Research of the Romano-British landscape at Piddington (Northamptonshire, England) has, for many ... more Research of the Romano-British landscape at Piddington (Northamptonshire, England) has, for many decades, focussed on the excavation of a Roman villa located over half a kilometre to the southwest of the village. However, in 2021 the opportunity arose to examine a reasonably large development plot in the centre of the historic village. An open-area excavation revealed what appears to be the first indication of a pattern of Romano-British agrarian land-use in the villa’s north-eastern hinterland during the 2nd century AD and, certainly, the first appreciation of the rural landscape of the period beneath the village itself.
The results of the excavation also present a rare and intriguing window into the 12th to 13th century village; very few archaeological discoveries have been made in the village. A variety of ‘negative’ features – including a substantial boundary ditch, pits and a possible structure - had been in-filled with a rich variety of domestic and culinary waste. The combined bio-factual and artefactual data provides an evocative insight to day-to-day medieval village life, economy and trade links.
A Late 19th Century Corn Dealer’s Premises at the rear of Nos. 4 & 5 Cambridge Street, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire: Historic Building Record, 2021
A hidden gem in the heart of the historic town of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. The report is... more A hidden gem in the heart of the historic town of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. The report is an illustrated analytical record of a unique purpose-built 19th century corn store and mill.
Situated in a rear courtyard, unseen from the street, the building escaped notice of county-wide built-heritage surveys. Other than an indistinct oral tradition of a retired business owner whose family had once rented the premises for other purposes, the original function of this building was long-forgotten. Interestingly, a number of original features remained – including steel-tongued floor-boards, and a suspended flat-belt drive mechanism used for a corn grinding and crushing mill.
The building’s history, function and chronological development are explored through a combination of oral tradition, primary documentary sources and material evidence. It is deduced that it was purpose-built in the late 1870s, by John Hobson Bearn, who ran a long-established corn dealership and bakery business in the town. The building was sold in 1900 to another baker and confectioner of Wellingborough and appears to have served its original purpose until 1915.
"Part of the extensive monument which is thought to have been built in the Iron Age to demarcate ... more "Part of the extensive monument which is thought to have been built in the Iron Age to demarcate territory. The West Berkshire monument is about 8 km long - our survey of c.300m is not even a thumbnail! I've included it here as the survey gives one an idea of the scale of the earthwork. I enjoyed surveying it too!
Its a rather large file..."
Three-dimensional survey of a supected Iron Age enclosure, within a tract of ancient woodland on ... more Three-dimensional survey of a supected Iron Age enclosure, within a tract of ancient woodland on the east periphery of Coventry.
Some of the finest monuments on the Spanish island of Menorca are the megalithic ‘talayotic’ vill... more Some of the finest monuments on the Spanish island of Menorca are the megalithic ‘talayotic’ villages. Settlement is understood to date from 1400BC through to the Roman conquest, and the ruins were later adopted by Islamic refugees following the Christian re-conquest of Spain. In 2010, Souterrain Archaeological Services carried out a pre-excavation survey at one of the best known of these, Torre d’en Gaumés, on behalf of excavation director Amalia Pérez-Juez, of Boston University in Spain.
The paper summarises the results of an archaeo-geophysical investigation, carried out by Souterr... more The paper summarises the results of an archaeo-geophysical investigation, carried out by Souterrain Archaeological Services Ltd, on the Cerro del Castillo, Burgos, Spain.
During September and October 1812 a French garrison at the fortress of Burgos was besieged by the Army of Portugal, led by Marquis Wellington. Heavily outnumbered, the garrison held out for 33 days - until the sight of French reinforcements forced Wellington’s withdrawal. A particular scene of relentless struggle took place at the medieval church of San Román, which the French had converted to an outpost, on the south west slope of the Cerro del Castillo. The church was destroyed in the fight, with Portugese, Spanish, British and French soldiers perishing in the ruin.
Today, little of the Napoleonic defences are readily apparent, particularly as the hillside is thickly planted with trees and shrubs. But so great has been the transformation of the landscape over the past two centuries, that the precise location of the ruined church has become a subject of debate.
In 2011, El Foro para el Estudio de la Historia Militar de España and el Instituto Municipal de Cultura y Turismo de la Ciudad de Burgos requested Souterrain to attempt to locate the church of San Román.
The Islamicate period of the island of Menorca lasted almost four centuries (903-1287 AD). The im... more The Islamicate period of the island of Menorca lasted almost four centuries (903-1287 AD). The impact on the landscape was great in large part due to the agricultural exploitation of the island’s fertile ravines and the reoccupation of Talayotic sites. These Iron Age settlements offered ideal con-ditions for later medieval occupation: raw materials, locations close to ravines and existing structures for many different activities. This article presents the results of research carried out on the Islamic reoccupation of Torre d’en Galmés (Alaior, Menorca). The study emphasizes a diachronic analysis of the site for a better understanding of the use of space during the medieval period as well as help determine patterns of Talayotic urbanism in the first millennium BC.
