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- 12/5/2024 At last the sugar beet had germinated enough for us to complete the field at Ickleton. In warm sunny conditions it felt strange to be walking this late in the spring but that illustrates how delayed everything is this... More...At last the sugar beet had germinated enough for us to complete the field at Ickleton. In warm sunny conditions it felt strange to be walking this late in the spring but that illustrates how delayed everything is this year.
Our finds were the usual Ickleton mixture of flints (struck and burnt), medieval wares including a foot from a pipkin (or similar vessel), a handle and possible Late Stamford ware ridged rim. Also the usual post med wares - redwares (glazed and unglazed), stoneware and a ridged manganese ware base.
This will be our last field walk until the Autumn season but we do have our summer excavation to look forward to.Less... 
- 26/4/2024 This coming Sunday (28th April) is not possible due to probable bad weather and the non-availability due to the crop not progressing fast enough. We are hoping to perhaps be back in early May (earlier if things progress faster).
- 24/3/2024 At last the weather remained good while we walked at Ickleton this weekend. As the photo showed the finds were mostly post-medieval with the odd piece of medieval date. The overwhelming impression of the field was the quantities of flint... More...At last the weather remained good while we walked at Ickleton this weekend. As the photo showed the finds were mostly post-medieval with the odd piece of medieval date. The overwhelming impression of the field was the quantities of flint lying about. We did pick up some, as the photo shows, but they are mostly primary flakes with no tools. There was a single piece of burnt flint. When confronted with masses of flint like this, identifying worked flint is a major task and possibly we did leave some on the field.Less... 
- 23/3/2024 Recently while searching old finds, this wig curler came to light. The dumb-bell shaped object in a kaolin clay has a stamp on each end as the photo shows. The letters are W and B which are surmounted by a coronet. This curler dates to the... More...Recently while searching old finds, this wig curler came to light. The dumb-bell shaped object in a kaolin clay has a stamp on each end as the photo shows. The letters are W and B which are surmounted by a coronet. This curler dates to the latter half of the 18th C and the initials stand for William Burstow who worked out of Blackheath Hill, Greenwich in the 1740's. The large number of his products, both in Great Britain and the American colonies suggests he had somewhat cornered the market at this time.
Wig wearing was all the rage in the late 17th C but had fallen out of fashion by the turn of the 19th C,. These wigs required frequent cleaning and reforming of the curls which were formed around hot wig curlers. Other curlers were made from wood, typically of cane, boxwood and some other woods. The wigs themselves often used human hair but also used horsehair, cow, goat and sheep hair depending on the price of the wig.Less... 
- 18/3/2024 Meterologists tell us that East Anglia has had as much rain in the first two weeks of March this year as we had in the whole of March last year. Don't we know it!!! Winter 2023/24 has been one of the worst periods for field walking in... More...Meterologists tell us that East Anglia has had as much rain in the first two weeks of March this year as we had in the whole of March last year. Don't we know it!!! Winter 2023/24 has been one of the worst periods for field walking in perhaps the last two or three decades. However, we will try again this coming Sunday (24th) and see whether we can get some field walking in before we break for Easter - keep your fingers crossed.Less...
- 3/3/2024 Back in the Eltisley mud this weekend, conditions had not really improved for walking but the ground visibility was still OK. There were few finds, as the photograph shows, and they were mostly post-medieval in date. They did include a... More...Back in the Eltisley mud this weekend, conditions had not really improved for walking but the ground visibility was still OK. There were few finds, as the photograph shows, and they were mostly post-medieval in date. They did include a small fragment of a blue Westerwald vessel and more stoneware. The usual glazed red earthen ware predominated, but there was a flowerpot looking unglazed rim. Also a small battered piece of a Staffordshire slipware wall - only a couple of pieces of unglazed sandy ware may be medieval in date. As we move away from the village centre the finds are getting less, suggesting the village never extended very far to the east of the manor house.Less... 
