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HADAS DIARY
Saturday 10 September Outing to Copped Hall Archaeological Project, The Rodings, Pleshy Castle & Thaxted with June Porges & Stewart Wild.
Tuesday 11 October. 8pm Lecture by Jill Cook: Paleolithic Art: Soft Curves and Fuller Figures – images of women in the art of the Old Stone Age.
Tuesday 8 November. 8pun Lecture by Edwin Baker, formerly a photographer at the British Museum and MoLAS: The Photography of Small Archaeological Finds
HADAS WEEKEND A TRIUMPH DESPITE THE RAIN by Stewart Wild
Over what must have been the wettest summer weekend on record, the HADAS trip to Northumbria 27- 31 July, based in Durham, was a great success thanks to Jackie Brooks’ immaculate organisation and the knowledge and humour of our excellent local guide Derek Sharman. Visits included Raby Castle, County Durham; Arbeia Roman Fort at South Shields (with a view of some of the handsome vessels lining up for the start of the Tall Ships Race); fascinating Vindolanda in the rain; Newcastle University’s superb Museum of Antiquities; Alnwick Castle and Gardens; Aydon Castle; Lordenshaws Prehistoric Landscape Site; Paxton House (a brief foray into Scotland here); Lindisfarne Castle and Priory, and Berwick on Tweed for a walk on the city walls. On the last night a gala dinner at a hotel in Bamburgh was enjoyed by all. A full report will appear in the next newsletter.
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A GENTLE REMINDER by Don Cooper
It’s that time again! The task of processing the Ted Sammes archives of the HADAS excavations from the 70s continues anew this Autumn. As usual the course is being run at Avenue House by Jacqui Pearce (see details below reproduced from the Birkbeck web site). This is your chance to learn how to identify artefacts found in excavations and learn the techniques of post excavation processing at a local venue and in a very friendly environment. So do come and join us!! To apply write, phone or e-mail for an application form quoting the course code below to: Archaeology, FCE Birkbeck, 26 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DQ Tel: 020 7631 6627 E-mail archaeology@fce.bbk.ac.uk Course Title and description: Course code is FFAR015UACP After the Excavation: Archaeology from Processing to Publication The module will run as a workshop providing a model for post-excavation procedures based on current practice, covering finds, processing, identification, recording and analysis leading to publication and archive deposition. Amateur groups and local societies are encouraged to bring along material from excavations to be used in practical sessions, with teaching and supervision by specialists. Wed. 28 September, 6.30pm-8.30pm 26 meetings including visits, £180 (£90 for concessions), 30 CATS points at Level 2 Jacqui Pearce, BA, FSA, Avenue House, 15-17 East End Road, Finchley N3
Sad news
JOHN HOOSON
We are very sorry to hear of the death of John Hooson. John joined HADAS in 1973 whilst studying for the Certificate of Field Archaeology at Barnet College. He was a very active member of the West Heath Team and contributed a first analysis to the report. Later, when he had to take early retirement due to ill health, he obtained a BSc. in Archaeological Science. We give our sympathy to Audrey Hooson. MOLLY DICKER
Molly died suddenly from a heart attack on Thursday 11th August. She came on our HADAS
AT THE AGM
The business of the AGM was done with commendable efficiency and celerity and afterwards we were entertained by Bill Bass showing slides and Andrew Coulson giving a talk on The Battle of Barnet.
SLIDES OF THE YEAR’S ARCHAEOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES by Bill Bass
Pinner Hill Golf Club. Pictures were shown of the HADAS dig at the golf club revealing a substantial wall foundation of a probable Tudor Manor house in the area. Avenue House. Slides were shown of the HADAS training excavation in August 2004, showing the edging and remains of the drainage system of an ornamental pond which was in the grounds of Avenue House in the early 20th century,now filled in and grassed over. Pictures were also shown of the HADAS book sale held in March 2005 in Avenue House. HADAS Outings. Photos were shown of the long weekend to the Lake District and the day visit to Lewes Castle and nearby Balcolmbe Roman Villa. Other. Slides were shown of an open day at Turnershall Villa near Wheathampstead, the site of an early and rich Roman burial. And also a further Villa at Amwell near Wheathampstead, being dug by the local St. Albans society.
