REVIEW BY AB The archaeological exploration of Worcester began with antiquarian works several hundred years ago, but the bulk of the research has been carried out since the mid-20th century. These excavations have revealed a wealth of information about Worcester’s…
A round-up of some of the latest archaeology news from around the UK.
• Pinnacle of power: the Iron Age hillforts of Wales
• A monumental mystery: the evolution of Arthur’s Stone
• A Cheshire treasure: unpicking the Knutsford Hoard
• The Hidden Valley: seeking Anglo-Saxons in in rural Lincolnshire
• Excavating Ankerwycke: from priory to pleasure ground
REVIEW BY AB Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire might be a peaceful spot today, but this steep valley on the River Severn was once a hub of industry and manufacturing, and the site of several key developments that drove the Industrial…
Three years of excavations centred on a c.6,000-year-old burial monument in Herefordshire have revealed that its story is much longer and more complex than was previously thought. Carly Hilts visited Keith Ray, Win Scutt, and Julian Thomas on site to learn more.
Christopher Catling, Contributing Editor for CA, delves into the eccentricities of the heritage world.
David Porter on military history's doomed inventions.
• Lost orders: Time Team and the Knights Hospitaller of Halston Hall
• Discovering the distinctiveness of Cornish architecture
• Fortress Londinium: tracing London’s Roman defences
• The bare bones: Neolithic monuments of the North Channel
A new site museum tells the story of what was the fourth-largest town in Roman Britain. Carly Hilts visited to find out more.
REVIEW BY JOHN HUNT Burton Dassett, in the Warwickshire Feldon, has previously attracted attention as representing rural settlements in the area that suffered depopulation in the late medieval period. This long-awaited publication of the excavations undertaken at Southend between 1986…
Bayesian statistical modelling of a series of radiocarbon dates from the Neolithic site of Dorstone Hill, in south- west Herefordshire (recently published in Antiquity: ), suggests that it may represent some of the earliest Neolithic activity in the West Midlands,…
An exceptionally rare bomber from the Second World War is back on public display after undergoing more than ten years of conservation work. The Vickers Wellington bomber, one of only two remaining in existence, is the centrepiece of the Bomber…
Graham Goodlad examines the relationship that broke the Royalist cause in the English Revolution.
The Knights Hospitaller were forged in the fury of the Crusades, providing protection, hospitality, and medical care for travellers in the Holy Land, and building fundraising communities back in Britain. Few of these sites have been excavated in detail, but Time Team have been investigating a Shropshire example. Carly Hilts spoke to Stewart Ainsworth.
The latest on exhibitions, acquisitions, and key decisions.
The dig has also unearthed numerous finds dating from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, including bottles, animal bones, and clay pottery.
REVIEW BY TOBY CLARK Here is a history of the Second World War with a twist. John Buckley is a professor of military history at the University of Wolverhampton and a writer with both academic and popular histories to his…
Half a century on, the most comprehensive series ever made about the Second World War is still being shown on television channels around the globe. Taylor Downing takes a critical look.
Your views on issues raised in CA.
It has been an undergraduate essay topic for the last 50 years and is a question that continues to challenge archaeologists studying the history of Roman Britain: what exactly is a villa, and is there even a simple definition that fits them all? The Association for Roman Archaeology recently brought together 20 experts to consider new discoveries, new interpretations, and the role of the villa in Romano-British culture, religion, and landscape. Their conclusions have just been published, as Chris Catling reports.
When a rock carved with late prehistoric imagery was uncovered in Shropshire – a county where examples of ancient artwork are notably scarce – it was recognised as a very significant find. George Nash reports on the discovery, its motifs, its place in British rock-art research, and its uncertain future.
Archaeologists excavating the site at Coleshill Manor, east of Birmingham, found evidence that a newly discovered fortified gatehouse there had at one point come under intense fire.
Archaeologists from Wessex Archaeology, working in advance of HS2 construction, have been excavating the site for the past three years.
A pendant adorned with symbolic motifs linked to Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon was recently unveiled at the British Museum. Carly Hilts spoke to Dr Rachel King and Teresa Gilmore to find out more.
Review by Neil Holbrook Many people have a favourite archaeological site, an evocative place that has a personal resonance with the past. The landscape setting is frequently inspirational, sometimes more so than the actual remains of the site itself. Roger…
Visitors can craft their own lanterns in a 30-minute workshop, before taking their creations on a tour of the castle whilst accompanied by a storyteller.
The conference, taking place on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 March 2023 in the cathedral's Old Palace, will feature talks from eight internationally renowned scholars.
It was a battle that changed the course of English history – at which the royalist forces of King Henry III won a famous victory over the rebellious barons led by Simon de Montfort. But the events of 4 August 1265 are ripe for reappraisal, says Stephen Roberts.
It appears to be Roman in date, but it was found on the grounds of a medieval deer park and could equally date to any time before the 18th-19th century.
What is it about Ministry of Works signage that motivates so many people to share images via social media? Partly it is just the fact of their survival, as reminders of a simpler age of heritage tourism before the era…
Staffordshire’s coverage in terms of prehistory begins intriguingly late. The one big surprise to me while researching this column was that the oldest sites featured only date to the Iron Age. If you are an archaeologist at work in the county, here is a chance to remedy this.
The quartz was brought to Dorstone Hill as whole crystals, which were then worked into smaller flakes, blades, and cores.
The Staffordshire Hoard – the largest cache of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver ever found in Britain – is predominantly made up of weapon parts and other martial gear, including sword fittings, ceremonial objects, and fragments of a helmet (see CA…
On the edge of a former prehistoric river channel, archaeologists found mammal bones, plant fossils, insect remains, and mollusc shells, along with stone tools, indicating that humans were exploiting this resource at least 500,000 years ago.
Review by Ian Ralston The subtitle to this volume – ‘with reference to the stratigraphy and palaeoenvironment surrounding The Berth’ – indicates clearly its main objective: detailed consideration of the environs of the Shropshire fort, the subject of several small-scale…
Review by Kevin Leahy. This book joins the growing list of publications on the Staffordshire Hoard, but Warrior Treasure is published by Historic England and can be viewed as an ‘official’ popular account. Written by Chris Fern, one of the…