More leg exercise in the muddy conditions |
3/3/2024 |
Back in the Eltisley mud this weekend, conditions had not really improved for walking but the ground visibility was still OK. There were few finds, as the photograph shows, and they were mostly post-medieval in date. They did include a small fragment of a blue Westerwald vessel and more stoneware. The usual glazed red earthen ware predominated, but there was a flowerpot looking unglazed rim. Also a small battered piece of a Staffordshire slipware wall - only a couple of pieces of unglazed sandy ware may be medieval in date. As we move away from the village centre the finds are getting less, suggesting the village never extended very far to the east of the manor house. | | |
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Spot the wellington boots!! |
28/2/2024 |
One of our field walking members sent in this photo to illustrate the muddy conditions at Eltisley. We are going to try again this Sunday so if you plan to come then Wellington boots are the order of the day. Recent statistical information indicates just how wet it has been this winter - don't we know!! | | |
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A sticky (and foggy) day at Eltisley |
27/2/2024 |
What a day!! Started off in the fog, then brightened up - all the while trudging through the glutinous muddy surface. Although there was some grass growth, quite thick in places, the surface visibility was OK. Not many finds of note, as the photograph shows. Mostly post med but with the odd piece of medieval-looking pot and some shell tempered ware. The ceramic rod shown could be a handle but was an unusual find. | | |
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Conditions do not favour field walking at present |
19/2/2024 |
Two weeks ago at Ickleton the combination of a low sun and increased crop growth meant we had reached the limit of the ground visibility on this field. We therefore finished work here until at least the autumn. Last week the continuing rain meant we could not return to Eltisley on a new field as the ground conditions were awful. We will attempt to go this coming Sunday but please continue to monitor your emails for the latest information. |
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Still walking at Ickleton |
4/2/2024 |
Back at Ickleton on the fields south of Grange Road, the finds are very similar to those from last week. A small number of worked flint, lots of glazed redwares and other post-med pottery (like the salt glazed handle and the stoneware spot-decorated piece). Clay pipe still keeps appearing plus small pieces of medieval ware, as the photograph shows. However, there were two pieces of what looks like a Samian copy, possibly from the local kilns at Harston. Our closeness to Great Chesterford probably explains their presence. What is becoming more noticeable is how battered these pieces of pottery are, obviously they have been churned around in the top soil for a considerable time. | | |
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The work at Ickleton continues in good conditions |
28/1/2024 |
Another pleasant day at Ickleton with a large group of people. Field walking moved on to another field but the finds are basically the same, as shown in the photograph. Some nice flint scrapers and one very small point and the oyster shells keep coming. There were plenty of post med pots, mostly rims and very small pieces. It is noticeable how small the pottery finds have become compared to 10 or more years ago. Repeated ploughing has broken up much of the pottery we see today. Finally there were a few clay pipe stems but nothing identifiable to a maker. | | |
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More work at Ickleton on the chalk |
21/1/2024 |
Returning to the drier fields of Ickleton came as a relief from the clays of Eltisley. On a windy but pleasant day the group managed to partly walk a large field south of Grange Road. The photograph shows a few of the finds which include some oyster shell and worked flint. The pottery included a number of sandy redware handles together with a rim with thumbed decoration. Some pottery looks very medieval but there was the inevitable collection of post med wares including part of a stoneware pot that had a partial stamp which read "Warren...." We are returning this Sunday to try and complete the field. | | |
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4/1/2024 |
Brand new year - but the same old weather conditions. Due to the persistent rain and gales of the last few weeks the ground conditions are not suitable for walking at the present time. We hope for a change in the weather and will look to find a site which drains better!! |
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In the Footsteps of Fox |
This year marks the centenary of the publication of Cyril Fox’s seminal book: ‘The Archaeology of the Cambridge Region’. In November 2023, the McDonald Institute and Madgalene College hosted an international conference to celebrate Fox’s contribution to archaeology. CAFG was invited to provide two posters based on our work, which were displayed in Magdalene College, along with around 12 others from the UK and abroad, until the middle of December. The posters investigate how our fieldwalking results from two areas on chalklands (Fulbourn and Ickleton) and two on mainly claylands (Wimpole and Childerley) compare with Fox’s expectations relating to the effects of local geology on
human activity.
