

developed in the Seventies into the practical sales aid we know today.

Now nearly 90, and living in a retirement home in New York, Woodland still gets a kick out of being known as

the “father of barcodes”.

If anyone would like to read the full, complicated story, and get to grips with the technical details, it’s all here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcode

Remember this the next time you go shopping!

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CBA Annual Study Weekend – Cornwall October 2010 David and Emma Robinson

The weekend was hosted by the Council for British Archaeology South West Region and based in Truro. We

thank all those who helped to make the event such a great success; in particular, in Cornwall Caradoc Peters,

Adam Spring, and Tony Blackman (President of the Cornwall Archaeological Society and Chairman of the

Cornwall Heritage Trust) and nationally Mike Heyworth (Director of the CBA) and his team. Thanks too to all

the speakers, guides and volunteers who gave freely of their time and helped make the weekend so memorable.

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The caterers were excellent; for example, after a busy day in the field the delicious authentic Cornish pasties at

Truro College. And the weather was glorious! This was fortunate since much of the programme took place in

the field. However, peoples’ inclinations and walking abilities were taken into account and this was reflected in

the options offered. This was clearly welcomed and may well have been a reason why the weekend was more

than fully subscribed. The two main themes of the programme were the iconic prehistoric landscapes of Bodmin

Moor and the Cornish Mining Landscape around Camborne and Redruth – the latter a World Heritage Site.

We travelled down by train. The length and slowness of the journey reminded us that even now Cornwall is a

remote part of the country. Our first visit was a fascinating guided tour of the Cornish Archaeology Collections

at the Royal Cornwall Museum by their curator Jane Marley. The displays told the story of settlement in

Cornwall and proved helpful in putting our site visits into context. Indeed, before returning to London we

returned to the Museum for a more detailed personal perusal – not only of the archaeological collections, but

also the other impressive regional collections.

In this short piece it is impossible to give more than a flavour of the weekend. It is difficult to make a selection

since we were spoilt for choice. But rather than to give an overview we have chosen to single out a few

personal highlights which we believe for us most strongly resonated with the selected themes for the weekend.

On Friday evening we were welcomed by Sarah Shobrook, Head of Higher Education at Truro College and

Mike Heywood. Mike spoke of some of the challenges facing CBA and reminded us of the difficult financial

climate we now face. He further reminded us that it is only with the support of individuals such as ourselves

that they are able to continue their work to promote “Archaeology for All” – together with the wide-ranging

services that CBA offers in the UK. He was followed by the 32nd Beatrice de Cardi Lecture introduced by

Professor Charles Thomas CBE, former Director of the Institute of Cornish Studies and Honorary Vice-

President of the CBA. Beatrice, the distinguished first secretary of the CBA, graced us with her presence. She is

also notable for having worked in the field with Sir Mortimer Wheeler. This keynote paper was given by Pete

Herring of English Heritage and entitled “The Historic Landscape Characterisation programme and its origins in

Cornwall”. Cornwall Historic Environment Service pioneered the methodology for Historic Landscape

Characterisation – publishing the study of the whole county in 1996. The study sought to establish and map the

predominant historic landscape character of each parcel of land in Cornwall. The technique is becoming

increasingly sophisticated as the possibilities of technology are harnessed. Most of England is now covered.

The presentation highlighted the power of this tool for the identification, protection and management of land

with cultural and natural heritage value.

One of the most persuasive speakers on Saturday was Tony Blackman (see above), a distinguished amateur

archaeologist and keen observer of the Bodmin landscape. He explained how he and his wife had recently

discovered a new type of standing (or rather leaning) stone that is kept in place by being propped up from

underneath by a smaller, though extremely substantial, stone. However, Tony chose to take as his main theme

the radical alterations occurring in the landscape as a result of changes in environmental management practices

from the early 1990s. In essence the number of sheep, cattle and ponies grazing the moor was cut substantially

with the result that vegetation (notably bracken) has colonized areas which previously had been controlled by

grazing. A series of photographs taken over a fifteen year period demonstrated the truth of the argument and

showed just how difficult it has become to identify sites which were obvious even ten years ago. Certainly, we

have to admit that without expert guidance we would not have located many of the monuments on the moor.

Tony added that at some sites Natural England are now engaged in using chemical sprays to keep the ground

relatively clear – an ironic outcome given that it was their policy to reduce grazing in the first instance.

The accuracy of Tony’s words was brought home to us during our last field trip of the weekend when we visited

the Carn Brea prehistoric sites. This hill top stronghold has massive defensive walls around it but the growth of

bracken and gorse was so extensive that it was only possible to distinguish them as bumps covered in

vegetation.

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Turning to the second main theme of the conference, that of mineral extraction and its impact on the natural

landscape, most of Sunday was spent in the Camborne and Redruth area. An excellent series of presentations

was given at Pool Mines but, as ever, the speakers were pressed for time – a great pity since each one had a

good deal of interesting material. The first speaker on this occasion (other than the Lord Lieutenant of the

County) was Phil Hosken who gave an excellent and humorous account of mining in the locality from the

origins of the Industrial Revolution with particular reference to the development of the vacuum and steam

engines in Cornwall as a response to the demands of deep mining. He also paid due regard to the late Fred

Dibnah and his popularisation of industrial archaeology and heaped Cornish praise on him because Fred never

mentioned the invention of the steam engine without reference to Richard Trevithick as being responsible.

Emphasis was also laid on the fact that, whilst George Stephenson will always be associated with the successful

development of the locomotive, Cornishmen were at the forefront of its actual invention and practical

application. As Phil expressed it “it is always the second mouse that gets the cheese”. The group was also

fortunate in being able to see (at the King Edward Mine) a working beam engine originally used for lowering

and raising both men and materials in a deep mine shaft.

In this short report it is sadly not possible to do justice to the full programme for the weekend which was clearly

very thoughtfully put together by the organisers. We look forward to next year’s CBA Study Weekend with

anticipation – although at present the location has not been finalised.

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Berlin Researchers crack the Ptolemy Code – from Spiegel Online International

A 2nd century map of Germania by the scholar Ptolemy has always stumped scholars, who were unable to

relate the places depicted to known settlements. Now a team of researchers have cracked the code, revealing

that half of Germany’s cities are 1,000 years older than previously thought. This unusual map draws on

information from the mathematician and astronomer Ptolemy who, in 150 AD, embarked on a project to depict

the entire known world. Living in Alexandria, in the shadow of its monumental lighthouse, the ancient scholar

drew 26 maps in coloured ink on dried animal skins — a Google Earth of the ancient world, if you will. For the

full report, see http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,720513,00.html

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Other Societies’ Events Compiled by Eric Morgan

Friday 5th November 10.30 -12 noon. Friends of Barnet Borough Libraries. South Friern Library. Colney

Hatch Lane. N6. Industries along the Edgware Road. Talk. Coffee.

Friday 5th November 2.45-3.15pm. Museum of London. London Wall EC2. 19th Century Posters. Tour by

Curator Julia Hoffbrand. FREE.

Saturday 6th November 10.30-4.30. Geologists’ Association Festival of Geology. University College London.

Gower Street WC1. Exhibitions, Fossil & Mineral displays, Stonecraft, Books, Maps, Geological Equipment

and talks. Also Sunday 7th November. Walks and Field Trips. Further details 020 7434 9298. E-mail

geol.assoc@btinternet.com. Visit www.geologistsassociation.org.uk. Admission FREE. The Amateur

Geological Society will have a stand here (See also Sat. 27th November).

Tuesday 9th November 2-3pm. Harrow Museum. Headstone Manor, Pinner View, North Harrow. Story of

the Snapshot. Talk by Tony Earle (who gave HADAS a talk on the history of the Underground). £3.

Wednesday 10th November 2.30pm. Mill Hill Historical Society. Wilberforce Centre, St Paul’s Church, The

Ridgeway NW7. Bricks and Skeletons: St Johns Church Stanmore from 1632. Talk by Frederick Hicks.

Finishes at 4pm.

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Tuesday 16th November 6.30pm. LAMAS. Clore Learning Centre. Museum of London, 150 London Wall

EC2. Volunteer Inclusion Programme: Inclusive archaeology at the LAARC . Talk by Glynn Davis & Adam

Corsini. Refreshments 6pm.

Thursday 18th November 8pm. Enfield Society. Jubilee Hall, 2 Parsonage Lane, Junction of Chase Side,

Enfield. Dig for Victory. Talk by Russ Bowes. (For Enfield Archaeological Society meeting here on 19th

November, please see October’s Newsletter).

Friday 19th November 7pm. COLAS. St Olave’s Parish Hall, Mark Lane EC3. Excavations at the Roman

cemetery, Trinity Square, Southwark. Douglas Killock. Cost £2.

Friday 19th November 7.30pm. Wembley History Society. St Andrew’s Church Hall, Church Lane,

Kingsbury NW9. The Wembley History Society Collection Project and Update. Talk by Gillian Spry (Museum

Archive Manager). £1.

Sunday 21st November 10.15am-12.45pm. Copped Hall Trust. Tour of Copped Hall. Epping. Pre-book on

01992 571657. (HADAS did resistivity & surveying here with WEAG).

Thursday 23rd November 1-1.45pm. Museum of London. London Wall EC2. Bio-archaeology of Roman

Women. Talk by Dr Rebecca Redfern. FREE.

Thursday 23rd November 2-3pm. Harrow Museum. Headstone Manor, Pinner View, North Harrow. Sir

Christopher Wren. Talk by John & Jo Brewster. £3.

Wednesday 24th November 8pm. Barnet & District Local History Society. Church House, Church Lane,

Wood Street, Barnet (opposite museum). AGM.

Thursday 25th November 2.30pm. Finchley Society. Drawing Room, Avenue House, East End Road, N3.

The Parish Poor of Barnet based on 18th & 19th century records of the overseers of the poor. Talk by Yasmine

Webb (Barnet Archivist) £2.

Saturday 27th November 10.15-3.30pm. Amateur Geological Society. Mineral and Fossil Bazaar. St

Mary’s Hall, Hendon Lane N3. Including rocks, crystals, gemstones, jewellery. Refreshment. £1. (For

LAMAS on this date – see October newsletter).

Monday 29th November to Sunday 5th December. Barnet Borough Arts Council. The Spires, (outside

Waitrose), High Street, Barnet. Painting & What’s On (inc HADAS). 5/12 Xmas Fair.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Thanks to this month’s contributors:

Deirdre Barrie, Jean Bayne, Patrick McSharry, Eric Morgan, Jim Nelhams, Peter Pickering, David & Emma

Robinson, Gerrard Roots Stewart Wild and Sheila Woodward.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Mail-out Malady strikes again -and why e-mail has its advantages: Mary Rawitzer

Apologies to those few people who received their August Newsletter with a 2p instead of a 2nd class stamp. We’re still arguing about whose fault that was. Easily done -if you can ignore the difference in colour and what it says on the stamp. Compensation for added postal charges available by application to e-mail address below.

Now some 10% of our members and other Newsletter recipients are getting it by e-mail we would like to remind anyone else thinking of entering the internet age more fully that the Newsletter can be sent to them by e-mail instead of snail mail, with the added bonus of photographs likely to be included shortly. Just dropme a brief word: mary.rawitzer@talktalk.net.

Lecture Series 2010 – 2011

Tuesday 12th October sees the first of our winter lecture series. This will be given by Raksha Dave and is entitled “Behind the scenes on Time Team”.

This is followed on Tuesday 9th November by David Divers with “Archaeology and the Olympics”.

Lectures are held in the Drawing Room at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley, N3 3QE, and start promptly at 8 pm, with coffee/tea and biscuits afterwards. Non-members: £1. Buses 82, 125, 143, 326 & 460 pass nearby and Finchley Central station (Northern Line), is a short walk away.

Looking at Finds Course

We are pleased to report that our weekly Practical Course in Post-Excavation Studies is fully subscribed .

Ruth Whitehill

Ruth appeared occasionally at our lectures and some of our outings, including last year’s trip to Hereford. Always very quiet, she never talked about herself. We knew so little about her. Attending her funeral, we found out so much more. Ruth came from a strong Jewish family, visiting her sister each Friday evening. She had for many years taught junior school children. She also played a part at her synagogue, including giving Hebrew lessons, and undertook other duties. She still played golf and tennis regularly and also played the piano. She was clearly much respected and much loved by her family who, with her friends, filled the synagogue at Hoop Lane.