- 28/2/2024 One of our field walking members sent in this photo to illustrate the muddy conditions at Eltisley. We are going to try again this Sunday so if you plan to come then Wellington boots are the order of the day. Recent statistical information... More...One of our field walking members sent in this photo to illustrate the muddy conditions at Eltisley. We are going to try again this Sunday so if you plan to come then Wellington boots are the order of the day. Recent statistical information indicates just how wet it has been this winter - don't we know!!Less... 
- 27/2/2024 What a day!! Started off in the fog, then brightened up - all the while trudging through the glutinous muddy surface. Although there was some grass growth, quite thick in places, the surface visibility was OK. Not many finds of note, as... More... What a day!! Started off in the fog, then brightened up - all the while trudging through the glutinous muddy surface. Although there was some grass growth, quite thick in places, the surface visibility was OK. Not many finds of note, as the photograph shows. Mostly post med but with the odd piece of medieval-looking pot and some shell tempered ware. The ceramic rod shown could be a handle but was an unusual find.Less... 
- 19/2/2024 Two weeks ago at Ickleton the combination of a low sun and increased crop growth meant we had reached the limit of the ground visibility on this field. We therefore finished work here until at least the... More...Two weeks ago at Ickleton the combination of a low sun and increased crop growth meant we had reached the limit of the ground visibility on this field. We therefore finished work here until at least the autumn.
Last week the continuing rain meant we could not return to Eltisley on a new field as the ground conditions were awful. We will attempt to go this coming Sunday but please continue to monitor your emails for the latest information.Less...
- 4/2/2024 Back at Ickleton on the fields south of Grange Road, the finds are very similar to those from last week. A small number of worked flint, lots of glazed redwares and other post-med pottery (like the salt glazed handle and the stoneware... More...Back at Ickleton on the fields south of Grange Road, the finds are very similar to those from last week. A small number of worked flint, lots of glazed redwares and other post-med pottery (like the salt glazed handle and the stoneware spot-decorated piece). Clay pipe still keeps appearing plus small pieces of medieval ware, as the photograph shows. However, there were two pieces of what looks like a Samian copy, possibly from the local kilns at Harston. Our closeness to Great Chesterford probably explains their presence.
What is becoming more noticeable is how battered these pieces of pottery are, obviously they have been churned around in the top soil for a considerable time.Less... 
- 28/1/2024 Another pleasant day at Ickleton with a large group of people. Field walking moved on to another field but the finds are basically the same, as shown in the photograph. Some nice flint scrapers and one very small point and the oyster... More...Another pleasant day at Ickleton with a large group of people. Field walking moved on to another field but the finds are basically the same, as shown in the photograph. Some nice flint scrapers and one very small point and the oyster shells keep coming. There were plenty of post med pots, mostly rims and very small pieces. It is noticeable how small the pottery finds have become compared to 10 or more years ago. Repeated ploughing has broken up much of the pottery we see today. Finally there were a few clay pipe stems but nothing identifiable to a maker.Less... 
- 21/1/2024 Returning to the drier fields of Ickleton came as a relief from the clays of Eltisley. On a windy but pleasant day the group managed to partly walk a large field south of Grange Road. The photograph shows a few of the finds which include... More...Returning to the drier fields of Ickleton came as a relief from the clays of Eltisley. On a windy but pleasant day the group managed to partly walk a large field south of Grange Road. The photograph shows a few of the finds which include some oyster shell and worked flint. The pottery included a number of sandy redware handles together with a rim with thumbed decoration. Some pottery looks very medieval but there was the inevitable collection of post med wares including part of a stoneware pot that had a partial stamp which read "Warren...." We are returning this Sunday to try and complete the field.Less... 
- 4/1/2024 Brand new year - but the same old weather conditions. Due to the persistent rain and gales of the last few weeks the ground conditions are not suitable for walking at the present time. We hope for a change in the weather and will look to... More...Brand new year - but the same old weather conditions. Due to the persistent rain and gales of the last few weeks the ground conditions are not suitable for walking at the present time. We hope for a change in the weather and will look to find a site which drains better!!Less...
