Inspiring Children

Our mini excavation at Castlecroft Primary School on 25th June was a great success, with around a hundred taking part. The weather was perfect and the children displayed boundless enthusiasm. 

While we went there with the aim of inspiring children, we came away with the pleasure of having met some inspiring children instead. Their knowledge and thirst for learning stood out and is a real credit to their teachers.

While no archaeological features were uncovered there were plenty of typical finds, from bits of pot to clay pipes and pieces of iron to lumps of clinker, all of which delighted the finders! We took along a selection of other finds covering the last six centuries which were also well received.

This photo shows the cool and calm before the day began in earnest, we hope to receive permission to display some of the day's activities in due course.

 

Another Privy and Ash Pit

A few years ago we excavated a privy and its associated ash pit at a cottage built around 1810. Despite the below ground structure being seldom seen (ie except when completely emptying the pit) we were initially surprised that so much trouble had been taken in the construction of an arch between the two components. However, it soon became obvious that this is the most practical and economical solution not some decorative flourish by the builder! 

To bridge a gap wider than the length of a house-brick without using bricks would require some form of lintel, whether of wood, iron or stone. The first two options would not be ideal in a perpetually wet environment and stone would be more expensive. This explains why we find the earlier pattern repeated at our current site in almost identical form albeit slightly larger in keeping with the comparative size of the building.

Partially collapsed arch found at current excavation

Smaller arch at earlier excavation