Research of the Romano-British landscape at Piddington (Northamptonshire, England) has, for many ... more Research of the Romano-British landscape at Piddington (Northamptonshire, England) has, for many decades, focussed on the excavation of a Roman villa located over half a kilometre to the southwest of the village. However, in 2021 the opportunity arose to examine a reasonably large development plot in the centre of the historic village. An open-area excavation revealed what appears to be the first indication of a pattern of Romano-British agrarian land-use in the villa’s north-eastern hinterland during the 2nd century AD and, certainly, the first appreciation of the rural landscape of the period beneath the village itself.
The results of the excavation also present a rare and intriguing window into the 12th to 13th century village; very few archaeological discoveries have been made in the village. A variety of ‘negative’ features – including a substantial boundary ditch, pits and a possible structure - had been in-filled with a rich variety of domestic and culinary waste. The combined bio-factual and artefactual data provides an evocative insight to day-to-day medieval village life, economy and trade links.
A Late 19th Century Corn Dealer’s Premises at the rear of Nos. 4 & 5 Cambridge Street, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire: Historic Building Record, 2021
A hidden gem in the heart of the historic town of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. The report is... more A hidden gem in the heart of the historic town of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. The report is an illustrated analytical record of a unique purpose-built 19th century corn store and mill.
Situated in a rear courtyard, unseen from the street, the building escaped notice of county-wide built-heritage surveys. Other than an indistinct oral tradition of a retired business owner whose family had once rented the premises for other purposes, the original function of this building was long-forgotten. Interestingly, a number of original features remained – including steel-tongued floor-boards, and a suspended flat-belt drive mechanism used for a corn grinding and crushing mill.
The building’s history, function and chronological development are explored through a combination of oral tradition, primary documentary sources and material evidence. It is deduced that it was purpose-built in the late 1870s, by John Hobson Bearn, who ran a long-established corn dealership and bakery business in the town. The building was sold in 1900 to another baker and confectioner of Wellingborough and appears to have served its original purpose until 1915.
"Part of the extensive monument which is thought to have been built in the Iron Age to demarcate ... more "Part of the extensive monument which is thought to have been built in the Iron Age to demarcate territory. The West Berkshire monument is about 8 km long - our survey of c.300m is not even a thumbnail! I've included it here as the survey gives one an idea of the scale of the earthwork. I enjoyed surveying it too!
Its a rather large file..."
Three-dimensional survey of a supected Iron Age enclosure, within a tract of ancient woodland on ... more Three-dimensional survey of a supected Iron Age enclosure, within a tract of ancient woodland on the east periphery of Coventry.
Some of the finest monuments on the Spanish island of Menorca are the megalithic ‘talayotic’ vill... more Some of the finest monuments on the Spanish island of Menorca are the megalithic ‘talayotic’ villages. Settlement is understood to date from 1400BC through to the Roman conquest, and the ruins were later adopted by Islamic refugees following the Christian re-conquest of Spain. In 2010, Souterrain Archaeological Services carried out a pre-excavation survey at one of the best known of these, Torre d’en Gaumés, on behalf of excavation director Amalia Pérez-Juez, of Boston University in Spain.
The paper summarises the results of an archaeo-geophysical investigation, carried out by Souterr... more The paper summarises the results of an archaeo-geophysical investigation, carried out by Souterrain Archaeological Services Ltd, on the Cerro del Castillo, Burgos, Spain.
During September and October 1812 a French garrison at the fortress of Burgos was besieged by the Army of Portugal, led by Marquis Wellington. Heavily outnumbered, the garrison held out for 33 days - until the sight of French reinforcements forced Wellington’s withdrawal. A particular scene of relentless struggle took place at the medieval church of San Román, which the French had converted to an outpost, on the south west slope of the Cerro del Castillo. The church was destroyed in the fight, with Portugese, Spanish, British and French soldiers perishing in the ruin.
Today, little of the Napoleonic defences are readily apparent, particularly as the hillside is thickly planted with trees and shrubs. But so great has been the transformation of the landscape over the past two centuries, that the precise location of the ruined church has become a subject of debate.
In 2011, El Foro para el Estudio de la Historia Militar de España and el Instituto Municipal de Cultura y Turismo de la Ciudad de Burgos requested Souterrain to attempt to locate the church of San Román.
