Conflict Archaeology in Wales and the Wider World - 20 November 2015

Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and WelCAAP
Welsh Conflict Archaeology Advisory Panel

National Library of Wales (Council Chamber)
20 November 2015 

Delegate Cost: £15.00 (includes tea and coffee).

Lunch ordered at time of booking: £8, or bring your own.

The Welsh Conflict Archaeology Panel (WelCAAP) is organising a one day seminar in partnership with the CIfA Cymru / Wales Group introducing the concepts, themes and current projects concerned with conflict archaeology in Wales and the wider world.

Originating in the Cadw C20th Military sites Working Group and with representatives from Cadw, the Royal Commission, the four Welsh Archaeological Trusts, Historic England, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and other agencies and national bodies. WelCAAP exists to raise the profile of recent conflict archaeology in Wales and the impacts on the communities and landscapes of Wales. as well as to disseminate best practice pertaining to the identification, research, protection, conservation, interpretation and presentation of eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth century conflict sites across the historic environment in Wales.

This one-day seminar will introduce delegates to current UK (and wider) research themes, projects and management issues, and will feature papers on a range of topics including military field archaeology, First World War themes, the Home Front in Wales, aviation archaeology and community archaeology. Offers of exhibitions are welcome. 

For further information please contact:
Toby Driver, toby.driver@rcahmw.gov.uk +44 (0)1970 621207 or
John Latham jernstlatham@gmail.com +44 (0)7774 877834.

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Call for Volunteers in the Swansea Area!

Saturday 12 July, 2014

Sarahjayne Clements, the Royal Commission’s CBA Community Archaeologist, is looking for volunteers to interview for an oral histories project she is running in Swansea with the Young Archaeologist Club. They would like to record memories of the city and scan any old photographs that you might have. They are also interested in any First World War memories, photographs and memorabilia that you may have. If you are able to help with this community project, please contact sarahjayne.clements@rcahmw.gov.uk  Tel: 07817575005.

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Archaeology and the Sea: Aberystwyth hosts CBA Wales Spring Meeting

On Saturday 5th April CBA (Council for British Archaeology): Wales held its Spring Meeting at Y Morlan Centre, Aberystwyth. The theme was Archaeology and the Sea: Coastal Archaeology in Wales. The Royal Commission provided exhibition material, including a display on Aberystwyth’s storm-damaged Bathrock Shelter and aerial photographs of the coastal davastation caused by the recent storms of 2014.

CBA-sponsered Community Archaeologists, Kimberly Briscoe and Sarahjayne Clements, were on hand to discuss their current community project, The Coastal Heritage of Borth and Ynyslas. Both are completing CBA-sponsered work placements with the Royal Commission. The project has proved hugely popular, with an ever-increasing number of Borth and Ynyslas residents (past and present) eager to participate and to contribute memories, photographs and documents. Material generated will be added to the National Monuments Record (NMR) and uploaded to People’s Collection Wales, creating a permanent digital record. The project’s facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Coastal-Heritage-of-Borth-and-Ynyslas/277783665703802



The Royal Commission’s CBA work placements, Kimberley and Sarahjayne, discuss the coastal heritage of Borth and Ynyslas

During the afternoon’s symposium, Mike Roberts (Bangor University) detailed current research on the history of north Wales’ sea level change, including the fascinating results of a multibeam sonar survey of the entire Anglesey coast. A causeway linking Anglesey to the mainland is now thought to have been submerged for the first time at around  8,400BP. Stephen Briggs (independent researcher) then gave an informative talk about the remains of ancient landscapes beneath the beach at Llanrhystud. Various recently exposed features include post-glacial peat deposits and parts of a cobbled track thought to be associated with nearby post-medieval limekilns. Paul Huckfield (Gwent-Glamorgan Archaeological Trust) reviewed recent discoveries on the south Wales coast revealed by the 2014 storms. They  include a cemetery at Monknash, two canon at Porthcawl and a number of ship wrecks, discovered as a result of the Welsh Archaeological Trusts’ Arfordir scheme. The pan-Wales scheme brings together local volunteers to record and moniter their coastal heritage and incorporate the results into the regional Historic Environment Records. One of the shipwrecks, identified through the Royal Commission’s Maritme Database, is thought to be that of the iron-hulled Ben-y-Gloe, wrecked on its maiden voyage from Penarth in 1886.

The Royal Commission’s Maritime Officer, Deanna Groom, then explained the Commission’s leading role in the recording, curating and supplying of information regarding Wales’ maritime heritage. The Commission’s 9498 Maritime records comprise around 9% of the entire National Monuments Record. They include coastal and intertidal features, submerged landscape features, historic seascape features, 6000+ shipwrecks and 349 downed aircraft.