Sunny Hill Park & the Borough of Hendon at War Gabe Moshenska & Stewart Wild

Compared to some councils in the 1930s, the Hendon Council arrived rather belatedly at the realisation that air-raid shelters would be required for the population in the event of war. While some councils took the bombing of Barcelona in 1936 or the Munich Crisis of 1938 as an urgent impetus to provide air-raid protection, shelter construction in public spaces in Hendon appears not to have begun until mid-1939. In April of that year the Council voted to reject a resolution, proposed by Southall Council, to push for the construction of deep, bomb-proof underground shelters. These had proved their worth in the Spanish Civil War, and a number of reputable engineers and scientists such as Ove Arup and J.B.S. Haldane were pushing for a British equivalent, particularly in dense urban areas. Elsewhere in London the pursuit of this enhanced protection in the interest of their residents, and in defiance of central government, led to legal actions against the Borough of Finsbury and some of its officers.

However, by 1939 the threat of war appeared more urgent, and by the end of May that year shelters were under construction in eight parks in the Borough of Hendon, and the Home Office had promised funding of £24,207 for shelters to accommodate some 12,000 people. It was planned that these would be built of corrugated steel with concrete walls, covered with a layer of earth for enhanced blast protection and located around the edges of local parks.

By mid-June of 1939 the shelters at Sunny Hill Park had not yet been begun, and elsewhere shortages of materials were holding up the construction process. In August of the same year the Council put the construction of shelters in public spaces out to tender, and accepted the bid of Rigg & Remington Ltd to build shelters of a capacity to seat around 12,000 people at a cost of £37,500.

The Council was obliged to provide shelters for ten percent of the resident population of the Borough: approximately 17,000 people. The initial plan laid out in early September 1939, shortly after the outbreak of war, was for this to be divided up: 3,400 people would use the Council-built shelters from the first stage of construction, while another 1,500 would use empty shops in the Borough that had been converted into reinforced shelters. The remaining 12,000 would be accommodated in the shelters to be built by Rigg & Remington Ltd.

Shortly afterwards, as the urgent construction of shelters around the country put a strain on concrete and steel resources, these figures were revised: shop shelters would now house 5,000 people while another 2,950 would use the small number that Rigg & Remington had produced up to that point. It was decided that another 5,650 would be housed in surface shelters that would be built out of bricks and mortar -a more plentiful resource at the time. The fluctuating availability of metal frameworks from Steel Ceilings Ltd caused these plans to be revised repeatedly over the following few months.

In October 1939 heavy rainfall caused flooding in some shelters in the Borough, and the sloppy cleaning and maintenance of shelters by park staff became an issue of concern. Park keepers reported that on their early rounds at 7am there were still too many people sleeping in the shelters, so that cleaning had to wait until later in their working day, by which time many were reoccupied.

Construction of shelters continued through this period; shortly after the war began land next to St Mary’s

Church of England School on Church Terrace was requisitioned for the construction of a school air-raid shelter. By mid-March 1940 the Council recorded that all planned trench shelters in the Borough had been completed. The shelters in Sunny Hill Park can thus be dated with reasonable certainty to the period mid-June 1939 to mid-March 1940.

The construction of shelters was only one of the impacts of the Second World War on Sunny Hill Park: in October 1940 the railings around the children’s playground were removed for recycling to aid the war effort.

Many parks were turned over to agricultural uses: in the spring of 1941 land in Sunny Hill Park was allocated to form 31 allotments, while in November 1942 a standpipe was installed near the allotments at the request of residents. Several parks in Hendon were used for grazing animals, and in 1941 Mr Hinge of Church Farm applied for grazing permission on Sunny Hill Park. His application was refused, but a compromise was reached in which for an annual fee of £15 he could cut and remove grass from the park for animal feed. This arrangement was renewed annually through to at least 1947. In the summer of 1941 the 10th Company of the Home Guard laid a telephone cable along the eastern side of Sunny Hill Park, linking their depot on Great North Way with their headquarters, the location of which is unclear. By this time the war had transformed Sunny Hill Park from its pre-war role as a venue for public meetings, theatre, music and play, into a part of the Home Front: stripped of its iron and hay, and dug up for planting and for air-raid shelters. Our question was: what traces remain of these wartime uses?

Thus it was that in 2009, following a successful summer dig in the grounds of Church Farmhouse Museum, HADAS in conjunction with University College London’s Department of Archaeology decided to ask permission from Barnet Council to carry out an investigative dig on some strange surface structures (including what looked like the top of a filled-in concrete staircase) almost completely covered by nettles, brambles and ivy in nearby Sunny Hill Park.

Gabe Moshenska is a Research Fellow at UCL, with a particular interest in World War II archaeology, and Stewart Wild is a member of both HADAS and Sub Brit (Subterranea Britannica), so we agreed to remain in touch and to call on Sub Brit’s resources and expertise as required. (Sub Brit is a society devoted to the study and investigation of man-made and man-used underground places.) Barnet Council’s Parks Department granted permission for the dig and cleared away a massive amount of undergrowth and the local residents’

association was enthusiastic. It was agreed that digging would start on 12 July 2010 for a maximum of two weeks under the direction of Dr Moshenska.

It was soon realised that we were dealing with probably five parallel rectangular sunken structures, each with a stairway at one end and overgrown square concrete-capped brickwork at the other, the latter presumably some sort of alternative exit shaft to each shelter.

Digging commenced at the first staircase that was partially visible and necessitated the removal of a large quantity of rubble and earth, along with bits of rusty corrugated iron. It took four days hard work to reach the bottom of the stairs, at a depth of around three metres and to clear a way around the brick blast wall, which was in remarkably good condition.

Entering the shelter itself, Dr Moshenska was delighted to find that it was more or less empty of rubble, only slightly damp, and contained a few rusty artefacts -buckets, scrap metal, electric cable and suchlike -and a small amount of graffiti.

At the far end, a decaying vertical metal ladder looked up to the sealed surface hatch that had served as an emergency exit alongside a brick wall whose purpose was to screen off a compartment for a chemical toilet. There was no evidence of chairs or benches, and seemingly no holes in the walls to which benches might have been fixed. There was, however, a row of widely spaced holes centrally along the roof of the shelter perhaps

to secure a central dividing screen.

With limited time available it would only be possible to enter two of the five shelters and a decision was taken to try to smash the heavy concrete cap off the exit hatch of shelter number three. After a lot of hard work by students and members of HADAS this was achieved on Sunday July 18.

Shelter number three was, unsurprisingly, very similar to shelter number one. It contained some post-war debris -beer bottles and rusty cans for example -which were believed to have been left by persons unknown who had broken in, perhaps in the 1960s, before the Council had finally covered the hatch with a thick layer of heavy concrete, like an enormous mushroom. The dimensions of the two shelters were almost the same: 18.23m long (net interior of 14.40m excluding the staircase), 2.14m wide and 2.00m high. On the wall of each shelter could be discerned the remains of a wartime poster -perhaps listing the rules of the shelter and

public health matters. It may be possible to identify the original wording from archival sources.

On Thursday 23 July the staircase of shelter one was backfilled and the concrete cap replaced on the hatch exit of shelter three. Barnet Council has agreed that one of the shelters can be preserved for future visits and further study, and the concrete cap of the emergency exit of shelter three has now been replaced by a welded hatch secured by a padlock. We have to thank Middlesex University for this and for their interest in this aspect of local history; their predecessor, Hendon College in nearby Greyhound Hill, is known to have been the HQ of the

Home Guard in WWII.

The finds are being recorded and evaluated, but in the meantime one piece of ‘treasure’ arrived from an unexpected source. A local lad, six-year-old David Wolffe, told us he had found an original wooden sign that had once pointed the way to the shelters.

It is in remarkably good condition for a wooden artefact seventy years old, and bears rusty nails and holes that seem to indicate that it may have found later use as part of a fence. David had discovered it hidden behind a hedge near his house on the edge of the park The splendid sign will be incorporated, along with some of the finds, in a display later this year at Church Farmhouse Museum, Greyhound Hill, Hendon NW4 4JR www.churchfarmhousemuseum.co.uk

350 years at Church Farmhouse Museum Jim Nelhams

On 19th August, Gerrard Roots presented an entertaining lecture to the London, Westminster and Middlesex Family History Society at Lyonsdown Hall, New Barnet.

Gerrard explained that the exact date of the building was not known – the first reference to it is in 1680, but it must be slightly earlier than that. So 1660 had been chosen, hence the celebration of the 350 years Gerrard himself has been curator for 31 years, and was only the second holder of the job.

Hendon appears in the Domesday Book, though the church is not mentioned. The manor was held by Westminster Abbey and after the dissolution was passed to the Herbert family – who were the Lords of Powys. Most of the manor, but not Church Farm, was sold in the 18th century to David Garrick, who built Hendon Hall, now a hotel, but there is no evidence that he ever lived in Hendon – he had other houses in London and at Richmond.

The farmhouse passed through various hands and in the early 19th century it was a hay and dairy farm owned by Mark Lemon. His grandson, also Mark, was the founder of Punch magazine and a blue plaque on the front of the museum notes this connection.

The building became the museum of the London Borough of Barnet in 1965 and is the smallest London Borough museum – in the largest London Borough. As well as static displays, it hosts exhibitions, often based on private collections, and of local interest – from teddy bears to traction engines. It is important for a local museum to bring local interest to the wider context.

The building is listed – Grade II -and structurally very sound. It stands as a reminder of the very recent rural past of the area.

“Things” come to the museum and documents and art go to the borough archives.

Gerrard’s talk ended with a demonstration of a number of unusual artefacts.

(Note – an exhibition is planned at the museum in 2011 to mark HADAS’ 50th anniversary)

HADAS at Friary Park Centenary Don Cooper

This year is the centenary of Friary Park in Friern Barnet Lane and there have been lots of events celebrating the opening of the park in May 1910. But the culmination of the celebrations was at the Friern Barnet Summer Show which was held on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd of August. David Berguer, the chairman of the Friern Barnet & District Local History Society, kindly invited HADAS to partake in the celebrations. A marquee called “Past, Present and Future” financially supported by a grant from Barnet Council was provided, and a table in the marquee was assigned to HADAS. This annual summer show attracts a large number of visitors (although numbers were down a little this year). HADAS set up the table with posters and photographs of recent excavations, books for sale and membership forms. Many visitors asked questions about our excavation (in conjunction with UCL) of the air-raid shelters

in Sunny Hill Park in July and told us many tales of their experiences during the war. It was interesting that some of the visitors thought that we only covered Hendon and did not realise that our remit is to the whole Borough of Barnet. The Mayor of Barnet, the Deputy Mayor, Chipping Barnet MP, Teresa Villiers, and many local councillors, including Kate Salinger (councillor for Coppetts ward, which includes Friary Park), visited and were interested in the work we do.

Events like this are invaluable in promoting HADAS and the work we do and my grateful thanks go to Vicki Baldwin (who laminated the poster and photos and spent a full day with us), Bill Bass (who answered the visitors’ questions over the two days), Peter Nicholson, Peter Pickering, Eric Morgan and my wife Liz (who set up the stall and did lots of fetching and carrying).

Enquiries Through Our Website Jim Nelhams

We receive a number of enquiries from people who find our website. Most of these are from abroad and refer mainly to Hendon rather than our broader area.

One recent question was regarding a Belgian soldier whose death was reported in Hendon in 1941. The soldier was named Amédée Van Ingelgem. A copy of his service records showed that he had died from tuberculosis at Colindale Hospital on 16th September 1941 and had been buried at Hendon Park Cemetery on 23rd September. Could we find the grave and provide a photograph?

Hendon Park Cemetery is now called Hendon Cemetery and is in Golders Hill Road. A visit there confirmed the burial and that there was no headstone. Disappointment! However, a note next to the record showed that after the war, on 13th October 1949, the body was exhumed, to be re-buried in the Belgian Section of Brookwood Military Cemetery near Woking in Surrey. This information was fed back, and within 24 hours, our correspondent had a photograph of the new grave and gravestone courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Job done.

We currently have three further inquiries ongoing, two from Australia. More of those in a later edition.

Hephzibah Revealed Jim Nelhams

In the newsletter in January 2006, I noted that, when investigating Jo’s family history, we had discovered that Jo’s great grandfather, William Willows, who spent all of his life in the Cambridgeshire village of Coton, had not one, but two marriages. His first wife had died in 1843, but had left a daughter named Hephzibah, who seemed to have been raised by her maternal grandparents. Her existence had been totally unknown to any of Jo’s family.

We discovered that in 1875, Hephzibah had married a William Williams. In 1881, the couple were living near Wakefield in Yorkshire where William was working on the railways. At the time of the 1881 census, they had two children, Ethel and Sidney. But then we could find no trace of the family after that date. In April last year, I was able to continue the story, as we had found emigration records showing their arrival in Sydney, Australia in 1883. Using the internet, we had been able to contact a gentleman named Norman Dyer, Hephzibah’s great grandson. Both Hephzibah and her daughter had died at Gosford, some 60 miles north of Sydney, close to Norman’s home.

