The excavation earlier this year answered a number of questions, but also cast doubt on our initial thoughts on the site. Therefore we are returning in August to hopefully and finally understand the enclosure excavated by WAS in 2006 and Easter 2016.
Two (possibly three, if time and resources permit) trenches will be excavated. The first will be to re-look at Trench 2, positioned over the southern ditch and bank of the so-called 'Annexe', excavated in 2006 but not completed. This trench produced pottery much earlier than the dating of the northern enclosure. The second (and possibly third) trench will look at what appears on the LiDAR to be the entrance and trackway.
The excavation will run from Saturday 13th to Friday 26th August inclusive. The site directors will again be Amie and Gordon. We have to finish on the Friday and make good the site as tree felling commences on site the following week.
Amie and Gordon ask if we could follow the same procedure as we did at Easter, which is to meet at the Slindon Shed at 9am every morning and car share to the site from there. This is because there is limited space for cars on site and there is also a locked gate to contend with! Please bear in mind that we are now required to park in the yard at Slindon, rather than use the grass. Consequently if people could car share to Slindon in the first place this would be greatly appreciated.
Please contact Liz Lane on 01903 501422 or [email protected] to sign up for this excavation, and we look forward to seeing you there.
Help needed before dig Amie and Gordon visited the site recently to assess the work that will be needed prior to the excavation starting.
Following the Easter excavation a number of trees have been felled over the site. Whilst this has no immediate impact on our excavation, it had caused a couple of issues.1) There are a number of trip hazards because of small branches lying in the undergrowth, and2) Where the trees have been cleared the sunlight has encouraged the growth of a fern canopy over parts of the site, similar to the undergrowth in Jurassic Park!
We are asking for help for a couple of days prior to the excavation to clear the site of these potential hazards. We would like to clear pathways through and make the edges of the trench areas visible and safe. The ferns come out quite easily with a firm pull. Also we need to clear the long grass in the area where we park our cars and the space for the portable toilet(s). If anyone had a petrol strimmer they could bring along this work could be done fairly quickly.
The dates proposed for this work are Tuesday9th and Wednesday 10th August. We will meet at the Slindon Shed at 9.30am and then car share to the site.
If there is anyone free who can help us with this preparatory work we would be extremely grateful.
We are hoping to have a VIP visitors' day towards the end of the dig and would prefer not to lose the first couple of excavating days carrying out this work. Amie and Gordon have checked there are no Velociraptors on site!
Please contact Liz Lane on 01903 501422 [email protected] if you are able to assist us.