Royal Commission Maritime Officer, Deanna Groom, talks about Wales’ rich maritime archaeology

Deanna also outlined recent work with Kimberley and Sarahjayne on the Royal Commission and Cadw’s Shipwrecks Project, designed to investigate the wider impact of the Royal Charter Gale of 1859. The Royal Charter was one of 50+ vessels driven onto the Welsh coast by the gale. The project involved working with Welsh Baccalaureate students from Pembrokeshire College, engaging them with the story of the storm and their local maritime heritage. The project also demonstrated how local resources can be used for research, with Pembrokeshire Archives facilitating a ‘treasure hunt’ across shipping registers, burial records and census returns. Material generated by the project can be viewed by visiting ‘The Great Storm of 1859’ http://www.peoplescollectionwales.co.uk/collections/377940 and ‘Pembrokeshire Shipwrecks Project’ http://www.peoplescollectionwales.co.uk/node/380977 on the freshly relaunched People’s Collection Wales website.

Some of the items uploaded by the Royal Commission to People’s Collection Wales as part of ‘The Great Storm of 1859’ collection

The afternoon’s final speaker was Martin Bates (University of Wales Trinity St David, Lampeter), who discussed the results of recent archaeological investigation at Borth and Clarach. Recent coastal change, coupled with this year’s storms, has revealed extensive prehistoric peat exposures, within which are contemporary organic remains and animal and human (including a child’s) footprints. At Borth, a combination of survey, sampling and archaeological excavation has facilitated far greater understanding of the foreshore’s underlying geology and the reconstruction of its post-glacial landscape.

The event proved a great success, providing an informative insight into the wealth of archaeology located around Wales’ coastline, as well as highlighting its fragile and precarious nature.

By Nikki Vousden


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Borth Community Heritage Day - A Great Success

Sarahjayne talking with community members about pictures in our archive.

Last week’s community heritage day in Borth, organised by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales gave some real insight into life in the past.

The organisers, community archaeologists Kimberly Briscoe and Sarahjayne Clements, were extremely pleased that the event was so well received and said that a wealth of new information had been brought to light.

Sarahjayne said, ‘We asked people to bring any photographs, information or memories they had about Borth. Members of the community were also invited to look at the photographs, maps and records the Commission already holds in the archive, which helped spark memories.  Lots of people turned up, bringing with them a variety of items from war medals to a photograph of Concord passing over the war memorial. There were lots of family photographs and some of buildings in Borth.’

Kimberly said, ‘We also had lots of people sharing their memories of Borth’s past. Members of the community took great delight in telling us all about their memories, including the locations of shops and banks, what it was like at school, and how one lady’s family used to take their carpets to be dried out in the hall after bad weather.’

Kimberly and Sarahjayne said that they would like to thank all the people who came along and shared their information.  The new information will be used to update our records on Coflein (the online database for the Royal Commission) and added to ‘The People’s Collection Wales’.

Kimberly and Sarahjayne will be running more events until August. Guided walks are already planned in July for the Festival of British Archaeology, and you will also find them at Borth Carnival in August.

If you would like to join in, or have some information to share, they can be contacted at sarahjayne.clements@rcahmw.gov.uk or kimberly.briscoe@rcahmw.gov.uk or search for ‘The Coastal Heritage of Borth and Ynyslas’ on Facebook.

Kimberly explaining about the failed resort plans at Ynyslas.

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Trimsaran Community Project

There is something special happening at Trimsaran Leisure Centre in half-term week, 24– 28 February. Every day there will be the opportunity to participate in a free project to make a 3D map of the village using a wide range of craft materials. This will then be showcased at the National Eisteddfod to be held in Llanelli this summer. Everyone interested is most welcome to join in and put their craft skills to use. These could be knitting, crochet, sewing, cutting out, colouring or gluing, or take the opportunity to learn something new!

Francis Lewis Wills, Shaw and Friese-Greene in a DH9B biplane, July, 1919.

The project aims to record the village using the memories of those who have lived there by asking people to bring with them any information they would like to share with the project such as photographs, newspapers or objects that remind them of something about the village.

Cardiff Docks, 1929.

Newly-built Guildhall, Swansea, 1935.

The event is being run by the Britain from Above project with Communities First. Britain from Above is Heritage Lottery Funded project designed to showcase rare historical aerial photographs of Wales, Scotland and England taken between 1919 and 1953 which show the changing landscapes of the area. The 3D model map, built by people from the area, will be a handmade aerial view of the village complete with comments, memories and stories from those who take part.