Jo and I had planned a long holiday for the beginning of 2010 and in particular, we wanted to visit Jo’s niece in New South Wales. This would also give us the chance to meet Norman and visit Gosford, and perhaps find some more information. We sorted out dates and booked all the flights. Before we could book hotels, we found out that the niece would be in Ealing at the time of our visit, and separately, Norman invited us to stay with him for the three days we had allocated, and also offered to guide us around the area. So what did we find?

Most of the immigrant voyages are well documented. We saw that Hephzibah’s voyage from Plymouth aboard the Ellora (P & O Lines), took 75 days. Daughter Ethel celebrated her sixth birthday on board. There was also an outbreak of measles and croup, so that when the ship arrived at Sydney, it was quarantined for several days.

From newspaper archives, we found that, after arriving, William and Hephzibah had run a boarding house at Millers Point in Sydney, close to where the Sydney Harbour Bridge now stands. At some stage William became the farm manager of a fruit farm at Gosford owned by Mr Jesse Dyer, who also had a provisions shop in George Street, Sydney supplying the ships in Sydney Harbour. As the farm produced oranges and lemons, needed to guard against scurvy during voyages, it is likely he was selling his own produce. The shop building is in a preserved area known as “The Rocks” so it still exists, though it is now a branch of Burberrys.

Jesse was at this stage married and his first marriage produced 7 sons, 4 of them dying in infancy. After his first wife died in 1901, he passed control of the shop to one of his sons and retired to his farm. In 1903, he re-married. His new wife was Ethel, Hephzibah’s daughter, with whom he had another 5 sons, including Norman’s father, John Willows Dyer, Willows being Hephzibah’s maiden name, and Jo’s also. While in Gosford, Norman took us to the “Pioneers’ Cemetery” where we found the grave of William and Hephzibah, so we had now traced her from cradle to grave.

But one surprise remained. On the following day, we went to visit Duncan, Norman’s cousin and another of Hephzibah’s great-grandsons. Duncan’s father had died in 2008, and when his house was cleared, they had found 4 large framed photographs – Jesse Dyer, Ethel, one of their sons, also named Jesse, AND HEPHZIBAH. Her photo was probably taken around 1905, and we could see the resemblance between her and her half-sisters, of whom we already had photographs. Norman and Duncan were both pleased to learn more about their ancestors, and to share their information.So the hunt continues, and together, we are now trying to establish Jesse’s origins.

Norwich 2010 Jim Nelhams

Our long trip this year was based in Norwich at the George Hotel. The hotel is part of the Arlington Group within Best Western Hotels. It is situated close to the A11 about 1 mile west of Norwich Castle. The hotel proved ideal for our group of 36 plus our coach driver, Dave. It gave us comfortable accommodation, and provided us with breakfasts, evening meals and the sandwiches for our packed lunches. Other packed lunch items had been provided by a Barnet greengrocer (fresh fruit) and newsagent, whose supplies included bottled water from ICENI WATERS Ltd. This did not seem to carry any royal warrant from Queen Boudicca.

THE THEMES

During our planning, a number of themes emerged, linking together our various stops.

Roman connections

The North Sea provided good access to Norfolk for the Romans. But the area around Thetford was possibly the residence of Queen Boudicca (Boadicea), and it was inhabited by the Iceni. A hoard of Roman coins and other valuable items was discovered in Thetford in 1979.

The main Roman town in Norfolk was established at Caistor St Edmund (Venta Icenorum). On the coast, Roman Saxon shore forts were built at Caister on Sea and Burgh Castle to protect the access inland along the river Yare.

Norman connections

Norwich Castle and Cathedral both date from Norman times. We saw the remains of Cluniac Priories at Thetford and at Castle Acre, which also boasts a Norman Bailey Gate and a motte-and-bailey castle. And Wymondham Abbey, which survived the dissolution, was originally a priory founded in 1107

Medieval Times

Our trip included the Ancient House (museum) in Thetford and the Merchants’ houses in Great Yarmouth.

Wind and Steam

We visited the Charles Burrell Museum in Thetford for traction engines. We took a steam train ride from Dereham to Wymondham, followed by a visit to the Forncett Steam Museum for static steam engines. And we visited Berney Arms Windmill, by boat (sorry -the boat was diesel powered).

And of course, the odd church (and pub) thrown in for interest.

Over the next few months, the Newsletter will carry notes written by a number of our pilgrims, covering our stops. If these catch your attention and you would like more information, perhaps to visit yourself, please get in touch with me and I will try to help. So off we go —

West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village Don Cooper

Our first visit of this holiday was at West Stow in Suffolk. This site, on a low hill near the banks of the river Lark, was occupied from Mesolithic times to the early Anglo-Saxon period but was abandoned in the 13th century when sand blows buried the farmed land. It was excavated in the 1960s. The excavations indentified the remains of an Anglo-Saxon village and produced a great many artefacts both of pottery and metal. Many of these artefacts can now be seen on display in the Anglo-Saxon Museum and some in the little museum by the visitor reception. However, for nearly the last 30 years the site has been used for experimental archaeology. As the original village structures were built of wood, all that was found in the

excavations were the post holes and beam slots. Based on the lessons learnt through trial and error, as well as evidence from elsewhere, constant reconstructions have been taking place to try and establish how an Anglo-Saxon village and its building structures might have looked in the early medieval period. Most of the latest reconstructions are on the footprints of the original buildings whose traces were found in the original excavations.

After our arrival (in our enormous Red Chariot!), we assembled in the site’s education room for an introductory talk by Hannah Simmons the resident experimental archaeologist. We were shown a video designed to recreate the atmosphere and location of the site in its original time and landscape and then off we went to explore the site. As it was a Bank Holiday weekend re-enactors and experimental archaeologists were demonstrating their experiments in the various houses, which enabled us to ask many questions and proffer and discuss our ideas.

After exploring the reconstructed buildings and garden plots, packed lunches were eaten in the picnic area outside the visitor centre in the sunshine. The café on site also so did a good trade in teas, coffees and cakes! The café overlooks a RSPB sponsored bird-feeding point so that those bird-watchers amongst us could eat their food while observing the wild birds. There are also bird hides around the site. To work off the food, many of us explored the walks and trails around the site. These include a nature trail, (West Stow is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)) and a lake walk around the large artificial lake created from gravel extraction pits by the river Lark. Then at about 13.30 we reassembled in the education room for a twenty

minute question and answer session with Hannah. This session produced fascinating answers to our questions, demonstrating, if that were needed, the important role experimental archaeology plays in helping us to understand the way our ancient ancestors lived. Having thanked Hannah and her colleagues, we rejoined Dave, our enormous Red Chariot driver, and set off for Thetford.

The Charles Burrell Museum Andy Simpson

On a drizzly afternoon in Norfolk, and as a definite contrast to a morning spent in early Saxon England, what better place to visit than here, to be welcomed by friendly volunteer staff and the evocative smell of steam and warm oil – one of the exhibits, a road roller, was still in light steam having run into the museum earlier that day. The independent Charles Burrell Museum – see www.culture24.org.uk/se000137 -opened in March 1991, and is housed in the original Burrell Works paint shop on Minstergate, just a five-minute walk from the ruined Priory. Though containing three of the renowned Burrell traction engines, including a

magnificent showman’s engine that used to power pre-war travelling fairs, complete with electric dynamo on the front, the museum is strong on local and social history. Full prominence is given to owners and workforce, including the many women workers employed during the Great War, as well as the devastating effect of the protracted wind-down and final closure of the three-acre works in 1930 on the local community, as internal combustion engines replaced steam. Before that, some 4000 stationary and road engines had been built there and exported around the world, including specialist showman’s, ploughing, and road tractor types. Happily, many survive in preservation and can be seen at vintage rallies throughout the UK and beyond. Other products, such as agricultural equipment, are covered, and there is even a link to the RAF

Museum at Hendon, as both the Grahame White factory at Hendon and the Burrell paint shop have timber ‘Belfast’ roof trusses. A nice exhibit is the sparsely equipped contractor’s ‘living van’ towed by engines when out on the road or working on farms etc. After a thorough inspection of the displays, HADAS members dispersed to inspect several other Thetford sites of interest.

Walmington on Sea -and The Ancient House Jim Nelhams

On our way to The Ancient House, Jo and I took a small diversion along Bridge Street to cross the splendid iron bridge dated 1829 which crosses the river close to the confluence of the Thet and the Little Ouse. Just across the bridge, we found a life size bronze statue of Captain Mainwaring seated on a bench and posing for a photograph with Stewart Wild.

Thetford, and the surrounding area, was used for much of the filming of the Dad’s Army television series and has a small museum dedicated to the subject. See www.dadsarmythetford.org.uk for more information. This museum is also manned by volunteers and, sadly, was not open at the time of our visit. So back to The

Ancient House – the Museum of Thetford Life. Like Church Farmhouse Museum this is a museum about Thetford and its past, and is inside an old building. Approaching the entrance to the house/museum, which dates from around 1490, lurks a surprise. Modern technology automatically opens the front door for you. Just one illustration of the wide spread of years on show. The house itself is worthy of study, with carved ceilings and some of the original walls showing how they were constructed.

The building became a museum thanks to the beneficence of a local resident. Maharajah Dulip Singh was the last Sikh ruler of the Punjab. When he gave up his kingdom and the Koh-i-noor diamond to the British in the 1840s, he moved to England, where he befriended Queen Victoria. He settled with his family at Elveden Hall near Thetford. His second son, Prince Frederick, bought The Ancient House and paid for it to be restored, before presenting it to the town in 1924 to be used as a museum. Being a local museum, it aims to help local schools with displays, including a 1901 kitchen.

Although the Roman hoard discovered in 1979 is in the British Museum, there is a display giving information about it. There is also a small collection of ornate clay pipes, not to mention a large carved narwhal tusk.

Thetford’s position on the old London to Norwich Road means that many travellers have passed through, some without stopping. The Romans were here. So, it is said, was Boudicca with her tribe, the Iceni. Clearly the Normans came – building the Priory.

The Cluniac Priory of Our Lady of Thetford Vicki Baldwin

Lowering skies and intermittent rain accompanied our visit to Thetford Priory. Although enough remains of the walls for one to be able to discern the differences between the buildings, there is little standing to any great height save the remnants of the west towers, a portion of one side of the east window frame, the façade of the Priors’ Lodgings and, in a separate area in the garden of a private house, the gatehouse. Nevertheless, there is still an overwhelming sense of the power and prestige that once was attached to this place. The gatehouse in particular seems especially imposing, representing as it does the threshold between the life the monks led and that of the ordinary people.

The Priory was founded on the north bank of the Little Ouse at Thetford in the early 12th Century by Roger Bigod. He had been allowed to commute a vow of pilgrimage to the Holy Land by using the money to found a monastery. The Abbot at Cluny was unable to send monks from France for the new establishment, but welcomed the addition of a daughter house and asked for a yearly payment in recognition of its dependent status. In 1104 the Prior of the Cluniac Priory at Lewes sent twelve monks, with Malgod as their Prior, to Thetford to form the new community. The foundations of the new Priory were laid in September 1107 and Roger Bigod is reported to have died eight days later. By 1114 the community was able to move

from its temporary residence in the cathedral church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin.

The plan of the Priory follows the conventional layout of a monastery. Buildings are arranged round a cloister with covered walkways on its four sides. These include the church, chapter house, refectory and first floor dormitory. In addition there is the infirmary with its own cloister and the Priors’ Lodgings. Brewhouse, bakehouse, store rooms, kitchens and granaries are among the other buildings that would have supported the daily life of the community. Alterations and extensions to the buildings continued throughout the life of the Priory and it is known that the nave was not completed until at least 60 years after the monks took up residence. The impressive gatehouse was a 14th Century addition, and the remains of the Priors’ Lodgings (which have recently undergone conservation work) clearly show the many changes in building style over several centuries.

The Cluniac order followed a rigorous interpretation of the rule of St Benedict. The Divine Offices and Mass were celebrated every day. There were two meals: dinner at late morning and a lighter supper in the early evening. The timing of these meals meant that there was approximately seventeen hours between the last meal of one day and first meal of the next. However, Cluniac houses were amongst the finest and most influential in Europe. The Priory church at Thetford was one of the most impressive with two towers flanking the west façade and two rows of massive columns dividing the interior.