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RETURN TO CHURCH FARMHOUSE MUSEUM, AUGUST 6 & 7TH by Bill Bass
HADAS have been digging in the Hendon area since the1960s and in the grounds of the museum since 1993,with later digs in 1996 and 1999. Finds have been found from the prehistoric period (struck flint), the material from the Roman, saxon, medieval and post medieval periods. The most substantial features are medieval gulleys, pits and a ditch, with residual finds from Roman and Saxon occupation. The site may have been levelled for a tennis-court resulting in landscaping and terracing and subsequent garden. The weekend started on the Friday beforehand with a small party relaying equipment from Avenue House to the museum, then laying out the baselines, trenches and the grid for resistivity surveying, work was also started on de-turfing the trenches. It was decided to layout three trenches, a CEmain, one over the line of the previously known medieval ditch and two exploratory smaller trenches either side of the museum building. Saturday dawned with fine weather and a good turnout of members, old and new, ready to dig, one was hot-foot from Catal Huyuk in Turkey! A good start was made with a coin being found in the trench to the west of the museum (a 1950s farthing). Later, in the main trench a clay-pipe stem with a mark associating it with the Welsh Harp a local pub and its proprietor was found, which made your Chairman a happy man for the weekend. A resistivity survey was carried out near to the pond with some anomalies being found, perhaps from some cottages thought to be in the area. On Sunday we were entertained by a clown/magic show laid on by the museum for local families, much interest was shown in the excavations and the finds, some of which where being washed and dried in the sun. At last some medieval and Roman pot was being found in the main trench indicating the ditch-fill was close by. Indeed another section of the ditch was added to the plan, and some interesting sherds of pot found including what may be some nice Roman examples. On the Monday a hardy bunch of volunteers backfilled and returfed the various holes. Thanks to all those who took part, and to Gerrard Roots of the museum. A case of finds from previous HADAS digs in the garden can be seen in the museum to about September, these were published in the HADAS Journal No 1.
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OTHER SOCIETIES ACTIVITIES From Eric Morgan
The Exhibition 50 Years of Church Farm House Museum has been extended to Sunday 11 September
Sun 4 September 2-4pm Friern Barnet & District Local History Society, from outside Town Hall Friern Barnet (corner Friern Barnet Lane/Woodhouse Rd) Colney Hatch Village Tour led by Oliver Natelson & John Philpot. cost £1.
Sun 4 September 3-5pm Finchley Arts Centre Trust The Bothy, Avenue House Grounds, East End Rd. N3 Garden Party Admission £5 Refreshments incl., Arts and Crafts Exhibition. Proceeds to develop the Garden
Sun 4 September 10.30am-430pm The Jewish Museum, Finchley. Sternburg Centre, 80 East End Rd., N3 Open Day. Exhibition of History of Jewish Immigration to London, displays of tailoring, furniture making in East End. Talks by Leon Greenman (holocaust survivor), stories of Kindertransport. Adults £2, concessions £1
Sun 4 September llam Barnet and District Local History Society from the top of Meadway outside High Barnet Station Every Other House a Tavern, a Pub Walk looking at some of Barnet’s famous pubs led by Paul Baker.Cost £5. Lasts 2 hours
Thurs 8-Sat 10 September 10.30am-12 noon, 12.30-2pm, 2.30-4pm LAARC Mortimer Wheeler House, 46 Eagle Wharf Rd. Heritage Open Day Tours. For details www.heritageopendays.org
Sat 10 September 11 am-12 noon, 2-3pm MODA Middlesex University Campus, Cat Hill, East Barnet. Behind the Scenes – Open House Weekend. Archives, Conservation, Collections Store
Sun 11 September 230pm Barnet & District Local History Society. From top of Meadway outside High Barnet Station Things That Go Bump In The Night a spooky walk in Chipping Barnet and Monken Hadley, led by Paul Baker. Cost £5, lasts 2 hours
Fri 16 September 8pm Enfield Archaeological Society, Jubilee Hall, junction Chase Side/Parsonage Lane, Enfield. The New Medieval Gallery at the Museum of London, talk by Hedley Swain (Museum of London). Visitors £1, refreshments 7.30pm.
Sat 17- Sun 18 September London Open House Weekend with lots of buildings to visit, to most of which the public doesn’t usually have access. For further details visit www.openhouselondon.org
Wed 28 September 8pm Finchley Society History Group, Drawing Room, Avenue House, East End Rd. N3. Barnet in World War 2, Talk by Percy Reboul (HADAS)
