Newsletter 72

Museum of the Year Award

Norton Priory has been selected as one of the finalists for one of the UK's most prestigious museum awards, the Gulbenkian Prize. The Runcorn based museum has polled the highest number of hits on the Gulbenkian website beating both London's National Gallery and the National Trust. For many years the Priory has encouraged members of the public to become involved in a wide range of archaeological investigations. In its latest project a medieval herb garden has been recreated with help from the a local centre for adults with learning difficulties.

Summer Trip

At the beginning of the year we mentioned that our summer trip this year would be to the Thornborough Henges in North Yorkshire. Unfortunately, this visit is unlikely to proceed as concerns about site access have been raised. These henges are on private land and have attracted a great deal of attention due to the present preservation campaign and so the landowner has become less inclined to allow visitors. This does not mean, however, that we won't be having a trip this summer. As I mentioned in February's newsletter, the Snowdonia National Park Study Centre are very interested in our collection of handmade kiln tiles, retrieved from our Standish Hall Corn Mill excavations. Having sent them more pictures they suspect that we may have the largest group of these early tiles in the country; with over 50 specimens and at least 10 different styles. They have expressed a strong interest in seeing them first-hand and have consequently invited us to visit their Study Centre near Blaenau Ffestiniog. Peter Crews, their Archaeological Officer, says there is lots of good archaeology close by for us to see, including pre-historic and medieval iron-workings. It is a bit of a journey down there but sounds like it could be well worthwhile (something to discuss at the next meeting).

Roman Road Update

We haven't yet arranged a field trip to the sites mentioned in last month's newsletter. This we hope to do in the not to distant future, but in the meantime Mark Heyward took me out last weekend to have a quick reconnoitre of these promising sites.

Miller's Lane

The line as shown on the 1849 OS map does not cross Miller's lane at the point where Mark spotted the bank in the field and hump in the road. This may be the map-maker's error as nothing is visible at the point suggested on the map. At both positions however there is plenty of scope for investigation with our resistivity meter. A quick word with the landowner has secured access for a survey and after Easter we will arrange a field trip.

Shakerley

This site is very disappointing, despite a good description by the 19th century antiquarian Sibson (see last month's newsletter). To the east of the lane leading to Cleworth Hall, there is a huge landscaped dirt-rook which has completely covered anything associated with the original fields surface (it just shows how aerial photos can be misleading). On the west side of the lane, well cultivated allotments hide any sign of the ancient route. Chatting with the corresponding allotment holders it quickly became clear that nothing had emerged during their cultivations to indicate the existence of an ancient highway.

Cleworth Hall

The huge spoil tip to the east stretches all the way to lane at Cleworth Hall completely covering anything that may have survived. To the east, however, of this lane the fields look untouched. The road here is marked quite strongly on the 1849 OS map and is even marked as a R O M A N R O A D . There are no obvious signs in the field to suggest a buried road, however a scan with the meter may show something.

Next Meeting

Wednesday 7th April at the BP Centre (Scout HQ) in Greenough Street, at 7.30 pm as usual. This month's speaker is our friend Jack Smith from Chorley Archaeological Society who will be giving a talk on Birkacre; an area just to the south of Chorley which has seen its fair share of industrial activity over the centuries and was at the heart of the industrial revolution. A talk not to be missed. B.A.