Newsletter

Dear All,

We've had a great summer season despite the weather. The final swansong of the season was a wonderful stone floor which surfaced on the plateau below our Bronze Age burial mound - I could write oodles here but there simply isn't space: but I can say that the mystery of its date and purpose and its connection with nearby intriguing features will continue into the Autumn.

As part of the national Festival of Archaeology we held two guided walks on 21st July - see the picture on the right. It was great to see both new faces and familiar faces from the early days before the project went 'live'. It is exciting that we may be welcoming new members from among our guests that day - and a warm (if sometimes windy, muddy or wet as they found out!) welcome awaits them!

On 28th July we enjoyed a wonderful day with Ian Wallace and one of his team, Agnes, as he took us through the Botanic Footprint of the site. It was a superb day and we discovered that what we have suspected all along is true: iron working on this site has left no trace of its existence in the flora, although changes in flora can show the position of any feature - finding the iron working sites is all down to visual lumps and bumps, the technology (MS and detector readings) and good old spadework and instinct.

Looking ahead, we have a break for the holiday season but digging in earnest will start again on the 8th September and the autumn season will include a two-day 'Big Dig' on Monday 19th/Tuesday 20th October or, if we're lucky, 14th & Tuesday 15th September - we'll confirm this as soon as we know for sure. This will investigate an intriguing set of three furnaces with its associated working platforms - lots for a good-sized team to get its teeth into and we hope it will reveal many secrets from beneath the turf.

And, finally, I am delighted to sneak in a report that my book, Visiting the Past, has been published by The History Press, price £12.99. This jargon-free guide to Britain's archaeology will be available in bookshops and Amazon.co.uk. etc, and I will very happily sell you a signed copy - just contact me on my email or by phone.

All the very best,

Gill

Gillian Hovell, Secretary, Iron-Age (Nidderdale) Project

gill@iron-age.org

As ever, may we remind you all that the site is on an exposed hillside and waterproofs/suncream and stout footwear are definitely required.

May we stress that the site is on private property with no public right of way - access must be accompanied by a group leader at all times.