- 15/12/2023 Due to the poor surface conditions and waterlogged nature of lots of fields we have decided to cancel any more field walking this year. A combination of holiday dates and this cancellation means we will not be trying to field walk until at... More...Due to the poor surface conditions and waterlogged nature of lots of fields we have decided to cancel any more field walking this year. A combination of holiday dates and this cancellation means we will not be trying to field walk until at least January 7th 2024. Please keep checking the website and your emails for the latest news.Less...
- 7/12/2023 Our field walking at Eltisley has not produced great results over the last few weeks. Apart from a Sunday cancelled due to the forecast weather, i.e. rain (which duly arrived) we have recovered very few finds from the latest field. There... More...Our field walking at Eltisley has not produced great results over the last few weeks. Apart from a Sunday cancelled due to the forecast weather, i.e. rain (which duly arrived) we have recovered very few finds from the latest field. There is a thin scatter of medieval pottery which is probably due to manuring or something similar. Let us hope the weather holds off this coming Sunday at a new field but please check before setting out if in any doubt.Less...
- 12/11/2023 Moving east from last week, we entered Field 4564 - and a very muddy field compared to last week. As the photograph shows, there were very few finds. In fact the photo shows ALL of the finds!! They were obviously very tidy people in... More...Moving east from last week, we entered Field 4564 - and a very muddy field compared to last week. As the photograph shows, there were very few finds. In fact the photo shows ALL of the finds!! They were obviously very tidy people in Eltisley
There were several pieces of medieval pottery, a few post med pot and some metal finds. We will carry on next time to complete the field but the likelihood of lots of finds seems quite small - at least we get some welcome exercise.Less... 
- 8/11/2023 Although there had been lots of recent rain, the field was soft but walkable (although some patches were quite soggy). The photograph shows some of the few finds from the south end of the field. There were only 20 bags collected and there... More...Although there had been lots of recent rain, the field was soft but walkable (although some patches were quite soggy). The photograph shows some of the few finds from the south end of the field. There were only 20 bags collected and there was a noticeable shortage of brick and tile on this field compared to what we usually find. There were a couple of of pieces of medieval-looking pot and several oyster shells suggesting an early activity on this area. A few post med pieces completed our meagre return.Less... 
- 22/10/2023 Storm Babet left fields in our area very waterlogged and consequently we decided to abandon our proposed walk at Eltisley this... More...Storm Babet left fields in our area very waterlogged and consequently we decided to abandon our proposed walk at Eltisley this weekend.
We are also not walking on 29th because of various other activities - some members are excavating test pits at Reach Hythe while others are going on a flint knapping course. Let's hope we are good to go on 5th November.Less...
- 17/10/2023 In fine weather we returned to Eltisley on Field 8283 which lies to the east of Eltisley Wood and which we half completed. We had fewer finds bags than at Childerley but possibly more medieval pottery than anything else. There were... More...In fine weather we returned to Eltisley on Field 8283 which lies to the east of Eltisley Wood and which we half completed. We had fewer finds bags than at Childerley but possibly more medieval pottery than anything else. There were possible flints - a core and a blade. The usual post medieval wares were also present - blue and white transfer ware, stoneware, Stafford combed ware and the inevitable glazed redwares - but in much lower numbers than usual.
We are returning this coming weekend, weather permitting, to finish this large field.Less... 
- 2/10/2023 On the second weekend of the Autumn 2023 field walking season we returned to Childerley. Harrolds Park lies next to the main house and so we were expecting to find medieval pottery. This we did, as the photo shows – grey wares,... More...On the second weekend of the Autumn 2023 field walking season we returned to Childerley. Harrolds Park lies next to the main house and so we were expecting to find medieval pottery. This we did, as the photo shows – grey wares, shell-tempered and red sandy wares in small numbers. There was, of course, post medieval finds including a glazed floor tile and part of a Bellarmine jug. However surprising finds were the two intact clay pipe bowls – undecorated of course, this is Cambridgeshire after all. These are normally fragile and break very easily.
