The Blackden Trust Blackden


Archaeology

Recording an excavated trench

Recording an excavated trench

  


 

This place in the centre of the township of Blackden is an archaeological palimpsest. The artefacts that have appeared during routine domestic activities, such as gardening and digging drains, span ten thousand years.

Our archaeological research investigates whether this long sequence reflects uninterrupted settlement or a series of episodes.

In 2009 we organised a training excavation to find, record and characterise traces of a long outbuilding that appears on maps from 1789 and disappears by the end of the 19th century.’  

2010

We shall extend the excavation of the long outbuilding in August 2010.

Geophysical Survey
 

Considering land to be surveyed

Considering land to be surveyed

October 2009

Dominic Powlesland and Ed Blinkhorn undertook two sample fluxgate gradiometer surveys on the land around Toad Hall. The sample surveys showed that gradiometry is an appropriate survey method on the soils around Toad Hall. More comprehensive surveys will be undertaken in the future to expose hidden evidence which will be correlated to give us an insight into the history of the site. When they have been analysed, the results will be published on the archaeology page.

Surveying south of The Old Medicine House

Surveying south of The Old Medicine House

Surveying north of Toad Hall

Surveying north of Toad Hall

Archaeological activities at Blackden 

Pictures in the gallery below are shown as 'thumbnails'.  Clicking on a picture will display a larger version on a new page.  Some pictures are also available as full size images and these are indicated by a small magnifying glass in the top left corner.

Finding pottery sherds in a molehill indicates past use of the placeField walking will yield further evidence of occupationGeophysical surveys reveal buried featuresExperimental archaeology, such as flint knapping, gives us deeper understanding of ancient artefacts
Finding pottery sherds in a molehill indicates past use of the place Field walking will yield further evidence of occupation Geophysical surveys reveal buried features Experimental archaeology, such as flint knapping, gives us deeper understanding of ancient artefacts 
Levelling as part of a surveyOpening a trenchFinds trayWashing pottery sherds
Levelling as part of a survey Opening a trench Finds tray Washing pottery sherds 

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© The Blackden Trust 2008-2010
    Updated: 12/03/2010		 The Blackden Trust is a registered charity no. 1115818