The project is entirely free to take part in with people of all ages welcome. It will be taking place at Trimsaran Leisure Centre during the half-term week:

Monday 24 10am-4pm
Tuesday 25 10am-1pm
Wednesday 26 12:30pm-5pm
Thursday 27 1pm-4pm
Friday 28 10am-1pm and 4pm-5pm to finish off.

To find out more please contact:
Natasha Scullion, Britain from Above Activity Officer Wales on: 07920296279
E-mail: Natasha.scullion@rcahmw.gov.uk


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Community Heritage Day - Borth and Ynyslas

This spring and summer the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales will be drawing together several years of work at Borth and Ynyslas in a new community archaeology project led by community archaeologists Kimberly Briscoe and Sarahjayne Clements.

A view from the past: Borth village from the air in 1949, taken by Aerofilms. The image is now held by the National Monuments Record of Wales in Aberystwyth. NPRN 33037

The work on Borth will focus on the development of the settlement, from the prehistoric fenland and forest landscape often exposed on the beach, through to the development of a fishing village and, in the Victorian period, a thriving seaside resort.

Sarahjayne said, “With the arrival of the railway station in 1863, Borth became a popular seaside resort. The Grand Hotel and Cambrian Hotel, the latter now demolished, near the railway station were both developments made during this time. Saint Matthew’s Church was built in 1879 in response to the building of the railway and investment in the tourism trade. The architecture is extremely interesting in Borth as it varies greatly in style.”

The Cambrian Hotel, Borth. NPRN 35021

At Ynyslas, amongst other things, the project will be looking at the failed development of a late nineteenth-century luxury holiday resort and the top secret Second World War military rocket range situated amongst the sand dunes.

Kimberly said “Ynyslas dunes have changed faces many times. Now standing as the serene Dyfi National Nature Reserve, a far less reserved history is revealed. Hidden amongst the dunes are the remnants of concrete standings, pill boxes and buildings, which were once part of the innovative Second World War rocket fuel testing range. There is, however, still much to uncover.’’

A schooner used to transport slate, wrecked on Ynyslas beach. NPRN 407989

To get the project started the Royal Commission will be holding a Community Heritage Day during half term, on Monday 24  February at 3pm-7pm in Borth Community Hall. Do you have any memories of Borth and Ynyslas? Please drop in and tell us more about your heritage!


Facebook: The Coastal Heritage of Borth and Ynyslas 


Coflein - Discovering Our Past Online
Coflein is the online database for the National Monuments Record of Wales (NMRW), the national collection of information about the historic environment of Wales. 


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News from our Community Archaeologists: The CAER Heritage Project

Kimberly and I have been extremely busy over the past few weeks so we thought it was time to update you on some of our recent activities.

We have been working with the CAER Heritage Project (Caerau and Ely Rediscovering Heritage Project) in West Cardiff.  Archaeologists from Cardiff University are working with Ely and Caerau Communities First, local residents and schools to explore the history and archaeology of the area.  The project runs all kinds of activities, and we were fortunate enough to be involved with a guided walk around the magnificent Caerau Iron Age hillfort, which forms the focus of many of the activities.

Guided walk led by Oliver Davies of Cardiff University showing the community archaeologists and members of the local community around the hill fort.

Kimberly and I also helped with the CAER project exhibition and I helped out on the day with the stand at the Peace75 Festival held at the Temple of Peace in Cardiff to celebrate its 75th anniversary.  This was a great event, I spoke with lots of people about the project, asking them to consider the debate about whether hillforts were places where people came together to show their community identities or whether they were defensive structures, and I had a fun time designing Iron Age tribal symbols with children, and writing ‘postcards to the Iron Age’ asking what life was like back then.

Sarahjayne explaining about the CAER project.

Sarahjayne working with children to create Iron Age tribal symbols and ‘postcards to the past’

As part of our time with the project we also attended the Engage Conference  in Bristol, which was focussed on public engagement and partnerships.  Here we helped facilitate a workshop on the creation of funding bids.  Our placement with the Commission has provided us with many training opportunities and I have recently completed courses on project planning and ‘building effective relationships’.

Engage Conference

There are also lots more activities to report, including a session I set up for the Young Archaeologists Club in Swansea with Swansea Metal Detecting Club, who came to talk about responsible metal detecting and how this works within Archaeology.
 

Sarahjayne with Mike Davies and members of YAC looking at Mike’s collection and asking lots of questions!

The Young Archaeologists learning how to use metal detectors

Finally, we have been organising a workshop event for Pembrokeshire College Welsh Baccalaureate students as part of our joint shipwrecks project with CADW on the Charles Holmes and the Great Gale of 1859. This is due to take place in January, and we will let you know how it goes.

By S. Clements


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