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Staffordshire
Chimney Field, Hilderstone, Hilderstone, Every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday until late October
Stoke-on-Trent Museum Archaeological Society are currently running a large excavation focused on the remains of a post-medieval hall at Hilderstone, in the middle of Staffordshire. It is a friendly dig on a beautiful site, with plenty of finds and features, the Society promises. Tuition and equipment can be provided, and participants of all abilities and levels of experience are welcome. Prospective diggers will need to sign a free membership form. Email contact.sotmas@yahoo.co.uk for more information.
http://www.stokearchaeologysociety.org.uk
Cost: Free
Hampshire
Petersfield Big Dig, Petersfield, 12-30 July (extra days may be added at the end), site closed on Wednesdays
Now in its second year, Petersfield Big Dig is a two-week project that will see test-pits dug in private gardens and public green spaces within the eponymous medieval town. The excavation forms part of the Festival of Archaeology and celebrates the 20th anniversary of Liss Archaeology, in collaboration with the Archaeological Group of the Petersfield Area Historical Society. Training in all aspects of test-pit excavation is available, and volunteers from all walks of life are welcome, but participants must be aged 18 or over (children who live in a house with a test-pit can take part with a parent). Activities will include excavation, finds-processing, sieving, recording, planning, and drawing, plus surveying to professional standards – come and experience community-based, volunteer archaeology with a friendly group of like minded people. Contact lissarchaeology@gmail.com for more details.
Cost: £8 per day; membership (£20 per year) is required, full-time students aged under 25 are half price
Hampshire
Petersfield Fields Excavation, Petersfield, 5-30 September, site closed on middle Sundays
Liss Archaeology are also continuing their exploration of several fields in the Petersfield area, focusing on those with known archaeology. Large-scale excavations are planned for 2024, plus (if the farming calendar permits) field-walking, as well as geophysical surveys to add to those undertaken in previous years. Training is available in all aspects of archaeology (by prior request) and all skills levels are welcome, although volunteers must be aged 18 or older. As well as the excavation, volunteers can participate in finds-processing, sieving, soil analysis, recording, planning, drawing, and surveying during the dig. Contact lissarchaeology@gmail.com for more details.
Cost: £8 per day; membership (£20 per year) is required to participate, full-time students aged under 25 are half price
Wiltshire
The Big Athelstan Dig, Malmesbury town centre, 6-7 July
As part of Athelstan 1100, Malmesbury’s celebrations marking 1,100 years since Athelstan became king of England, this will be an exciting community archaeology weekend, working with Cotswold Archaeology to create a trail of test-pits across the town. There will be professional interpretations of finds, and explanations of Malmesbury’s Anglo-Saxon and historic landscape. Athelstan’s anniversary brings Malmesbury’s fantastic history front and centre, but the project is also digging (they hope!) very near to where the 17th-century political philosopher Thomas Hobbes (best known for his book Leviathan) was born. They could find clay pipes, or they could find kings – why not join in and find out?
http://www.athelstan1100.co.uk
Cost: free
York
York Archaeology Training Excavation Willow House, Long Close Lane, York
Week One: July 15th – 19th
Week Two: July 22nd – 26th
Week Three: July 29th – August 1st
Week Four: August 4th – 8th
Weekend: July 27th and 28th
Taster days: TBC
Following a successful public consultation with residents of the Walmgate area, York Archaeology’s 2024 training excavation will now turn it’s focus to an unassuming area of grass that we have named School Green. The space is believed to be the site of the Hope Street British School, which taught local pupils skills such as the operation of the electric telegraph between 1827 and 1890. At present, we don’t know how much of the structure survives, but an intriguing parch mark that appears during periods of drought could suggest that the foundations may still be intact.
Then, there is the small matter of the lost medieval church of St. Peter-in-the-Willows. Analysis of historic maps suggests that part of the west end of this little known church may have occupied School Green! Given the complex history of the city of York, who knows what archaeology could remain intact in the layers below.
https://community.yorkarchaeology.co.uk/training-dig-school-green/
Cost: One week £375, two weeks £700, weekend £180, taster day £85
Nottingham
York Archaeology We DIG Wollaton Park Wollaton Park, Nottingham
Week One: August 12th – 16th
Week Two: August 19th – 23rd
Week Three: August 26th – 30th
Week Four: September 2nd – 6th
We DIG Wollaton Park 2024 follows on from our 2022 and 2023 excavations. We’re continuing our investigations of a section of the formal gardens to uncover its 16th and 17th century origins and the location of an Orangery. We’re also interested in exploring more of the social dynamics of the time period (17th-19th century), particularly through the artefact and ecofact assemblages. People from a variety of backgrounds and social statuses have been associated with Wollaton Park, and we want to know about the everyday lives of people who interacted with the site.
This year’s trainees will also learn some archaeobotany, and we will also be continuing to offer training in basic finds identification, GPS survey techniques along-side basic excavation and recording skills.
https://community.yorkarchaeology.co.uk/training-dig-wollaton-park-2024/
Cost: One day £85, one week £375, two weeks £700
Running a project? Get in touch! We would like to highlight excavation opportunities from across as wide a geographical spread as possible. If you would like to flag your project to our readers, please email us at cp@currentpublishing.com.