One way of ensuring a good income was to have relics with proven efficacy. In the 13th Century a craftsman had a dream that if he could cause a Lady Chapel to be built at the Priory his ailment would be cured. Once the Prior had been persuaded to have the chapel built, it was necessary to install an image of the Virgin Mary. Wishing to minimise costs, rather than commissioning a new statue the Prior selected one that had come from the temporary home of the community when it was founded. When the statue was cleaned a large collection of relics was discovered in a compartment behind a hitherto unnoticed silver plate. Within a fairly short period of time, at least three miracle cures were credited to the statue and relics, making it a

popular place for pilgrims and increasing the income of the Priory.

At the time of the Reformation, although the Duke of Norfolk, then patron of the Priory, petitioned Henry VIII with his proposal to turn the Priory into a church of secular canons with a dean and chapter because members of his family and indeed the King’s natural son were buried there, his request was denied and the Priory closed. The buildings swiftly fell into decay through disuse and the subsequent reuse of the materials for other buildings. The Priors’ Lodgings continued as a private residence for another two centuries but were recorded as a roofless ruin in the 1820s. Later in the 19th Century the remains of the Priory were

incorporated into the grounds of Abbey House as a romantic ruin. Now the site is cared for by English Heritage and has information boards detailing the main areas within the Priory. And I suppose it has once again become a place of pilgrimage for those interested the history of the

area as well as a convenient location for dog owners to exercise their canine charges.

And so on to our hotel.

2011 – Isle of Wight? Jim Nelhams

Jo and I have been looking at the option of a trip to the Isle of Wight in 2011.

Possible places to visit include: –

Osborne House

Carisbrooke Castle

Isle of Wight Postal Museum

Brading Roman Villa

Brading church

Fort Victoria (including maritime archaeology museum)

Burgh Castle and lighthouse (by boat)

Calbourne Water Mill

Arreton Church and shipwreck museum.

And on the mainland –

Portsmouth Naval Dockyard including

•The Victory

•The Mary Rose Museum

•HMS Warrior

(The Mary Rose is closed until 2012)

Our trips to Hereford last year and to Norwich have shown that hotels can work and fit to our ideas. We will need to find a suitable hotel on the island. We are also looking to move the date of the trip to mid-September which would save costs for members. Ferry and hotel prices drop once the school holidays end.

We would welcome other suggestions or comments.

Talk by David Robinson at Bishopsgate Institute

“The Weasel”: Some Incidents in the life of Chief Constable (CID) Frederick Porter Wensley (1865-1949).

A talk at the Bishopsgate Institute on Tuesday 26 October by HADAS member David Robinson.

David has been working on an extensive archive pertaining to the life and times of Wensley for some years. This talk is to mark the occasion of its permanent deposit at the Bishopsgate Institute (see http://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/). The event will start with tea and coffee at 5pm, with the talk taking place between 5.30 and 6.30. Please note that these timings are provisional. Any member of the Society is cordially invited to attend.

Note: Frederick Porter Wensley was born near Taunton in Somerset but came to London at the age of 14. He joined the Metropolitan Police in 1888 and spent the first 25 years of his career as Constable, Detective Constable, Detective Sergeant and Detective Inspector, successively, in the East End of London. He was involved in dealing with a number of the major causes célèbres of the period including the Sidney Street Siege. On promotion to Detective Chief Inspector, F.P.W. was transferred to Scotland Yard where he served until 1929.

London and Middlesex Archaeological Society Local History Conference.

The LAMAS 45Local History Conference will take place at the Museum of London on Saturday 27November from 10 am to 5 pm. The headline for the conference is “London Under Attack: Wars and Insurrections”

The lectures scheduled are:

•Enclosing Londinium, the Roman Landward and Riverside Wall – by Harvey Sheldon (our

President)

•“Londoners at Arms” from the Viking Wars to the Wars of the Roses – by John Clark, Curator

Emeritus, Museum of London

•Revival, Division and Restoration: The Artillery Company of London, 1611-1660 – by Ismini Pells, Honorable Artillery Company

•London’s Citizen Soldiers, 1757-1908 – by Peter Boyden, National Army Museum

•First World War in Sound and Film, from the Imperial War Museum Archive – by Dr Cathy Ross, Director of Collections & Learning, Museum of London.

There will also be displays of work and publications by Local History Societies.

Tickets cost £10 and can be obtained from Pat Clarke, 22 Malpas Drive Pinner, Pinner, HA5 1DQ, or from the LAMAS website www.lamas.org.uk, or on the day. Refreshments can be purchased in the Museum restaurant and a picnic area will be available if you take your own food.

HADAS DIARY

Wednesdays, 29 September 2010 to 23 March 2011, 6.30 – 8.30, Avenue House.

LOOKING AT FINDS – A PRACTICAL COURSE IN POST-EXCAVATION STUDIES is our exciting new course, run by Jacqui Pearce, BA FSA MIfA. There will be 22 two-hour sessions for the low cost of £275. For further details see last month’s Newsletter or the HADAS website. To book, please contact the class tutor at jacquipearce126@hotmail.com (evening 020 8203 4506) or Don Cooper, 020 8440 4350.

Our lecture season resumes in October with:

Tuesday 12th October 2010, Behind the Scenes on “Time Team”, Raksha Dave

Tuesday 9th November 2010, Archaeology and the Olympics, David Divers (English Heritage)

Lectures are held at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley, N3 3QE, and start promptly at 8 pm, with coffee/tea and biscuits afterwards. Non-members: £1. Buses 82, 125, 143, 326 & 460 pass nearby and Finchley Central station (Northern Line), is a short walk away.
News of Members

We are saddened to learn of the deaths of three of our members, Pat Karet, Virginia Pell and Ruth Whitehill. Virginia and Ruth had both booked for our Norwich trip. We hope to include more information about them next month.
Barnet Archives and Local Studies is moving to Hendon Library. It closed on 14th August and is expected to re-open November 8th 2010.
Queen’s Wood Haringey – Construction of a New Ecology Pond. Emma Robinson

Background This is a preliminary report of a project undertaken by an ad hoc group of volunteer members of HADAS and COLAS (Peter Collins, Michael Hacker, Geraldine Missig, Sigrid Padel, Emma and David Robinson) and David Warren of Friends of Queen’s Wood. The project was undertaken during the course of construction of a new ecology pond and was proposed to ascertain if any evidence exists of past environment(s) of the wood. The project was designed as an archaeological watching brief for Friends of Queens Wood by Mike Hacker (March 2010) – who is also leading the project. I am grateful to Mike Hacker for his assistance in drafting this note.

Site Code: QW2010

Location: Queen’s Wood Haringey London N10. OS Grid Ref: c. 2872/8860. Elevation: c. 66 m OD.

Introduction A new ecology frog pond is being constructed by the charity Froglife on the site of a derelict 1930s paddling pool. The pond site lies near the head of a steep-sided valley, the source of a tributary of the River Mosell. The underlying solid geology is the London Clay Formation, although at this point the British Geological Survey map indicates that it is covered by superficial deposits. Work started in June 2010 and involved the demolition of the base of the existing concrete paddling pool. This was constructed on the site of a Victorian ornamental pond – built when the park was landscaped to commemorate the purchase of the wood in 1897 as a public open space. The Victorian pond in turn was constructed on the site of an earlier pond the origins of which are unclear.

Archaeological Background A pond is indicated at this location on the 1896 and 1894 OS maps. On these maps a ford is also recorded – but strangely not on the earlier 1863/1868 OS map. A similar pond is shown on the 1862/1868 OS c. 25m to the west of the new ecology pond site. Trial auguring at this site (2004) revealed organic rich waterlogged deposits up to 1.8m deep and environmental evidence of a fresh water habitat.

Research Questions The research questions posed in the project design were:
1) Is there any evidence of the original pond on the site?

2) Was the original pond a man-made or natural feature?

3) Can the depth and size of the original pond be determined?

4) What evidence exists of past climate and anthropogenic activity?

Summary A watching brief was maintained for most of the construction work and by observation, recording, surveying and some excavation we managed to obtain a good impression of the succession of ponds on the site and the underlying deposits.

The construction features of the succession of ponds were identified and recorded as far as possible – with particular attention to drainage of the site. The ash-rich layers used during the pond’s construction were checked for finds and a representative selection collected for recording and dating. Disturbance caused by the contractor’s JCB made doing this systematically impossible. Finds from the ash layers comprised mostly domestic rubbish and provided an interesting picture of late 19th and early 20th century life. The origins of the material are not known, but evidence exists that the valley head, adjacent to Muswell Hill Road, was used as a tip site. Some of the finds have been dated; for example, the two intact pipe bowls are of moulded construction datable to the late 19th century. There is some evidence of burning – a common feature of rubbish tips. Full analysis of the finds remains to be completed.

The ‘natural’ deposits of the valley floor were sampled by taking a core with geo-archaeological help from the Museum of London. The earliest deposits were at the termination of the auger hole some 3m below the current ground level. The ash-rich retaining dam across the valley was augured and generally explored to assess if it was of natural or man-made construction. The latter was found to be the case.

The Victorian pond base is of interest since the dark ashy cement was found to exploit a technique familiar to the Romans, when volcanic ash was mixed with lime to create a hydraulic cement that would set under water and be waterproof. Such cements were widely experimented with in the 18th/19th centuries.

The construction of the 1930s pond was found to be surprisingly sophisticated. The complicated land drain system addressed issues inherent to any location subject to flooding and water logging – since it was designed to prevent water accumulating under the pool (potentially causing movement and cracking) and effectively allowing the concrete pond to exist as a waterproof dish.

Progress to Date in Addressing Research Questions

Progress has been made but much remains to be done. New avenues of investigation also opened up during the project in light of findings and broader research.

There is some evidence of the original pond on the site. However, an auger sample of the retaining dam reveals that the dam is clearly artificial – although when or why it was made is unclear but possibly it dates to 1860s to 1880s. The depth and size of the original pond is being explored; however initial examination of deposits seems to show that the organic rich layer under the Victorian pond base is comprised of woodland floor debris. No finds of non-organic nature have been retrieved from this level. With regard to anthropogenic activity – as the project progresses the extent of people’s influence on the making of the landscape and drainage is becoming increasingly apparent. A full report will be prepared for publication in due course.

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge our gratitude to the following individuals and organisations:

Ian Holt, Project Officer (Nature Conservation), London Borough of Haringey

Lucy Roots, Chair, Friends of Queen’s Wood

Rebecca Turpin, Froglife

Dickinson Engineering Ltd (the contractors)

Jane Corcoran and Graham Spurr, Museum of London

Roz Artis-Young, Technical Director, Scottish Lime Trust

Rose Baillie, Chair, City of London Archaeological Society

Dr Nick Branch, QUEST, University of Reading

HADAS Summer Outing: Down House, the RAF Chapel, Biggin Hill, and Lullingstone Roman Villa, 11 July 2010. Our reporters: Jean Bayne, Andy Simpson and Sheila Woodward.

Our visit to Charles Darwin’s delightful Georgian house in Kent took place in summer sunshine. The accompanying audio tape was detailed and informative, dividing our exploration of Darwin’s life and work into three areas: the house downstairs, the house upstairs and the garden.

He and his family lived there for 40 years (1842–1882) though it should be noted that he travelled extensively throughout the UK in that time – an equivalent of one day a week away from home. He had married his cousin, Emma, from the Wedgwood family and was well-supported financially by them. By all accounts, it was a happy family life and the spirit of that seems to live on in the domestic section of the house downstairs. His daughter, Henrietta, said of her father, ‘He cared for all our pursuits and interests and lived our lives with us in a way that very few fathers do.’ It would seem that Charles Darwin did not conform to traditional Victorian patriarchy. And, in fact he involved his children in his work and experiments. For example, the children were asked to watch and monitor the bumblebees which buzzed around the red clover in one of the fields. Henrietta added, ‘we were very much with both my Father and Mother’. Emma and Charles had ten children of whom three died young.

We were able to see the drawing room with French windows leading on to the verandah and the lawn. Emma’s piano was also there and the backgammon game with its score card: Charles and Emma played in the evenings. The dining room with the enormous mahogany table was laid for a meal and would have been the setting for the Darwins’ hospitality towards the many and frequent visitors who came to the house as well as the growing family. The billiards room was the scene of Darwin’s attempts to relax and Parslow, the family butler, was often called away to play with him. Darwin’s study had been carefully recreated from old photographs taken in the 1870s and 80s and artefacts donated by the family after Down House became a

museum in 1929. It was possible to imagine Darwin sitting in his battered study chair with his writing board across his knees, his table of specimens and samples within reach, surrounded by books, journals and papers and within earshot of the children playing in the inner hallway. On the Origin of Species was written here in 1859 in spite of Darwin’s chronic ill health.

