About the event
Archaeologists from The Archaeological Practice are currently excavating a deserted medieval village. The excavation site is ‘Village Field’ on the east and north-east side of the present settlement of Archdeacon Newton, which falls within the area of the Archdeacon Newton medieval settlement. The site comprises a moated site and deserted manorial settlement where the surviving earthworks include a series of E-W aligned toft compartments and a triangular platform standing around 2m high, suggested as the site of a medieval chapel.
During this dig you will learn about:
Excavation: We’ll teach you how to excavate, identify different archaeological layers, and investigate features like pits, walls, and burials. You’ll get to dig alongside archaeologists, helping us to unearth the remains of a deserted medieval village.
Recording: Once you’ve made an archaeological discovery, you need to record it! You’ll learn to take photos, draw archaeological plans (maps), and pick out the details that give archaeologists the biggest clues about how old things are, where they came from, and what they mean.
Identifying finds: Archaeology isn’t just about digging! You can also help the team to clean, sort, and identify the archaeological evidence, like pottery, bone, and other items, and piece them together to find out what they can tell us about the people who lived in the town.
And much, much more… Every day is different, and every day there’ll be a new archaeological puzzle to work on, new archaeological skills to develop, and a whole load of history to help us unravel!
What dates are available?
The excavation will take place on these dates:
19TH JULY – 6th AUGUST 2021
Monday – Friday 10am – 4:30pm
More about this site
County Durham contains some of the best-preserved medieval village earthworks in the country, but very little investigation of these sites has taken place. This excavation will help us uncover the sites history, foundation, growth and reasons for desertion.
This dig is one of a series being delivered by The Archaeological Practice to revitalise the history, heritage, and landscape along the River Skerne.
It’s being made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Durham County Council’s Archaeology Section, and Durham Wildlife Trust.
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EVENT INFO – UPDATE FRIDAY 16TH JULY:
Dates: 19th July – 6th August (Mon-Fri)
Times: 10am – 4.30pm
Location: Garthorne Farm, Archdeacon Newton, Darlington, DL2 2YB
Parking: Onsite parking available CLICK HERE FOR PARKING INFO
Facilities: Toilet facilities are available onsite, all archaeology equipment will be provided, but please bring your own gloves and tools if you have them.
Please bring lunch and refreshments with you. There are various supermarkets available within a 10-minute drive from the site.
UNDER 16’S MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT.