The Islamicate period of the island of Menorca lasted almost four centuries (903-1287 AD). The im... more The Islamicate period of the island of Menorca lasted almost four centuries (903-1287 AD). The impact on the landscape was great in large part due to the agricultural exploitation of the island’s fertile ravines and the reoccupation of Talayotic sites. These Iron Age settlements offered ideal con-ditions for later medieval occupation: raw materials, locations close to ravines and existing structures for many different activities. This article presents the results of research carried out on the Islamic reoccupation of Torre d’en Galmés (Alaior, Menorca). The study emphasizes a diachronic analysis of the site for a better understanding of the use of space during the medieval period as well as help determine patterns of Talayotic urbanism in the first millennium BC.
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The results of the excavation also present a rare and intriguing window into the 12th to 13th century village; very few archaeological discoveries have been made in the village. A variety of ‘negative’ features – including a substantial boundary ditch, pits and a possible structure - had been in-filled with a rich variety of domestic and culinary waste. The combined bio-factual and artefactual data provides an evocative insight to day-to-day medieval village life, economy and trade links.
Situated in a rear courtyard, unseen from the street, the building escaped notice of county-wide built-heritage surveys. Other than an indistinct oral tradition of a retired business owner whose family had once rented the premises for other purposes, the original function of this building was long-forgotten. Interestingly, a number of original features remained – including steel-tongued floor-boards, and a suspended flat-belt drive mechanism used for a corn grinding and crushing mill.
The building’s history, function and chronological development are explored through a combination of oral tradition, primary documentary sources and material evidence. It is deduced that it was purpose-built in the late 1870s, by John Hobson Bearn, who ran a long-established corn dealership and bakery business in the town. The building was sold in 1900 to another baker and confectioner of Wellingborough and appears to have served its original purpose until 1915.
Its a rather large file..."
During September and October 1812 a French garrison at the fortress of Burgos was besieged by the Army of Portugal, led by Marquis Wellington. Heavily outnumbered, the garrison held out for 33 days - until the sight of French reinforcements forced Wellington’s withdrawal. A particular scene of relentless struggle took place at the medieval church of San Román, which the French had converted to an outpost, on the south west slope of the Cerro del Castillo. The church was destroyed in the fight, with Portugese, Spanish, British and French soldiers perishing in the ruin.
Today, little of the Napoleonic defences are readily apparent, particularly as the hillside is thickly planted with trees and shrubs. But so great has been the transformation of the landscape over the past two centuries, that the precise location of the ruined church has become a subject of debate.
In 2011, El Foro para el Estudio de la Historia Militar de España and el Instituto Municipal de Cultura y Turismo de la Ciudad de Burgos requested Souterrain to attempt to locate the church of San Román.
The results of the excavation also present a rare and intriguing window into the 12th to 13th century village; very few archaeological discoveries have been made in the village. A variety of ‘negative’ features – including a substantial boundary ditch, pits and a possible structure - had been in-filled with a rich variety of domestic and culinary waste. The combined bio-factual and artefactual data provides an evocative insight to day-to-day medieval village life, economy and trade links.
Situated in a rear courtyard, unseen from the street, the building escaped notice of county-wide built-heritage surveys. Other than an indistinct oral tradition of a retired business owner whose family had once rented the premises for other purposes, the original function of this building was long-forgotten. Interestingly, a number of original features remained – including steel-tongued floor-boards, and a suspended flat-belt drive mechanism used for a corn grinding and crushing mill.
The building’s history, function and chronological development are explored through a combination of oral tradition, primary documentary sources and material evidence. It is deduced that it was purpose-built in the late 1870s, by John Hobson Bearn, who ran a long-established corn dealership and bakery business in the town. The building was sold in 1900 to another baker and confectioner of Wellingborough and appears to have served its original purpose until 1915.
Its a rather large file..."
During September and October 1812 a French garrison at the fortress of Burgos was besieged by the Army of Portugal, led by Marquis Wellington. Heavily outnumbered, the garrison held out for 33 days - until the sight of French reinforcements forced Wellington’s withdrawal. A particular scene of relentless struggle took place at the medieval church of San Román, which the French had converted to an outpost, on the south west slope of the Cerro del Castillo. The church was destroyed in the fight, with Portugese, Spanish, British and French soldiers perishing in the ruin.
Today, little of the Napoleonic defences are readily apparent, particularly as the hillside is thickly planted with trees and shrubs. But so great has been the transformation of the landscape over the past two centuries, that the precise location of the ruined church has become a subject of debate.
In 2011, El Foro para el Estudio de la Historia Militar de España and el Instituto Municipal de Cultura y Turismo de la Ciudad de Burgos requested Souterrain to attempt to locate the church of San Román.