The first floor, which had been bedrooms and studies in Darwin’s time, now houses an exhibition of his life and work and family relationships. His early journey in the ship, The Beagle (1831–36), was described by Darwin in a letter to his sister, as ‘a voyage made with the intention of making maps of the Eastern side of Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia; likewise to settle Longitude of many places more accurately than they are at present’. His detailed observations of plant and animal life there turned him into an accomplished naturalist and enabled him to gain access to colleagues in the scientific community when he returned. He began to write papers and publish the findings of his experimental work. His name was made.

Immediately at the back of the house are lawns and flower beds, cultivated by Emma. Dominating one corner of the house is a magnificent gnarled old mulberry tree, witness to the life of the Darwins, now propped up with an iron support but still able to produce juicy berries.

Further afield, the grounds are extensive and include: a kitchen garden, an orchard, greenhouses (including a hothouse), fields, a laboratory and the remains of a tennis court. Darwin also owned Great House Meadow and at the far end of this field lies the famous Sandwalk. He bought this narrow strip of land in 1846 and planted a hedge, trees and bushes round its border making a path of stone and sand. Every day he walked several circuits of his ‘thinking path’, marking the number of times he went round with a pile of stones, visible today.

All the land he owned was used for his experiments. You can still see the famous Wormstone which was developed by Darwin’s son Horace to measure the movement of soil displacement by worms. He also recorded the number and species of plants which sprang up in a given sized rectangle of lawn.

He was constantly in touch with his friend Joseph Hooker at Kew who kept him well supplied with plants. ‘You cannot imagine what pleasure your plants give me,’ Darwin wrote to Hooker, ‘I go and gloat over them.’ He was particularly interested in orchids, insectivorous plants and climbing plants. (The trellis over the back of the house was also in use for his climbing plant experiments.) Important publications on the growth and reproduction patterns of plants came from his experiments here. Today, similar plants are on show in the greenhouses.

‘Darwin died in 1882, as he had lived, in the quiet retirement of the country house which he had loved,’ recorded the Standard newspaper on his death. This tranquil setting was in marked contrast to the furore which his work brought about. The idea of evolution challenged religious beliefs about creation. This is summed up by WS Gilbert in a couple of succinct lines:

‘Darwinian man, though well behaved,

At best is only a monkey shaved.’

Nevertheless, his work was recognized as of seminal importance and he was buried in Westminster Abbey, attended by the great and the good of Victorian society.

What then happened to Down House? Emma and the children moved to Cambridge but returned every year in the summer till her death in 1896. In 1907 it became a girls’ school until 1921. After that, the house remained empty and began to deteriorate until an eminent surgeon bought it and restored it in1927. In 1929 it was turned into a museum and remained under the care of the Royal College of Surgeons till English Heritage took it over in 1996 and made major structural repairs. It opened to the public in 1998.

Jean Bayne

After our lunchtime pie and (very nice, if slowly served) pint at the King’s Arms, Leaves Green, we moved on to a personal highlight for me, not surprisingly – St George’s Royal Air Force Chapel of Remembrance and Battle of Britain Memorial Chapel, in a small remaining RAF-administered corner of what was RAF Biggin Hill, Kent, but is now a civil airfield.

And what could be more appropriate? As we got off the coach to enter the well-tended gardens and admire the full-sized pole-mounted fibreglass Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire fighter model ‘gate guardians’ in their Battle of Britain era 1940 camouflage and markings, the sky roared as over our heads at very low level flew a Spitfire at full chat taking off from the airport, its Rolls Royce Merlin making a lovely sound as it headed off to give a display elsewhere. (The original Hawker Hurricane which, along with a late-mark Spitfire, guarded the chapel for many years from 1954 is now part of the RAF Museum collection, being on long-term loan to the Hurricane & Spitfire Memorial Museum at Manston Airport, not too far away)

That treat over, we moved inside for a most informative introductory talk from a volunteer guide, who was delighted to get so many signatures into his visitor book and sell a good number of guidebooks and postcards also.

Following a national appeal spearheaded by Winston Churchill, the current simple brick chapel and tower was built in 1951, replacing an earlier prefabricated station church commemorating the Battle which originated in 1943 but was destroyed by fire in 1946 – even its exact location has now been lost. It records the names of the 453 aircrew, of many nations, from the 52 Squadrons of the Biggin Hill Sector, who were killed during the Second World War. The main part of the chapel has a superb collection of stained glass windows by Hugh Easton, who designed the RAF Memorial Window at Westminster Abbey, these being installed in 1955 with more added in the 1980s.

Along with medal groups, models, Books of Remembrance and paintings, (one a remarkable double-sided representation of the original chapel and of two wartime pilots c. 1943/44) the flags of Commonwealth and Allied nations and many RAF mementos are displayed around the main chapel sanctuary and adjacent St George’s Room; even the chapel floor is supposedly made from off-cuts of wood used in the manufacture of aircraft propellers. Andy Simpson

Our final port-of-call on this varied and interesting outing was Lullingstone Roman Villa, an old favourite of HADAS and certainly due for a revisit. Situated in the Darent Valley about five miles south of Watling Street and approached from a narrow lane which fords the river, the villa is peacefully rural. It is one of a group of villas built in this part of Kent. At Lullingstone the first simple villa-house dates from about AD 100. It was expanded between AD150–275, reshaped between AD 275–350, elaborated and dramatically changed between AD 350–425 and finally abandoned following a fire sometime in the 5th century. In its final phase the villa must have been a substantial structure with handsome reception rooms at its core, underfloor heating, an eastern verandah, domestic and cult rooms in the north wing and a bath suite in the south.

The remains of the villa were rediscovered in 1750. They were excavated briefly in 1939 and thoroughly between .1949 and 1958, and publicly displayed under a protective cover-building from 1963. In 1983 a small-scale excavation led to a rephasing of the villa, and in 2009 the site was ‘updated’ with modern viewing galleries, a film-o-light show, a recently returned collection of Roman artefacts and the usual hands-on opportunities for children (and adults!).

So what is special (and it is very special) about Lullingstone? Its obvious treasures include a particularly well-preserved bath-suite and its two 4th century mosaic floors depicting Europa and the Bull (triclinium) and Bellerophon killing the chimera (audience chamber). But the villa’s unique value lies in the evidence it provides for early Christianity in Britain and its apparent co-existence with continuing pagan worship. The so-called Deep Room near the north end of the villa with a well in its floor, its wall painting of three water

nymphs, and possible ritual vessels seems to indicate a pagan cult room. The later placing of two marble busts there may indicate a change to veneration of ancestors or the Imperial cult. Yet it was above this room that a Christian house-church had been erected in about 350 AD and it was in the cult room that the excavators found thousands of fragments of painted wall plaster which had fallen from the west and south walls of the house-church. They have been painstakingly reconstructed at the British Museum where they are now on display; replicas are in place at the villa. They depict six figures with hands raised in the manner of Christians at prayer. There is also a large painted Chi-Rho. When I first visited Lullingstone (with HADAS) in about 1975 the guide book had paintings of some of the fragments of wall plaster; reconstruction of them was only just beginning. Recently I took that old guide book to the British Museum and identified the panels reconstructed from the fragments illustrated. The work involved was awe-inspiring.

Why did a pagan cult continue at Lullingstone alongside Christianity? Who lived at Lullingstone: a prosperous Romanised local tribesman? – a retired soldier? – or was it Pertinax, Governor of Britannia 185- 186 AD and Emperor for three months in 193, and his father-in-law Successus? (The two marble busts mentioned above could be portraits of the latter.) Theories abound and study of the finds from Lullingstone, of the villa itself and of its five surrounding structures will surely continue.

Before leaving for home some of us wandered down to the river bank to admire the trout, the water plants and the brilliant damselflies. The Romans knew how to site their homes!

Thank you June (and the absent Stuart) for a truly splendid day. Sheila Woodward

THE EAST FINCHLEY HURRICANE Andy Simpson

HAWKER HURRICANE MK. 1 P3835/2694M

Sometimes the day job and the interest in local history combine, as when in early August I received a letter from RAF veteran Mr George Cull, a former resident of Finchley now living in York. He enclosed a box-Brownie photograph he had taken, dated 27 January 1946, of a well-worn wartime Hawker Hurricane fighter of No. 1825 Squadron Air Training Corps which stood adjacent to the by-then abandoned ATC HQ building, a large house on ground opposite East Finchley Underground station by the entrance to Cherry Tree Woods. It was common practice until the 1970s to issue obsolete aircraft to ATC units as attention-grabbing ‘gate guards’ and for technical instructional use for the cadets. Even today a select few ATC units maintain an aeronautical veteran, though nothing older than a 1950s Gloster Meteor these days. The unit had apparently closed in 1945. Just legible on the rear fuselage was the maintenance serial 2694M, as allocated to non-flying instructional airframes in the RAF.

A bit of cross-checking led to its original RAF serial number, P3835. I have now produced its outline history in the standard format I use for all 250 or so aircraft in the RAF Museum collection. Those of you with any knowledge of immediate post-war Finchley are warmly invited to let me know any additional information, such as when the aircraft was finally scrapped and the site cleared, and also of course any other photos of the Finchley Hurricane would be of great interest.

Mr Cull, who has kindly agreed to me telling this story in the HADAS newsletter, recalled that this stage the Hurricane was rapidly deteriorating, so he recovered, and still holds, the control-column spade-grip and a large section of starboard fuselage fabric; photos show it retains the roundel, green/brown camouflage, part of the maintenance serial number (..94M), and possible traces of the original squadron codes showing through. (The Hurricane had a mainly fabric-covered tubular metal structure fuselage with wooden formers)

19 Jun 40 Taken on charge as new aircraft at No 22 Maintenance Unit, RAF Silloth. P3835 was one of a batch of 500 Hurricane I aircraft (plus 44 attrition replacements) built by Hawker Aircraft Co at its Kingston, Brooklands, and Langley factories under contract 962371/38, delivered to the RAF between 21 February and 20 July 1940 at an average production rate of three aircraft per day.

13 Jul 40 To No. 245 Squadron (miss-recorded as 246 Squadron on the original RAF aircraft record card – that squadron did not re-form until 1942) Squadron code DX-, based at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland for convoy patrols and the aerial defence of Belfast.

13 Oct 40 Slightly damaged in flying accident.

9 Jan 41 Returned to No 22 MU.

3 Feb 41 To No. 315 (Deblin) (Polish) Squadron (Squadron codes PK – ) , based at Acklington, moving to Liverpool (Speke) in March 1941. The Squadron became operational on 18 March and began local patrols and patrolling the shipping convoys in and out of the Mersey, its first (inconclusive) combat with a Luftwaffe Ju 88 bomber not coming until 24 May. The squadron re-equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IIA in July 1941, leading to the re-allocation of P3835 to another unit resident at Speke.

16 Jul 41 Retaining its Polish link, P3835 transferred to No 303 (Polish) Squadron (Sqdn codes RF -).The Squadron was resting after its intensive activity during the Battle of Britain, and P3835 presumably continued with local patrols over the River Mersey.

23 Sep 41 Allotted maintenance serial 2694M, and sent to No 1 School of Technical Training, RAF Halton. Total flying hours only 189.25. By now the Mk.1 Hurricane was obsolete as a day fighter, being replaced by the improved Hurricane Mk II and the ubiquitous Spitfire.

29 Apr 44 Transferred to No. 1825 Sqn ATC, East Finchley and displayed outside their HQ opposite East Finchley Underground station.

1945 ATC unit closed/disbanded.
1946 Scrapped on site?

Any additional information, or even reports of other surviving parts, awaited with interest!

As a footnote, Mr Cull subsequently reports that in May 1945 Potters Bar ATC celebrated VE day by burning their Gloster Gladiator biplane fighter – the type immortalised by ‘Faith, Hope and Charity’ in the defence of Malta. Thankfully several Gladiators still survive today, including one here at Hendon. At the same time, Mr Cull’s ATC unit, 393 Finchley Squadron ATC, at their HQ in a big old house called ‘St Michaels’ in Hendon Lane, were more restrained. They had a 1930s Fairey Gordon biplane day bomber/General Purpose aircraft outside, and its Armstrong Siddeley Panther engine inside on the ground floor. On VE day a cadet walked along the wings, putting his foot through the fabric covering with every step. Mr Cull reports this unit also had the fuselage of a Curtis Hawk 75A ‘Mohawk’. Some of these saw valiant service with the French Air Force during the Blitzkrieg of May/June 1940.

ERIC MORGAN’S MONTHLY ROUND-UP OF EVENTS

Some early September events were listed in the August Newsletter.