In the Footsteps of Fox - Part 1
In the Footsteps of Fox - Part 2
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Field walking update |
15/12/2023 |
Due to the poor surface conditions and waterlogged nature of lots of fields we have decided to cancel any more field walking this year. A combination of holiday dates and this cancellation means we will not be trying to field walk until at least January 7th 2024. Please keep checking the website and your emails for the latest news. |
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Events have not turned out well recently. |
7/12/2023 |
Our field walking at Eltisley has not produced great results over the last few weeks. Apart from a Sunday cancelled due to the forecast weather, i.e. rain (which duly arrived) we have recovered very few finds from the latest field. There is a thin scatter of medieval pottery which is probably due to manuring or something similar. Let us hope the weather holds off this coming Sunday at a new field but please check before setting out if in any doubt. |
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Autumn CAS conference takes place |
18/11/2023 |
Last Saturday saw the CAS Autumn conference on local archaeology take place at the Law Faculty. The program started with some interesting insights into our local museums and how they function, especially the mammoth task of managing their accessioned material. The logic of upcoming changes to the Portable Antiquities Scheme were then covered, let's hope the metal detectorists understand the distinction between what is treasure and what isn't!! The final sessions covered local archaeological digs and the benefits of large scale excavation (unfortunately beyond the means of groups like CAFG). Local groups had exhibitions of their recent work, the photograph showing the CAFG entry. This was based on the work at Wimpole's parterre gardens and the groups posters at the Sir Cyril Fox exhibition at Magdalene College (open to the public until the 15th December) | | |
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Into the mud at Eltisley |
12/11/2023 |
Moving east from last week, we entered Field 4564 - and a very muddy field compared to last week. As the photograph shows, there were very few finds. In fact the photo shows ALL of the finds!! They were obviously very tidy people in Eltisley There were several pieces of medieval pottery, a few post med pot and some metal finds. We will carry on next time to complete the field but the likelihood of lots of finds seems quite small - at least we get some welcome exercise. | | |
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Finishing off the big field at Eltisley |
8/11/2023 |
Although there had been lots of recent rain, the field was soft but walkable (although some patches were quite soggy). The photograph shows some of the few finds from the south end of the field. There were only 20 bags collected and there was a noticeable shortage of brick and tile on this field compared to what we usually find. There were a couple of of pieces of medieval-looking pot and several oyster shells suggesting an early activity on this area. A few post med pieces completed our meagre return. | | |
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Storm Babet causes disruption to our plans |
22/10/2023 |
Storm Babet left fields in our area very waterlogged and consequently we decided to abandon our proposed walk at Eltisley this weekend. We are also not walking on 29th because of various other activities - some members are excavating test pits at Reach Hythe while others are going on a flint knapping course. Let's hope we are good to go on 5th November. |
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A return to Eltisley on a big field |
17/10/2023 |
In fine weather we returned to Eltisley on Field 8283 which lies to the east of Eltisley Wood and which we half completed. We had fewer finds bags than at Childerley but possibly more medieval pottery than anything else. There were possible flints - a core and a blade. The usual post medieval wares were also present - blue and white transfer ware, stoneware, Stafford combed ware and the inevitable glazed redwares - but in much lower numbers than usual. We are returning this coming weekend, weather permitting, to finish this large field. | | |
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Our second weekend fieldwalking |
2/10/2023 |
On the second weekend of the Autumn 2023 field walking season we returned to Childerley. Harrolds Park lies next to the main house and so we were expecting to find medieval pottery. This we did, as the photo shows – grey wares, shell-tempered and red sandy wares in small numbers. There was, of course, post medieval finds including a glazed floor tile and part of a Bellarmine jug. However surprising finds were the two intact clay pipe bowls – undecorated of course, this is Cambridgeshire after all. These are normally fragile and break very easily.
This leaves just one small field left on the Childerley Estate that we have yet to walk, hopefully this
year. | | |
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More finds from Wimpole excavations |
1/9/2023 |
Our finds investigation has recently been concerned with the large number of oyster shells recovered from a number of trenches, but especially Trench 5. In the black layer nearly 150 upper oyster shells were recovered from one bag alone, plus numbers of the lower shell. Some interesting shells are like the one shown here in the photograph - it shows two juvenile shells attached to the upper of a mature oyster. According to work by Jessica Winder in 2011 this is not that unusual. Using her guide to processing oyster shells we will attempt to analyse these finds. | | |
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