Wimpole Estate Excavation - Guided tours
Weekdays until Friday 14th September (except August bank holiday Monday) at 11:30am and 2:30pm
Open weekend: Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th September 2018 between 10am and 4pm
Wimpole Estate, Arrington, Royston, Cambridgeshire, SG8 0BW
This summer, Oxford Archaeology East will be excavating the site of a late Iron Age and Roman settlement ahead of the development of a new visitor centre and car park for the Wimpole Estate. Public engagement is an important part of our work as a registered educational charity, and we will be providing events and opportunities for visitors to view and understand the ongoing excavations. There will be two free ticketed guided tours of the site each weekday, as well as an exhibition of former archaeological finds in the mansion and a children's' archaeological trail around the parkland. Additional site tours and hands-on activities will take place during an open weekend on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th September 2018. More details will be announced nearer the time on the National Trust's website for the Wimpole Estate: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wimpole-estate/features/archaeological-excavations-at-wimpole  
The dig is in the parkland which is free for all to access.
National Trust members - free to park. Members are reminded to get their membership card scanned at some point during their visit as Wimpole receives about £3.50 for every membership card scanned!
Non-members - £2 to park.
Guided tours are free but ticketed. Tickets available from the green tent by the Stable Block (or inside the ticket office if it's raining) on the day - advance booking is not available. Admission tickets are not required to attend the guided tours or access the excavation site but anyone wishing to visit the rest of Wimpole (house, farm, gardens) can go to the ticket office to buy an admission ticket.
 
Fane Road Archaeology Group - Monthly talk
'Baston Manor Pit: a middle Bronze Age and Roman landscape' by Rob Atkins (MOLA)
Monday 3rd September 2018 at 7:00pm
The Parkway Sports & Social Club, Maskew Avenue, Peterborough, PE1 2AS
Fieldwork at Baston took place over a 48ha area between 2002 and 2014. The site is located on the western Fen Edge at between 3m and 5m aOD. The main feature was a middle Bronze Age field system and settlement. A round house, pits, wells and a long routeway for moving and sorting cattle were uncovered. Remains of log ladders, buckets, and hurdles were also found. A small Roman settlement and routeway linked to the Car Dyke was also excavated.
All welcome (Members: Free; Non-members: £5).
 
St Neots Local History Society - Monthly talk
'Curse Tablets in Roman Britain' by Paddy Lambert (OAE)
Friday 7th September 2018 at 7:30pm
Eynesbury Junior School, Montagu St, Eynesbury, Saint Neots PE19 2TD
Curse tablets – the private messages which were never meant to be read, sent to the exotic gods who controlled all things. Over 300 curse tablets have been recovered from Roman Britain, which are unique in the entire Roman Empire. They provide a glimpse into a thoroughly ‘ancient & modern’, world, nearly 2000 years ago. From petty theft, to unrequited love, the curse tablets from Roman Britain were the ‘Ancient Romano-British Twitter’ of its time. Hear about the real Romans, warts and all!
All welcome (Members: Free; Non-members: £3.00)
 
HIAG/FEAG - Monthly talk
'A Landscape Through Time: Archaeology of the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme' by Tony Walsh (MHI)
Monday 10th September 2018 at 7:30pm
Histon Baptist Church, 2 Poplar Rd, Histon, Cambridge CB24 9LN
Tony Walsh, one of four Project Managers for MOLA Headland Infrastructure working on the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme on behalf of Highways England, discusses the archaeological findings from one of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects, which brings together the skills and knowledge of over 250 archaeologists. This illustrated talk explores the evidence uncovered so far, including prehistoric henge monuments, industrial Roman kilns and Saxon settlements and will focus on the eastern end of the scheme near Cambridge. Also discover how you could get involved yourself in the future through community archaeology activities and take away information leaflets to share with friends.
Free admission.
 
Eddington Excavation, North West Cambridge Site
Saturday 15th September 2018 between 10am - 4pm
An open day for members of the public (including children) to visit, with exhibitions of some of the finds, information, activities for younger visitors and tours of the current areas of excavation.
For more information see the Open Eddington events listing: http://www.nwcambridge.co.uk/news/open-eddington-0
Free. All welcome.
 
And a date for the diary for Autumn 2018...
St Neots Local History Society - Talk
'Oliver Cromwell – Revolutionary State? Royal Palaces in Cromwell's England' by Simon Thurley (see attached poster)
Thursday 11th October at 7:30pm
Guest Hall, Priory Centre, St Neots, PE19 2BH
The execution of Charles I brought about the sale of the century. Royal palaces were sold, as were their contents. Just a small number of royal buildings were reserved for the republican regime. Oliver Cromwell was King in all but name and his need for magnificent residences and buildings was as great as any monarchs. In this talk he is shown in an unfamiliar light - interested in French furniture and fashions and holding court in princely style.
Simon Thurley is one of the country’s leading historians, and for thirteen years was Chief Executive of English Heritage. He is a regular broadcaster, presenting a number of television programmes on history, archaeology and architecture as well as author of several books.
All welcome. Cost £5 per person. Tickets available from St Neots Museum, The Old Court, 8 New Street, St Neots, PE19 1AE. Tel. 01480 214163 (or on the door, subject to availability)
 
The cover story of British Archaeology magazine is the archaeological discoveries made on the A14 http://new.archaeologyuk.org/british-archaeology-magazine
 
Throughout 2018, we are featuring a different Jigsaw resource guide each month to inform and inspire community archaeologists about best practice. Jigsaw has produced various guides on techniques for researching archaeological sites, identifying archaeological artefacts and on recording and reporting the results of archaeological investigations.
This month's featured best practice guide is: Medieval Pottery Identification - a more in-depth guide to Medieval pottery types found in Cambridgeshire