Sat/Sun. 11/12 Sept. 10.00 – 6.00pm RAF Museum, Grahame Park Way, NW9, Battle of Britain Weekend.

Mon. 13 Sept. 3.00pm, Barnet & District LHS, Church House, Wood St. Barnet, A Brief History of Pantomime, Marlene McAndrew.

Tues. 14 Sept. 11.00 –1.00pm, LAARC, Mortimer Wheeler House, 46 Eagle Wharf Rd, N1, Talk & Tour of Archives & Artefacts, Daniel Nesbitt, (curator) & Kenneth Marks (who lectured to HADAS on Archaeology of London Anglo-Jewry). Limited to 25 persons so pre-booking essential, £5, ‘M 0759 907 7869

Tues. 14 Sept. 3.00pm, Museum of London, Jewish Heritage in London, Julia Hoffbrand, (curator) talks about objects recovered from a kosher distillery in Brick Lane. FREE
but tickets allocated on arrival.
Tues. 14 Sept. 8.00pm, Amateur Geological Society, The Parlour, St Margaret’s Church, Victoria Avenue, N3, The Lying Stones of Beringer, Dr Paul Taylor

Wed. 15 Sept. 10.30am, Friends of Barnet Borough Libraries, Friern Barnet Library, Friern Barnet Rd. N11, Local Ghosts, Ollie Natelson.

Sat/Sun. 18/19 Sept. LONDON OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND, free access to hundreds of buildings across London. Details at www.openhouse.org.uk

Wed. 22 Sept. 7.45pm, Friern Barnet & District LHS, St John’s Church Hall, Friern Barnet Lane, N20, The Palace of Westminster, Major Peter Horsfall.

Sun. 26 Sept – Sun. Oct. 3, Barnet Borough Arts Council (outside Waitrose) , The Spires, High St. Barnet, Paintings & What’s On (including HADAS).

Thurs. 30 Sept. 8.00pm, Finchley Society, Avenue House, East End Rd, N3, Not Just a Pretty Place – The National Trust and how it works, Mike Watts.

THANKS TO ALL OUR CONTRIBUTORS: Jean Bayne, Stephen Brunning, Eric Morgan, Jim Nelhams, Emma Robinson, Andy Simpson and Sheila Woodward.

LOOKING AT FINDS – A PRACTICAL COURSE IN POST-EXCAVATION STUDIES

A course for HADAS to be held at Avenue House, Finchley from 29/09/10 to 23/03/11+

Course tutor: Jacqui Pearce BA FSA MIfA

Archaeology is about people – about reconstructing past lives and through them understanding the times and places in which they lived, the things they used and the wider world of which they were a part. The thrill of excavation, the discovery of structures, finds and even people long buried draws many to the romance of archaeology. But an even greater thrill – that of bringing the past to life – awaits those who carry out the painstaking detective work that follows excavation.

This course is aimed at everyone who feels they want to learn more about what happens after the excavation is over. How do we identify, record and analyse the finds and other evidence, how relate them to the site and explore all the means at our disposal to bring that site to life? How do we share the knowledge gained through the mysteries of publication? By focusing on one particular group of material from a site in the London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre (LAARC), we will explore all these questions and more, with tuition and handling sessions designed to give students first-hand experience of post-excavation work leading to publication.

Under the auspices of Birkbeck College, between 2001 and 2008, students worked heroically through the excavation archives for Church End Farm (the results published in 2005 as The Last Hendon Farm), Church Terrace and Burroughs Gardens (publications currently in preparation), all Hendon sites excavated in the 1960s and 1970s by HADAS.

For our next course we will be concentrating on a large assemblage of finds recovered from a single closed feature in the City of London. Closed groups of this kind are of considerable importance in that they provide a closely focused snapshot of a particular time and place, and thereby of those who originally used and discarded the material recovered through excavation. They also allow us to see clearly something of the range of goods in circulation at any one time and to associate these with the area in which they were found. A web of connections begins to build up, leading us along many different paths of investigation, some of them quite unexpected. The ultimate aim is to tell the stories of those people, places and things we have brought to light through excavation and to weave these into a whole that throws light on our past. The material we have chosen is from:

Abacus House (ABC87), 33-39 Gutter Lane, EC2, context [793]

From 1520 the site was occupied by Embroiderers’ Hall. Context [793] is a brick- and ragstone-lined cesspit that probably belonged to them. It cut an earlier cesspit ([1016]), and both features were dated to the late 16th/early 17th century. The finds were never analysed in depth and the whole assemblage is in need of detailed recording, quantification and checking. The pottery has been only partially examined and a fine collection of table glass has not been recorded at all. The Livery Company associations make this a most interesting assemblage, one that can be closely dated. Although selected items have been published, no overview of the assemblage has been carried out and there is no publication that brings together all the evidence. The assemblage provides an ideal opportunity to explore the context of the find and the period to which it belongs.

Over the two terms of the course, we will be sorting, recording and analysing the finds from our chosen assemblage in detail, planning and discussing the lines of enquiry to follow, with specific research topics identified and pursued by class members as we go. A major goal will be to use the information collected to aid our understanding and interpretation. We will also be looking at how to prepare an article for publication, covering illustration and photography, writing and editing. The selected assemblage is large but manageable and we would hope to produce an article under joint authorship that could be submitted for publication in LAMAS Transactions. The goals of the course are therefore clearly defined, with a definite end in view. The experience to be gained from this closely focused programme of study should stand all who participate in good stead for future post-excavation work. Newcomers to the mysteries of archaeological analysis and publication should not be put off by any lack of previous experience – the course is designed to be accessible at many different levels. Do come along all are welcome!

The cost will be £275 for the whole course, which will be held each Wednesday evening between 18.30 and 20.30 at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley. The will run for 22 two-hours sessions over two terms from 29th September 2010 to 23rd March 2011. To book, please contact the class tutor at jacquipearce126@hotmail.com or Don Cooper at the address below.

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COPPED HALL TRUST ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT: FIELD SCHOOLS 2010

Monday 9th – Friday 13th August

Monday 16th – Friday 20th August

Continuing investigation into the development of a Tudor grand-house from Medieval beginnings at Copped Hall on the edge of Epping Forest, Essex.

At time of writing there are still places available at the two 5-day Field Schools for people already familiar with basic techniques of archaeological excavation and recording on the above dates. Cost is £90 for each week (WEAG members £80).

For further information please contact Mrs. Pauline Dalton: telephone 01992 813 725, or email pmd2@ukonline.co.uk

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THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF EARLY PREHISTORIC EUROPE

Arranged by the Mill Hill Archaeological Study Society

Venue: Lawrence Room, Hartley Hall, Flower Lane, NW7

Cost: £130 for 20 classes

Tutor: Scott McCracken

Enrol at the first meeting. If you have not previously attended the Society’s meetings please contact the Secretary: Peter Nicholson 020 8959 4757

HADAS long weekend in Norwich – 28th August to 1st September 2010

The arrangements for our trip to Norwich are nearly finalised – apart, of course, from the weather. The balance of the cost (£300 per person sharing a room or £340 for those in single rooms) is due by the 18th August 2010. Please send your payments to Jim Nelhams (address at back of newsletter). A little booklet of the trip and any instructions will be sent you as soon as it is possible.

A few places may still be available. We normally operate a waiting list as well because so often someone has to drop out, so please contact Jim if you are interested but have not yet signed up.

Return to Hendon School to teach practical archaeology and a SUPRISE.

By Don Cooper

This is a preliminary report on this year’s excavation at Hendon School from Monday, 28th June to Friday, 2nd July 2010.

Site code HDS06. Grid reference: 523675.129E 189026.785N height above sea level 59.850. The grid reference (which was set up by contractors who are preparing to build an additional building in the school grounds) was one and a half metres east of centre of the trench.

Introduction

This, the fifth season of excavation at Hendon School, was different from the previous ones. First of all it was only one week long, and secondly, the range of practical archaeological techniques demonstrated was vastly expanded. Sarah Dhanjal, a PhD student at University College London’s Institute of Archaeology and heavily involved in Community Archaeology , produced an excellent handbook for the pupils covering the areas studied. Twenty, mostly year seven (ten or eleven year olds) boys and girls took part. One session covered health and safety on site followed by a discussion on what is archaeology, as well as why we were digging at Hendon School. Each day also provided two hours of excavating including appropriate use of the tools of archaeology. Day two majored on Archaeological finds looking at what we had found in previous excavations, what they were, how they were recorded and what we might find this year. Day three concentrated on the use of photography on archaeological sites, and surveying techniques such as the use of the “dumpy level” to position our trench and finds. The fourth day brought plan and section drawing. Sarah, Angela Holmes, Vicki Baldwin, Jim Nelhams and I from HADAS as well as Gabe Moshenska, Mike Lewis, Hannah Page and Jennifer Bowen from university archaeological departments taught the various aspects, supervised and excavated a two metre by three metre trench in the north-east corner of the school playing field. This year’s excavation had a stronger educational structure to the activities in line with the way schools community archaeology is developing mainly thanks to Sarah Dhanjal.

Summary

With the emphasis this year on more educational activities and only one week’s digging, this year’s trench played second fiddle to the requirements of the pupils. Nevertheless, the trench gradually took shape, from the de-turfing layer, through a top soil layer, to a disturbed layer of mixed deposits. On the last day it was decided to dig a small sondage (a slot within the trench designed to look at lower levels) as we were unable to get down to natural for the whole trench in the timescale. This sondage half a metre long by two metres wide and about 25cm deep produced a number of surprises. Firstly, mid-way across the two metre width there was a post-hole, with all the characteristics of a wooden post secured by two nails and secondly, 117 sherds of early medieval pottery were found. This large amount of early pot in a secure context is, at the very least, surprising. It is more Early Medieval Pottery sherds than HADAS has ever taken from such a small area. What is going on in that area? A lot more work needs to be done on analysing the pottery, before we even guess at what might be happening. This work is already started with the sherds being referred to specialists to establish accurate dating, fabric types and the number of unique vessels involved. On the face of it, however, this is a very significant find for the area and comes as a major surprise.

Detail

A detailed report will be produced when the impact of all the finds has been assessed. However, after the de-turfing layer, context one produced the usual detritus from the school playing field, such as sweet papers, bits of metal, a few small sherds of modern pottery, some building material and glass. Context 2 was the main context and consisted of a deep layer of disturbed soil. It produced a wide range of pottery sherds from modern back to early medieval pot, there was metal, clinker, coal, building material, stems of clay pipes and glass both window and bottle. There was little animal bone compared to what had been found on previous digs. Context 3 produced no finds and was merged with context 2 after it was decided that there wasn’t any difference between them. Context 4 was a lense of London Clay but with no finds associated with it. There were pottery sherds in context 5 which was a pebble layer. The sondage as mentioned above produced an amazing amount of early medieval pot sherds. The feature in the sondage (a likely pot hole) produced three sherds of early medieval on top of it and nail heads at its base.

Contribution to research questions

The research questions posed by the project design brief can be answered as follows:

a. Is there any residual evidence of prehistoric activity? There was no evidence of prehistoric activity.

b. Considering the proximity to various Roman roads, is there evidence of Roman activity? There are a number of Roman and suspected Roman sherds from context 2 and the sondage.

c. Excavations in the area have uncovered considerable Anglo-Saxon material, is there any evidence of similar remains here? Within the early medieval sherds there are a number that are probably Anglo-Saxon, we will not know for certain until the detailed pottery analysis has been completed.

d. Is there any evidence of activity in the area between its mention in Domesday and the construction of the house? The large number of early medieval pot sherds recovered from the small undisturbed sondage imply a presence in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries.

e. What evidence remains for the different phases of rebuilding of the house up to the demolition in 1909? No evidence was found this time.

Results

From an educational point of view this was the most successful excavation so far. Many more archaeological techniques were described, taught and demonstrated. Apart from the sondage, the contexts produced the finds expected namely the detritus from a school playing fields, residual finds from the allotments that were on the site during the Second World War and, unexpectedly a larger number of early medieval pottery sherds from the mixed contexts which in turn were overwhelmed by the number from the sondage.

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to many people, first and foremost to Sarah Dhanjal, who created the training booklet and arranged all the activities. To Jill Hickman, our contact at Hendon School who makes the excavations on site possible as well as selecting the pupils, getting their parents’ permission and ensuring that they were on site at the right times. Thanks are due to all the HADAS members who did a splendid job throughout the week especially Angela Holmes whose teaching expertise and archaeological experience are unsurpassed. Many thanks are also due to our colleagues from university for their hard work, enthusiasm and expertise.