This leaves just one small field left on the Childerley Estate that we have yet to walk, hopefully this
year.Less... 
- 24/04/2023 This must be the handle field - we have now found over a dozen, including the substantial medieval one shown in the photograph. The finds in the field near the M11 covered the full range - the piece of a Samian base, through various... More...This must be the handle field - we have now found over a dozen, including the substantial medieval one shown in the photograph. The finds in the field near the M11 covered the full range - the piece of a Samian base, through various medieval red and slipwares to stonewares to Blue and White transfer ware to white glazed ware. The worked flints remain elusive but the example shown appears to have several micro flakes removed.
We are coming to the end of the field walking season there are opportunities to excavate test pits in various places.Less... 
- 19/04/2023 By coincidence a member Jane left the field at Ickleton and picked up another .50-caliber shell casing, This one had markings of L C and 43 on its headstock, as shown in the photograph. This shell had definitely been fired, with no... More...By coincidence a member Jane left the field at Ickleton and picked up another .50-caliber shell casing, This one had markings of L C and 43 on its headstock, as shown in the photograph. This shell had definitely been fired, with no percussion cap left and no cordite charge in the casing. The photograph shows the casing alongside a complete .50-caliber bullet and the much smaller .303 bullet used by Royal Airforce, especially in the early days.
The 43 letters indicate the year, 1943, and LC the manufacturing site. This was Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) which is a 3,935-acre (15.92km2) U.S. government-owned facility in northeastern Independence, Missouri operated by Northrop Grumman Innovative Systems. It was established by Remington Arms in 1941 to manufacture and test small caliber ammunition for the U.S. Army. The facility has remained in continuous operation except for one 5-year period following World War II. By July 2007, the plant was producing nearly 1.4 billion rounds of ammunition per year. LCAAP is the single largest producer of small arms ammunition for the United States Armed Forces.Less... 
- 16/04/2023 Those who remember the Orwell 20mm cannon shell can now add the Ickleton .50- caliber machine gun shell to the list. The photograph shows the battered remains of the find against a complete .50-caliber shell. These type of shells were used... More...Those who remember the Orwell 20mm cannon shell can now add the Ickleton .50- caliber machine gun shell to the list. The photograph shows the battered remains of the find against a complete .50-caliber shell. These type of shells were used by the American Airforce during WWII in both their fighter and bomber planes.
The insert shows the head markings - S and L plus 4 and 3. This discloses that the shell was made in St Louis, Missouri in 1943. St. Louis was the location of the world's largest production plant for .30-caliber and .50-caliber ammunition for rifles and machine guns. The St. Louis Ordnance Plant began production on December 16, 1941, just 9 days after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. During World War II, the plant was in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a workforce that was half women. At peak production in the summer of 1943, 35,000 people worked at the plant at producing 250 million cartridges a month.Less... 
What is interesting is that the shell had not been fired, there was no mark on the percussion cap and it contained the original cordite explosive. The cordite pieces are shown in this... More...What is interesting is that the shell had not been fired, there was no mark on the percussion cap and it contained the original cordite explosive. The cordite pieces are shown in this photograph.
The field is sufficiently close to Duxford for this to be the base for the plane that ejected this shell.Less... 
- 2/4/2023 We now know the field's name but the hill still seems to get bigger as we walk it. The photograph shows a summary of the finds, which are much the same as previous weekends. Lots of post medieval - glazed redwares, Staff combed ware, white... More...We now know the field's name but the hill still seems to get bigger as we walk it. The photograph shows a summary of the finds, which are much the same as previous weekends. Lots of post medieval - glazed redwares, Staff combed ware, white glazed, stoneware and clay pipe stems. The interesting thing is the amount of Metropolitan slipped ware in this part of the field. There is also an amount of medieval wares, but especially interesting is the number of handles we found here. After Easter we hopefully will be back again and hope to finish the field. It is due to be drilled which may prevent this happening - still the field will still be here in the future.
