Cambridge Archaeology Field Group - Monthly talk
'The 18th Century Surveyor and Parliamentary Enclosure' by Bill Franklin
Wednesday 3rd May at 7:30pm
McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Downing site, Cambridge
All welcome (CAFG invite contributions of 50p)
Fen Edge Archaeology Group - Guided walk
Saturday 6th May, 10am-11:30am
A walk around Comberton explores the answers to two questions: First, why is the 13th-century church at a distance from the modern settlement? And second, to what extent can the medieval layout and development of the village be discerned in the modern landscape? The walk begins at the church, continues to Green End, and ends at the crossroads where the High Street, South Street and Green End intersect. Sue Oosthuizen is the Honorary President of FEAG. She is Reader in Medieval Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology, University of Cambridge. Her research bridges archaeology, history and historical geography.
Cambridge Antiquarian Society - Monthly talk
'From Hadstock to Westminster: forty-five years of church archaeology reviewed' by Warwick Rodewell
Monday 8th May 2017 at 6:00pm
Faculty of Law, West Road, Sidgwick Site, University of Cambridge
There is no charge for visitors or guests at lectures. New members are warmly welcomed.
Histon and Impington Archaeology Group & Histon and Impington Village Society History Group - Monthly talk
'The History of Cambridge in One Hole' by Alison Dickens (Cambridge Archaeological Unit)
Thursday 11th May at 7:30pm
Histon Baptist Church
Members £2 Non-members £3 Refreshments Available
Fen Edge Archaeology Group - Monthly talk
'The Scultptures of the Lady Chapel, Ely Cathedral' by Jonathan Rogers
Thursday 18th May at 7:30pm (doors open 7:15pm)
Tony Cooper Suite, Cottenham Village College
The early 14th century sculptures of the Lady Chapel were intended to be a definitive statement of what a devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary should know. They were badly damaged during the 1540s in attacks on the images and practices of traditional religion. They were covered with thick whitewash for over three hundred years while the Chapel was in use as a parish church. Campaigns of cleaning, repair and conservation since the 1850s have restored the sculptures to our sight but not necessarily to our understanding: their mutilated state makes it difficult to read and appreciate them, the non-scriptural narratives that they illustrate are quite unfamiliar to many people. Even today they can be an uneasy reminder of England’s Catholic past and of its violent end. The talk will identify of some of the sculptures and describe how the tide turned from condemnation to conservation.
Jonathan Rogers is a specialised Guide at Ely Cathedral and the author of "Ely Cathedral: The Sculptures of the Lady Chapel" published in 2015 by The Ely Society.
Speaker meeting open to everyone. Admission: Members £2; Non-members pay £3.
Oakington and Westwick History Society - Monthly talk
'Update on the Archaeology from the Recreation Ground' by Richard Mortimer (Oxford Archaeology East) and Duncan Sayer (University of Central Lancashire)
Thursday 18th May at 7:30pm
St Andrews Church Hall, High Street, Oakington, CB24 3AG
Entry is free to members and £3 to non-members
News
Cambridge Archaeology Field Group have a display in the temporary exhibition case on the ground floor of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Downing Street, Cambridge. Senior Curator for Archaeology at the Museum, Dr Jody Joy, invited the the group to produce the display to showcase their contribution to Cambridgeshire's archaeology. Members of the group have worked with him and his staff in recent months and the display was first unveiled on Monday 10th April. A new leaflet about CAFG and its work has been produced to accompany the display. Do take a look at their work in the temporary exhibitions case at MAA - behind and to the left of the case facing you at the entrance.
Oakington and Westwick History Society have affiliated to the Jigsaw Cambridgeshire network of community archaeology groups. Their events will be promoted on the Jigsaw wesite, social media sites and email list. Representatives of Jigsaw affiliated community archaeology groups are invited to regular meetings to discuss upcoming projects, events and collaborations, and have access to our specialist archaeological equipment. If you are interested in affiliating your existing archaeology or history society, or finding out how to set up a new group, please contact us.
There are a couple of new exhibitions about the discoveries at Must Farm:
Discover the Must Farm Boats at Flag Fen (26th March - 30th September) https://www.vivacity-peterborough.com/heritage/flag-fen/discover-the-must-farm-boats/
Must Farm: The Story So Far at Peterborough Museum (5th May - 10th September) http://www.themomentmagazine.com/history/must-farm-three-thousand-years-making/
The Heritage Lottery Fund's East of England office have announced dates and locations for their funding events and surgeries across the county for 2017: https://www.hlf.org.uk/about-us/news-features/funding-fairs-and-surgeries-east-england If you are interested in developing a heritage project and applying for their grants you can make an appointment to discuss your ideas further with one of the HLF's funding officers.
Visit the Jigsaw calendar for details of upcoming community archaeology events in Cambridgeshire. Please contact us if you have any other events to add.