Notes re: HADAS Outing on 11 July 2010 to Down House, Biggin Hill Battle of Britain Memorial Chapel & Lullingstone Roman Villa Andrew Selkirk

Those of you who went on the splendid HADAS trip to Down House and Lullingstone Roman villa might like to see some of the photos that I took on the trip which I have now put up on the web, on our site at www.Ilovethepast.com. Just go to the site and do a search either for Down House or Lullingstone and you’ll see the pictures and my description. If you have any pictures of your own or would like to add any additional information or comments or indeed a review of either of these sites do feel free to do so — that is the point of Ilovethepast.com — and the more reviews we get, the better.

You might also like to look at Kelmscott which I have visited the previous day with the Society of Antiquaries. Kelmscott was William Morris’s house down by the River Thames, and by a series of accidents it was bequeathed to the Society of Antiquaries and I went down on their special summer outing and enjoyed strawberries and cream on the lawn! I don’t think that HADAS has ever been to Kelmscott, but it would make a very good outing.

Incidentally has anyone got any photos of the other two sites near Lullingstone Roman villa, namely Lullingstone Castle and Eynsford Castle? When I went down to Lullingstone Roman villa for the official opening two years ago, I took lots of photos of the other two sites as well, but unfortunately I had a computer crash and lost these photos. Everything else was backed up, but sadly I lost these photos and I would like to add something on these other two sites. Lullingstone Castle is of course essentially a Queen Anne house and a fine Tudor gatehouse, but Eynsford Castle is a superb example of an early Norman castle, miraculously preserved because it became stables and hunting kennels in the 18th century.

HADAS/UCL Digs in Church Farmhouse Museum Garden & Sunny Hill Park, Hendon Vicki Baldwin

Both digs ran from Monday 12th July until Thursday 22nd July.

The trench in Church Farmhouse Museum Garden was opened to enable further examination of the medieval ditch located and investigated on earlier occasions.

The Sunny Hill Park excavations focused on two of five air-raid shelters near St Mary’s church. The HADAS/UCL team was led by Dr. Gabriel Moshenska and members of Subterranea Britannica (http://www.subbrit.org.uk ) attended on several days.

Both locations attracted interest from members of the public, several of whom made daily visits, and useful information was gained from those who had personal memories of the air-raid shelters. The Open Day on Sunday 18th July was particularly busy.

However, it was one of the youngest visitors who provided Dr. Moshenska with directions to the location of an unusual relic. Six year old David Wolffe had found an original wooden sign that had once pointed the way to the shelters. The paint and lettering are still in good condition and now, rather than lying hidden behind a hedge, this small boy’s treasure will have a place in the museum with details of his part in its recovery. An account of the discovery appeared in the Hendon & Finchley Times on 22 July. This was the second week that a report of the excavations appeared in the local paper.

On Thursday 22 July the trenches were backfilled. The finds must now be processed and recorded and the reports written. Articles containing details of the finds and conclusions will appear in future editions of the newsletter.

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What’s On Eric Morgan

Sunday 1st August, 3-5pm: Finchley Society, Avenue House, East End Road. The Bothy Garden open day. (HADAS will be at Avenue House from 10.30am.)

Sunday 1st August, 2.30pm: Heath & Hampstead Society, meet at the cattle trough in Spaniards Road, nr. The Spaniards Inn, The Heath Extension, walk led by Tony Ghilchik (Vice-President). Lasts approx. 2hrs. Donation £2.

Tuesday 3rd August, 2-3pm: Harrow Museum, Headstone Manor, Pinner View, North Harrow: Tennyson & The Brontes. Talk by Judy Karbritz. Cost £3.

Also until 31st October exhibition: Medieval Harrow: Moats, Manors & Muck!

Thursday 5th August, 7.30pm: London Canal Museum, 12-13 New Wharf Road, Kings Cross, N1, Towpath Walk to Camden. Lasts 1½ hrs. Cost £7 including museum entrance.

Saturday 7th August, 2-4pm: Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2, Walking the Roman Wall. Book in advance£8 on www.museumoflondon.org.uk or telephone 020 7001 9544.

Sunday 8th August, 11am: Enfield Society. Heritage walk Enfield Cemetery starting at Gordon Hill station. Led by Graham Dalling to tell us about some of Enfield’s past residents. Circular, 1hr walk. Tickets free, but limited. Please write to Jubilee Hall, 2 Parsonage Lane, Enfield, Middx. & enclose s.a.e.

Tuesday 10th August, 8pm: Amateur Geological Society, The Parlour, St. Margaret’s Church, Victoria Avenue, N3 (off Hendon Lane): Minerals & Gems of Africa: talk by Warren Taylor.

Saturday 14th August, 12-3pm on the hour: Guided Tour of Forty Hall, Forty Hill, Enfield. Free costumed tour lasting about 45mins. Booking required. For information email forty.hall@enfield.gov.uk or telephone 202 8363 8196.

Tuesday 17th August, 6pm: Highgate Wood Information Hut, off Archway Road, N6. Historical Walk.

Thursday 17th August, 6.30pm: Willesden Green Library Centre, High Road NW10: Ernest Trobridge – Kingsbury’s Extraordinary Architect. Talk by Philip Grant.

Friday 20th August, 7pm: COLAS, St. Olave’s Parish Hall, Mark Lane, EC3: Talks by members of COLAS. Visitors £2. Light refreshments after.

Saturday 21st August & Sunday 22nd August, 12-6pm: Friern Barnet Summer Show, Friary Park, Friern Barnet Lane, N12. Friern Barnet & District Local History Society will be in a marquee with a special display on the Centenary of Friary Park. The Finchley Society & Barnet Borough Arts Council will have stands here also.

Sunday 22nd August, 2.30pm: Enfield Society, Heritage Walk: Southgate, starting from The Cherry Tree, Chaseside N14. We will be taken round this Conservation Area & told about the interesting buildings. We will also have visits to Christ Church & the Southgate Beaumont Home. Booking information as for 8th August.

Thursday 26th August, 12.30pm: Big Changes of Paddington Basin. Explore the developments of the Basin & Merchant Square. Find out more about the Basin’s history, view magnificent buildings & see the Rolling Bridge in action. Meet at the Hilton London Metropole, 225 Edgware Road, W2.

Tuesday 31st August, 2-3pm: Harrow Museum, Headstone Manor, Pinner View, North Harrow: The Medieval Churches of Middlesex talk by Pat Clarke. £3. Complements the museum’s Medieval exhibition (see 3rd August).

Wednesday 1st September, 8pm: Stanmore & Harrow Historical Society, Wealdstone Baptist Church Hall, High Street, Wealdstone. 40 Years With Kodak, talk by Tony Earle (who gave HADAS a talk on the Underground).

Thursday 2nd September, 7.30pm: London Canal Museum, 12-13 New Wharf Road, Kings Cross, N1, The Sleaford Navigation – Past, Present& Future. Talk by Steve Hayes on its history. Admission £3 (£2 concessions).

Friday 3rd September, 10.30am-12noon: Friends of Barnet Borough Libraries, South Friern Library, Colney Hatch Lane, N10. History of Pharmacy talk & coffee.

Saturday 4th & Sunday5th September, 10.30am-6pm: Enfield Town Show, Town Park, Cecil Road, Enfield, Middx. The Enfield Society & Enfield Archaeological Society will have stands here. Lots more stalls. Admission £3 (£2 concessions).

Sunday 5th September, 3-5pm: Garden Party, The Bothy Garden, Avenue House Grounds, East End Road, N3. Admission £5.

Sunday 5th September, 11am-5pm: Angel Canal Festival, Regents Canal, City Road Basin, Islington, N1 (near LAARC). Many stalls, boat trips & rally. London Canal Museum & Islington Archaeology & History Society have stands here. Free.

HADAS DIARY

Sunday 11 July HADAS Summer Outing
The booking form for the coach trip to visit Charles Darwin’s home near Down, in Kent, was included in our last newsletter. There are still some places available and friends of members are welcome too, so if you didn’t book, but are still interested, please contact Jim Nelhams. His full address, e-mail etc, are on the last page of this Newsletter. The day includes a visit Lullingstone Roman Villa.

Digging in Hendon

By the time you receive this newsletter, our digging with UCL at Hendon School will be complete. But do not forget the digs at the back of Church Farm House museum starting on Monday 12th July and continuing until July 23rd. It is planned to open an old air raid shelter in Sunny Hill Park, and to open a small trench in the museum grounds to further investigate the medieval ditch.

Most digging will be during the week. HADAS members are welcome to join in, but please let us know in advance. For the air raid shelter, please contact Gabe Moshinska (UCL) on 07752 154791. Contact Bill Bass on 020 8449 5666 for the ditch.

As the weekend falls during the Festival of British Archaeology, we will hold an Open House on Sunday 18th from about 11am to 3pm, and would love to see any HADAS members during this time.

HADAS long weekend to Norwich – Saturday 28 August to Wednesday 1 September.

There may still be a couple of places available. Apply to Don Cooper, again,details on last page.

For your Diary: The last two lectures of 2010 will be:

Tuesday 12th October 2010 Behind the Scenes on “Time Team” Raksha Dave

and:

Tuesday 9th November 2010 Archaeology and the Olympics David Divers – English Heritage

Lectures are held at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley, and start promptly at 8 pm. Nearest tube station is Finchley Central. Non-members: £1. Coffee, tea and biscuits available. Buses 82, 143, 326 & 460 pass close by.

Annual General Meeting Report Jo Nelhams

The Society’s 49th Annual General Meeting was held on Tuesday 8th June 2010 at Avenue House. There was a very good attendance, with 39 members (but just 5 apologies). The Chairman, Don Cooper, introduced the President, Harvey Sheldon, who proceeded with his usual high efficiency. The Annual Report and Accounts were approved by the meeting and the Officers remained unchanged and were duly elected. The current members of the committee plus two new members were then duly elected too.

In the closing discussion the Chairman referred to 2011 which will be the 50th year since the formation of the society and various possible plans were suggested to celebrate this forthcoming anniversary.

A reminder of who is who on the elected committee:

Chairman: Don Cooper Vice-Chairman: Peter Pickering

Hon. Treasurer: Jim Nelhams Hon. Secretary: Jo Nelhams

Hon. Membership Secretary: Stephen Brunning

Committee: Bill Bass, Andrew Coulson, Eric Morgan, June Porges,

Mary Rawitzer, Denis Ross, Andrew Selkirk, Tim Wilkins

and welcome new members Vicki Baldwin and Sue Willetts.

The meeting was followed by presentations of the activities in which some members had participated. Bill Bass presented an update on digging at Church Farm Museum. The dig that took place at Hendon School was presented by Vicki Baldwin. There will be a further digs in both of these locations this year. Andy Simpson reported on the long weekend trip to Hereford. Don Cooper updated members on the work concerning Hendon churchyard in collating the information from the burials, many of which were not of people that had lived locally, but were purchased as a cheaper alternative on the outskirts of London. The presentations concluded with Bill Bass showing members participating in an excavation in Wheathampstead.

Our thanks to those who contributed and informed us of the many activities in which different members have been involved during this last year. We look forward to our anniversary year and hope to see as many members as possible actively participating in digs, outings, lectures and other events organised by the society.

Roman kiln to be returned to its home in Highgate Wood

A 2,000-year-old kiln is to be returned to its original home in Highgate Wood. The Roman clay kiln, the only one of its kind in London, was discovered during excavations of Roman pottery across half a hectare of the northern end of the wood between 1966 and 1974 and has since been housed at Bruce Castle Museum in Haringey.

Archaeologists believe the kiln was used by craftsmen between 50AD and 150AD to produce a type of pottery called Highgate Wood Ware. The pots were a dark colour, often in a shape that resembled a poppy seed head. They were traded at markets and have been discovered in excavations as far away as Colchester and Lincoln.

Young people from across north London will re-enact the use of the Roman kiln during two weeks in July with a professional potter who will help design, make and dry clay pots, and build a replica of the original kiln to fire pots using the same methods the Romans would have done.

The £20,000 project is a collaboration between the Museum of London, Haringey Council and the City of London Corporation, the managers of Highgate Wood, and is part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad programme “Stories of the World” which aims to encourage museums to team up with young people to re-interpret museum collections and historic sites.

The site was dug by HADAS President Harvey Sheldon between 1966 and 1974 and another member, Mike Hammerson, was a site supervisor.

Exhibition at Lambeth Palace Library Jim Nelhams

The Library at Lambeth Palace is celebrating its 400th anniversary by mounting an exhibition of some of its special treasures. Jo and I visited this exhibition and would recommend it. We spent about 2 hours looking at the items on show. The display cases are within the main hall of the library and are clearly displayed and annotated. Admission includes a free audio guide with good supporting information. There were plentiful chairs for sitting down when required.