HAPPY EASTER TO ALL OUR MEMBERS AND FOLLOWERSLess... 
- 19/3/2023 This is a big field!! We did not finish it but had over 70 bags of finds. The pattern is the same, as the photograph shows. This time we had two blades and a burnt flint plus the usual primary flakes. There is also what may be a core,... More...This is a big field!! We did not finish it but had over 70 bags of finds. The pattern is the same, as the photograph shows. This time we had two blades and a burnt flint plus the usual primary flakes. There is also what may be a core, shown in the photo.
The post med finds were a lot more varied - besides the inevitable glazed red earthenware, we had some Staffs slipped ware, blue and white transfer ware. The interesting thing was the amount of probable medieval sandy ware - the handle scribed with parallel lines and the possible trivet (flat plate with a foot) are both quite unusual.
We are taking a weekend off before we return to this field and hope to finish it.Less... 
- 12/3/2023 As we move further up the high ground north of Grange Road at Ickleton so the masses of flint carry on. The photograph shows just a few of the primary flakes recovered on Sunday plus the post medieval pottery. We have recovered very few... More...As we move further up the high ground north of Grange Road at Ickleton so the masses of flint carry on. The photograph shows just a few of the primary flakes recovered on Sunday plus the post medieval pottery. We have recovered very few worked or burnt flints on our field walking here so it does not suggest a settlement, just a work site preparing flakes for further processing elsewhere. The pottery is mostly glazed red sandy wares. We will return next weekend to finish off this field.Less... 
- 5/3/2023 The last piece of the field next door to the trial crops produced a continuation of the finds recovered previously. As the photograph shows, predominantly Glazed Redwares (including a piece of Metropolitan ware) but some struck flint and a... More...The last piece of the field next door to the trial crops produced a continuation of the finds recovered previously. As the photograph shows, predominantly Glazed Redwares (including a piece of Metropolitan ware) but some struck flint and a particularly good example of a burnt flint. There is also a number of pieces of what appear to be medieval pot - including the nice piece of red sandy ware with a slashed decoration.
Our next visit is further north up the hill to see what that produces.Less... 
- 26/2/2023 We rarely find organic matter lying on the ground but this weekend we found this piece of leather. It is unusual to look at - with one line of very closely spaced holes at the edge and another row of holes wider spaced above them. Quite... More...We rarely find organic matter lying on the ground but this weekend we found this piece of leather. It is unusual to look at - with one line of very closely spaced holes at the edge and another row of holes wider spaced above them. Quite what it comes from is unclear - whether it is part of a shoe or boot or perhaps some leather harness or belt. Closer examination may determine what it is but how to conserve it is another matter.Less... 
- 26/2/2023 On a lovely day with excellent ground conditions it was up the hill from the previous week's flat land. The soil varied from the silty brown at the bottom of the hill to quite chalky soil at... More...On a lovely day with excellent ground conditions it was up the hill from the previous week's flat land. The soil varied from the silty brown at the bottom of the hill to quite chalky soil at the top.
The photograph shows a selection of what we found - mostly glazed redwares (a few rims) but some interesting flints this time. There was a nice blade plus some primary flakes and a flint with a notch (natural or otherwise?). Also a small amount of rough sandy ware which could be medieval and some Victorian clay pipe stem.Less... 
- 21/02/2023 As we get near to the end of the winter/spring field walking season, we have walked most of our available fields or the crop has become too well advanced to permit field walking. Therefore we need some suitable fields in the Cambridge area... More...As we get near to the end of the winter/spring field walking season, we have walked most of our available fields or the crop has become too well advanced to permit field walking. Therefore we need some suitable fields in the Cambridge area to carry on walking. If any member knows of any fields in a suitable state to walk please let us know.
We need a field either just prepared for sowing or a field where the crop is developing but does not cover the surface. Remember we must always obtain the land owners permission before we go on to any field.Less...
