Day One of the dig!

Neil reports from a well-earned seat in the Students' Union...

Well, day one was a scorcher, the weather was gorgeous from the word go and even the squirrels behaved. After a 15 minute trip to collect tools from the Grosvenor Museum we were split into our groups and proceeded to begin the dig in earnest. Our group was given an untouched area to excavate at the St. John's end of the park and finds were immediate!

Ioan became an expert in clay pipe and Matt in speckled late mediaeval glass. My own finds collection included two musket balls, a reminder of the civil war and also of my first week at the university, a guided tour by Prof. Peter Gaunt. 

I'm sat in the SU writing this with a beer and thinking how enjoyable the day was. Here's to tomorrow!

Removing the backfill to re-open and continue excavating trench IV

A musket ball!



 

Victoria B catches the sun...

2017’s batch of archaeology students were welcomed to Grosvenor Park by a warm sunny day (which caused many students to go red throughout the course of the day). After collecting all the equipment needed for the next four weeks, the real work began. Splitting in to six groups, areas of loose earth where cleared away in preparation for excavating. The groups charged with last year’s trench cleared away the backfill down to the black tarpaulin left last year to protect any archaeology that had yet to be excavated. As such, much of the day was filled with the joyous cries of “tarp” whenever the black lining glinted into view.

Due to the beautiful weather, the park was rather busy and attracted many interested members of the public to the fence, which prompted many interesting conversations with members of the public about what they remember happening last year and their personal views and experiences with the public.

And so, we finished the day tired, pink, but excited for the coming weeks.

 



Finds!

Rhys reports on a tough day but is looking forward to what is to come...

The first day of the 2017 Experiential Learning module for the archaeology students of Chester University was welcomed by beautiful weather and a buzz of interest -  throughout the day members of the public approached with fascination as to why part of the Grosvenor Park had been unearthed. Through the blissful sun, which has been sorely missed, we have cleared the excavation area of the backfill of dirt in preparation to further examine the archaeological evidence already found at the site and to unearth previously unknown archaeological evidence. Though having dug up what seemed an endless backfill of earth and stone, having relayed wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of earth to the spoil pit as it was filled almost without effort every time I returned, we have already been able to find various artefacts ranging from pottery to pipe and even animal bone and teeth. Though the day has been tough and tiresome I am looking forward to the days to come and the archaeology we will find.

What will Day Two bring?