The exhibits are mainly but not exclusively connected with church history and include:

· The Lambeth Bible (12th century)

· A Gutenberg Bible printed in 1455

· Books owned and used by Richard III, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and Charles I.

· The Babylonian Talmud (Early 16th century)

· A copy of the warrant for the execution of Mary Queen of Scots

· A number of illuminated manuscripts and early printing

The Library is located in Lambeth Palace Road, close to Lambeth Bridge. Nearest underground stations are Waterloo or Vauxhall. Admission is £8 for adults, concessions £7. Tickets can be pre-booked on 0871 230 1107 or on website www.lambethpalacelibrary.org .

The exhibition continues until 23rd July, Monday to Saturday, 10:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30).

Caldey Island (or Ynys Pyr) Sue Willetts

I was recently invited to spend 5 days on Caldey Island which is now owned by a Community of Cistercian monks and lies off the coast of Tenby in South Wales. The island is just about.1½ x ⅔ miles and is of geological and archaeological interest. A website, http://www.caldey-island.co.uk, provides information about this rugged, beautiful and peaceful island, the background to the Monastery, the spring/summer 20- minute ferry service for day visitors and the longer stays available for those interested in a retreat. There are good walks, including ones through woodland, and, if you are lucky, you might see seals basking on the rocks. There are masses of seabirds and an extensive sandy beach. The island is formed from two distinct types of rock: the northern part is mountain limestone, with old red sandstone in the south and along the line where they adjoin fresh water springs have been found.

Documentary evidence suggests there was a Celtic monastery dating from the sixth century founded by monks from Llantwit Major in Glamorgan. The name of the first Abbot was recorded as Pyro and it is said that he died after falling into a well due to drunkenness! Subsequently, there was a Benedictine foundation from 1136 until the dissolution of the monasteries, with the current Monastery built in 1906 by Anglican

Benedictines. In 1913 the monks joined the Roman Catholic Church, but due to financial problems the island was sold to the Cistercians from Scourmont in Belgium and the Benedictines moved away to Prinknash Abbey in Gloucestershire.

Sites of interest are the Old Priory containing an Ogham stone from the 6th century, a Norman Church, a Watchtower Chapel, a lime kiln and a Lighthouse built in 1828. There is a small museum in the Post Office which has displays covering geology and archaeology, including roman coins found on the nearby island of (now uninhabited) St.Margaret’s. It is possible to attend services in the plain Abbey Church of the Monastery (the rest of the Monastery is not accessible) and hear the beautiful chanting of the Monks wearing their traditional white habits. Services in the Abbey Church start at 3.30 am and continue at intervals throughout the day, ending with Compline at 7.35 pm. During the day, the monks usually wear practical working clothes as they perform manual tasks on the farm or kitchen.

Refreshments for visitors can be found in a tea shop beautifully situated next to the village green and duck pond. A video-hall (free) shows a DVD about the life of the Monks and visitors can buy souvenirs of perfume and chocolate both made on the island (also available on the internet!). I would thoroughly recommend a visit if any HADAS members are in the Tenby area, but note that boats do not sail in rough weather. I have booklets available on loan for anyone interested.

THE STAFFORDSHIRE HOARD

A detectorist’s dream find Christopher Sparey-Green

One thing is certain about the latest bullion from the English countryside, it is an unusual hoard and contains some unique objects, but another Sutton Hoo it is not. And it is hardly the archaeological equivalent of the Book of Kells. But how so much rich metalwork could come to be scattered in the topsoil of a recently cultivated pasture is unexplained, since apparently no primary context or burial pit has been identified.

The weight of bullion (6.3kg) as compared with Sutton Hoo (4kg) is not exactly an important factor in the archaeological interpretation of the site, but the quantity of items, mostly fittings from Anglo-Saxon swords but including some magnificent bent and desecrated crosses and jewelled fittings, will be the cause of much speculation. The presence of something like 650 scraps and 56 earth lumps containing tiny fragments of metal suggests detritus from an early jeweller – a precursor of more recent metal workers in the Birmingham area. This writer wonders if it is the product of Viking raids on some royal hall decked with museum pieces from past battles, the rusty and antiquated blades discarded, the gold and silver fittings in the process of re-working.

One decorated gold strip is of particular interest in view of the inscription it bears, a biblical quote from Numbers 10 v. 35. This is a particularly militaristic phrase of Moses calling on the Lord to rise up and scatter those who hate Him, the text in Insular Miniscule lettering of the seventh or eighth century. As viewed on line the text may contain some errors or abbreviations in the Latin and there appears to be a blundered inscription on the reverse, perhaps a trial. The text would have been an appropriate quote for a Christian Anglo-Saxon combating the unconverted of the period, the form of the lettering and the source of the exact quote perhaps one of the most useful aids in tying down the source and date of at least one item in what must be the most expensive treasure find recently bought for public display.

The Staffordshire web site is well worth looking at – http://www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk/interview – if only for the very appropriate quote placed on page 1 and there is a comment in the Editorial of Antiquity 84(2010): 295-296 (http://antiquity.ac.uk/ant/84/ant840295.htm).

Brunel’s Great Eastern Construction Site Jim Nelhams

At the recent meeting of CBA London, we were given information about an open day of the London Foreshore Project in Docklands, including information about Brunel’s Great Eastern steamship which was built at Millwall. As Brunel fans, this was not an opportunity to be missed.

We reached the small exhibition at The Docklands Settlement in East Ferry Road by Docklands Light Railway, using the amusingly named Mudchute station. If you had seen it when they were constructing the DLR tunnel from the Isle of Dogs to Greenwich, you would understand the name.

A small but interesting exhibition showed some of the finds that had been discovered along the foreshore of the river, and a few other items from the Museum of London. Then at midday we were guided down to the river where we were met by Professor Gustav Milne from UCL, shortly afterwards joined by the director of the Brunel Museum, cleverly disguised as Isambard Kingdon Brunel (without cigar). We were led on a conducted tour of the on-land parts of the Great Eastern construction site, which were discovered by accident as recently as 1984. As the tide reached its lowest point, we were able to see parts of the launch ramps which still exist in the river.

The tour had a second purpose. The Great Eastern commenced its first Transatlantic voyage on 17th June 1860, so we were celebrating the 150th anniversary of this event. Using the original charts, the outline of the ship had been marked out with chalk and we could see it’s considerable size – 25 metres wide and 211 metres long. The Great Eastern was the largest ship of its time, and nothing larger was built for over 50 years. Its size enabled it to carry enough coal for a return voyage to Australia, since little coal was then available en route. Because of its size, the ship was built along the shore and launched sideways.

The ship was powered from five steam boilers. Four of these, in two pairs, powered a large paddle wheel on each side of the vessel, with the fifth separately powering a screw at the stern. The steam technology being still relatively new, backup was provided by six masts with sails, the masts being named Monday to Saturday. The positions of the funnels, masts and paddle wheels had also been marked in chalk, and members of the tour party were invited to position themselves as funnels, masts or part of the paddle wheels. Then on the command from Mr Brunel, “Start engines”, the funnels simulated smoke, the masts raised their sails, and the paddle wheels propelled water towards the stern. This was recorded on film, presumably to be used for publicity. Should you come across this, I was Wednesday and Jo was Boiler No 2, or was it 3. A lot of fun for all involved, and a great way to illustrate the size of the leviathan.

When you pass the site on a riverboat, the commentary may tell you that the Great Eastern was built on the banks, but nothing is visible from the river because of the concrete embankment. It has been proposed to decorate the riverside embankment with a profile of the Great Eastern, including a paddle wheel. The area is already public land and it is hoped to plant trees in such a way that, seen from the river, they will appear as the funnels and masts of the great ship.

The Great Eastern was ahead of its time, being built with a double hull, and with keel to deck bulwarks separating it into 5 sections. Had the Titanic been similarly constructed, it would likely have survived its collision. Unfortunately for Brunel’s ship, by the time it was launched, the market for passenger voyages was not to be found, and the ship was put to a different use. Her size made her very stable, and with a stern screw and side paddle wheels, she was easily manoeuvrable. This made the ship ideal for cable laying, a need not known when she was designed, and thus she was used to lay the first Transatlantic telephone cable on the ocean floor. From 1865 to 1872 she laid four telegraph cables under the Atlantic, and others to link Bombay and Aden.

Brunel is well known for his bridges, but perhaps his greatest bridges were those cables, bridging the gap by telephone from England to America.

Eric Morgan’s Monthly Round-Up of What’s On, especially the Festival of British Archaeology

Fri. 2 July 10.30am. 350 Years of Church Farm House. Talk by Gerrard Roots. South Friern Library, Colney Hatch Lane, N10.

Sat. 3 July 11am – 5.00pm. Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery Open Day. Harrow Rd, NW10/Ladbroke Grove W10. Tours, displays, refreshments, stalls, including Willesden Local History Society & Friends bookstall.

Sat. 3 & Sun. 4 July 12-7pm, East Barnet Festival. Oak Hill Park, Church Hill Rd, East Barnet. Lots of community stalls, including Barnet Arts Council.

Sun. 4 July 3-5pm, The Bothy Garden Open Day. Avenue House Grounds, East End Rd, N3, including The Alyth Youth Singers and Pandamonium, performing 3.30pm. £5 on gate.

Sun. 4 July 2.30pm, Fabulous Finchley. 2hr guided walk through 1000 years of Finchley Central & East Finchley. Meet Finchley Central tube, Ballards Lane exit, finishes East Finchley tube. Led by Paul Baker. £7

Fri. 9 July 7pm, Oddities Along a London Leyline. COLAS. Guided walk exploring a short stretch of a famous London straight track. Meet outside National Gallery, Trafalgar Squareed by Roy Walker.

Sat. 10 July 7pm, City Churches Walks. The Friends of City Churches give a rare chance to visit historic churches within the City. Choice of different 90-minute walking tours, each visiting 3 churches and taking in places of interest en route. Itineraries announced on the day. Meet St Mary Aldermary, Bow Lane, Cannon St, 10.30am or 1.30pm. Details on www.London-city-churches.org.uk. Churches open 10am-4pm. £7.

Sat. 10 July 12 noon-3pm, on the hour, Guided Tour , Forty Hall, Enfield. Free costumed tour lasting c.45min. Booking required. Information: forty.hall@enfield .gov.uk or 020 8363 8196.

Sat. 10 July from 12 noon, Finchley Pentland Community Festival. Lots of community stalls, including the Finchley Society. Victoria Park, Ballards Lane, N3.

Sun. 11 July, 2.30-47pm, The Hidden River Fleet. London Canal Museum guided walk exploring part of the course of the river around St Pancras/Grays Inn Rd. 12-13 New Wharf Rd, Kings X, N1. £7.

Tues. 13 July 8pm, Talks: Around Hitchin 100 Million Years Ago (Mike Howgate) and The La Brea Tar Pits Museum, Los Angeles (Mike Cuming). Amateur Geological Society , The Parlour, St Margaret’s Church, Victoria Ave., N3 (off Hendon Lane).

Wed. 14 July 12.30pm, Paddington’s Industrial Heritage. Walk, wharves, windings, train sheds & the early days of railway development. Meet Starbucks, 15 Sheldon Sq, W2. Also on Wed. 25 July 12.30pm.

Fri. 16 July 12-2pm, World Archaeology and Archaeology in Action. Also: Sat. 17th July – Sun. 1st August, Festival of British Archaeology. Many events at the Museum of London. Details on www.museumof london.org.uk including special hands-on events 24th & 25 July. Also:

Sat. 17/Sun. 18 July, Excavating at Elsynge Palace (& pageant). Forty Hall, Enfield: forty.hall@enfield .gov.uk/020 8363 8196.

Sat .17/Sun. 18 July11.30am-4pm, COLAS at the Tower. Foreshore events, Tower Beach, finds handling, etc.

Sat. 24/Sun. 25 July, Dig at Theobalds Palace. Cedars Park ,Cheshunt. Enfield Archaeological Society

Sat. 24 July 1-3pm, Myddelton House: History, strolls, garden viewing. Bullsmoor Lane, Enfield.

Wed. 28 July – Sun. 1 August 2pm, Royal Society Science Walks, Science in the City. Led Mike Howgate. Start Museum of London, finish St Pauls tube. Booking essential: mehowgate@hotmail.com, 020 8882 2606.

Thanks to all our contributors: Stephen Brunning, Eric Morgan, Jim Nelhams, Jo Nelhams,

Peter Pickering, Sue Willetts, Christopher Sparey-Green.