- 19/02/2023 The biggest turnout of walkers, including new members, for some time enjoyed the lovely weather conditions at Ickleton. The ground conditions were excellent, with the rain-washed surface showing the surface material quite clearly. The... More...The biggest turnout of walkers, including new members, for some time enjoyed the lovely weather conditions at Ickleton. The ground conditions were excellent, with the rain-washed surface showing the surface material quite clearly. The finds themselves were a total mixture - from prehistoric flints via Roman tegula tile to medieval pot and finally post medieval pot and building materials.
The photograph shows the best find, a leaf shaped blade which looks to be too large for an arrowhead but maybe would be a spear point. The tegula may not be surprising considering that the site of Great Chesterford Roman town can be seen from the field.Less... 
- 12/02/2023 Returned to the field in overcast conditions which was a benefit as without the low-angle sun visibility of the ground was good. However, despite the masses of flint and chalk, there were few flint finds made, including a first burnt... More...Returned to the field in overcast conditions which was a benefit as without the low-angle sun visibility of the ground was good. However, despite the masses of flint and chalk, there were few flint finds made, including a first burnt flint. The photograph shows the typical post medieval finds, some of the flints and a few pieces that look quite Roman in date. The oyster shell is also a first find of this type here.
The survey really does not indicate any settlement evidence, just a typical field scatter.
On to another Ickleton field down the hill this coming Sunday - another large field.Less... 
- 5/02/2023 After the stickiness of Eltisley it was a welcome relief to be back on the chalk soils at Ickleton on a field that had been sown with linseed. The weather was perfect but the crop had grown sufficiently to make ground visibility poor in... More...After the stickiness of Eltisley it was a welcome relief to be back on the chalk soils at Ickleton on a field that had been sown with linseed. The weather was perfect but the crop had grown sufficiently to make ground visibility poor in some places. The surface was strewn with flint and chalk lumps so we were expecting a harvest of worked flint.
Not so, a disappointing return of worked flint or burnt flint as the photograph shows. Yet again the finds were mostly post medieval - GRE, green and white ware plus a piece of Metropolitan ware and a clay pipe. There were several pieces of red sandy ware that may be medieval in date. We hope to complete the field this coming weekend.Less... 
- 29/01/2023 Our last visit for now at Eltisley produced very little in terms of finds. As the photograph shows it was mostly glazed and unglazed red sandy wares. There was a single piece of possible medieval ware, some clay pipe stem and post medieval... More...Our last visit for now at Eltisley produced very little in terms of finds. As the photograph shows it was mostly glazed and unglazed red sandy wares. There was a single piece of possible medieval ware, some clay pipe stem and post medieval white ware. Ground conditions were quite sticky but visibility of the ground surface was fine, so another piece of Eltisley with no signs of settlement.Less... 
- 23/01/2023 Due to adverse weather conditions on the day, we never got to field walk at the weekend. The photograph shows the conditions out in the countryside at 8.45am on Sunday. Ironically, by 9.30am the sun was out but the ground was still very... More...Due to adverse weather conditions on the day, we never got to field walk at the weekend. The photograph shows the conditions out in the countryside at 8.45am on Sunday. Ironically, by 9.30am the sun was out but the ground was still very heavily frozen. We will attempt to complete the Eltisley field walking this coming Sunday - again, weather permitting.Less... 
- 15/1/2023 We returned to a piece of land separated by a hedge from an area where we had previously found a quantity of medieval pot. Ground conditions were atrocious - just like walking in porridge - and with standing water puddles. However, apart... More...We returned to a piece of land separated by a hedge from an area where we had previously found a quantity of medieval pot. Ground conditions were atrocious - just like walking in porridge - and with standing water puddles. However, apart from a possible piece of medieval pot, most of the limited number of finds were of post-medieval origin (as shown in the photograph). It is interesting that the hedge line formed such a clear cut boundary between the finds and no finds.
We may be back at Eltisley again this coming Sunday on a strip of land alongside the Eltisley - Papworth road and hope for better success.Less... 
