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Opposite Some of the components of the 7th century Harpole Treasure, the richest necklace of its kind ever found.

Harpole’s hidden gem: excavating early medieval Britain’s most significant female burial

Archaeological work just outside Northampton has uncovered an internationally significant burial, furnished with a remarkable 7th-century necklace, as well as a number of other high-status grave goods. With conservation and analysis of the finds under way, Carly Hilts spoke to Paul Thompson and Lyn Blackmore about what these artefacts can tell us about the woman they were buried with, and what they could add to our understanding of early medieval England as research progresses.

Exhibitions, events, and heritage from home – CA’s January Listings

There is a great selection of opportunities on offer this year to get involved in heritage, history, and archaeology, with new exhibitions, lectures, conferences, and more coming up over the next few months. Or, if you would prefer to get your heritage fix at home, there are plenty of resources available, including virtual exhibitions and heritage-site tours, podcasts, games, and TV shows. Amy Brunskill has put together a summary of some of the latest options.

Below Overlooking excavations at the Ness of Brodgar in Orkney. This site is home to dozens of large Neolithic buildings, the first of which was discovered 20 years ago. The Stenness Stones and the remains of Barnhouse’s late Neolithic settlement lie just across the bridge.

The Ness of Brodgar: marking 20 years of Neolithic discoveries

Since the first hints of Neolithic masonry emerged at the Ness of Brodgar in 2003, two decades of excavations have uncovered an extraordinary complex of monumental stone buildings dating back 5,000 years. The site continues to revolutionise our understanding of this period of prehistory both in Orkney and further afield, and last summer Carly Hilts visited the site and spoke to Nick Card to find out the latest news from the Ness.

Finds tray – medieval disc brooch

This copper-alloy disc brooch, measuring approximately 27mm in diameter, was found last year by a metal-detectorist in the parish of Thirkleby High and Low with Osgodby, just north of York. It is decorated with a red enamel bird, which is…

Above Overlooking the remains of Weeley Barracks. Here the northern part of the camp, looking east, is shown; the site’s main road, with buildings on either side, can be seen.

Excavating Weeley Barracks: echoes of the Napoleonic Wars in Essex

In the early years of the 19th century, military camps sprang up along the south coast of England to guard against French invasion. Once the Napoleonic Wars ended, most were dismantled, leaving little trace of this turbulent period – but now archaeological work at Weeley, a small village 11 miles from Colchester, has uncovered the remains of one such site, as Nick Cox reports.

Royal hall revealed at Rendlesham

Excavations at Rendlesham in eastern England have unearthed the remains of a high-status early medieval settlement, including a royal hall built for the first kings of East Anglia.

Marks of devotion: exploring historic graffiti in St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall

The distinctive red sandstone edifice of St Magnus Cathedral is an unmistakeable landmark in Orkney’s largest town – as well as a fascinating repository of Kirkwall’s history. A recent graffiti survey there has recorded hundreds of markings and inscriptions dating from the medieval period to the present day. What can they tell us about the hopes, fears, and experiences of generations of visitors to the sacred site? Carly Hilts toured the cathedral with custodian Fran Flett Hollinrake to find out more.

Walking the Antonine Wall

Review by Andrew Tibbs Stretching for 38 miles across central Scotland, between the Firths of Forth and Clyde, the Antonine Wall is perhaps not as well-known as its southern counterpart, Hadrian’s Wall, but it is no less of an enigmatic…

‘Not so much a residence as a tradition’: the evolution of St James’s Palace from leper hospital to royal court

Buckingham Palace has been the main London residence of the British monarch since 1837, when Queen Victoria chose it as her base, but St James’s Palace remains the official seat of the sovereign, as it has since 1698. Newly appointed ambassadors, therefore, are accredited to ‘the Court of St James’s’, and it is from there that the public proclamation of a new sovereign is first read. Despite this, a comprehensive account of the 800-year history of this royal palace has only just been published, as Chris Catling reports.