- 8/1/2023 On a day of very strong winds and quite cool, we finished one of our outstanding fields. It has not produced many finds previously and did not disappoint - a total of 10 bags, many with a single find in them. The photograph shows two... More...On a day of very strong winds and quite cool, we finished one of our outstanding fields. It has not produced many finds previously and did not disappoint - a total of 10 bags, many with a single find in them. The photograph shows two interesting things - one was a dark glazed redware bottle neck of post medieval origin. The other was a piece of a Roman mortaria in a pale fabric with black slag tituration grits. This is most likely of Nene Valley origin but the question is where did it come from? We often find single bits of Roman pottery or tile and always relate them to manuring practices - but who knows where this piece started out from.
This coming weekend we hope to finish another field attached to an area that had produced medieval pottery previously - let's hope for more finds this time.Less... 
- 18/12/2022 Well the predicted heavy frost came and immediately followed by the snow that hung around for over a week. The photo shows how heavy the freezing fog settled over the land and why field walking was not an option. The coming weekend is... More...Well the predicted heavy frost came and immediately followed by the snow that hung around for over a week. The photo shows how heavy the freezing fog settled over the land and why field walking was not an option. The coming weekend is Christmas Day and therefore no walking but time to rest up and prepare for the New Year and, hopefully, a successful 2023 archaeologically speaking.Less... 
- 14/12/2022 On the 4th December our visit produced very few finds, just like the week before. Some abraded medieval but mostly post-medieval. Ground underfoot was quite good after no further... More...On the 4th December our visit produced very few finds, just like the week before. Some abraded medieval but mostly post-medieval. Ground underfoot was quite good after no further rain.
Then on the 11th December to temperature dropped and the fog lingered on. Walking on growing crop when there is a heavy frost is not a good idea so we cancelled field walking that day.
This coming weekend has a similar grim forecast so we have cancelled this and will have to hope we can get back early next year to finish off this small area.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MEMBERS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO A POSITIVE NEW YEARLess...
- 27/11/2022 After yet more rain it was no surprise that underfoot conditions were a little on the sticky side but ground visibility was good. However, a total of only 10 bags - each containing two or less pieces - was the result. The photo shows what... More...After yet more rain it was no surprise that underfoot conditions were a little on the sticky side but ground visibility was good. However, a total of only 10 bags - each containing two or less pieces - was the result. The photo shows what we found - mostly post medieval wares and some clay pipes - but also some very medieval-looking wares. Two shell tempered pieces and a very smooth sandy piece spread over the field don't suggest any settlement present.
We will complete this field and its neighbour this coming Sunday, weather permitting.Less... 
- 20/11/2022 Returning to our incomplete field from last week it was a pleasant surprise that, after heavy overnight rain. the conditions were as good as they were. However, what was different was the amount of probable medieval pottery that was turned... More...Returning to our incomplete field from last week it was a pleasant surprise that, after heavy overnight rain. the conditions were as good as they were. However, what was different was the amount of probable medieval pottery that was turned up on the western edge of the field. The photograph shows just some of the pieces recovered, including post medieval stuff like the Staffordshire combed ware and the inevitable GRE.
The medieval pottery included quite an amount of shell tempered ware and a nice piece of a whitish ware with embossed surface and thick green glaze. Many of the pieces were very small (approx 0.5cm square) and quite abraded. There was also an area of cobbles that may represent part of a farmyard surface. We hope to go over the hedge next week and see whether the material continues there.Less... 
- 13/11/2022 This last weekend we returned to fields at Eltisley owned by Papley Grove Farm. After an invigorating walk to the field, we were contemplating a field with beans already growing but not enough to make observation... More...This last weekend we returned to fields at Eltisley owned by Papley Grove Farm. After an invigorating walk to the field, we were contemplating a field with beans already growing but not enough to make observation difficult.
The photograph shows a selection of the finds which were few in number. There were the usual post medieval wares - creamware, GRE and manganese wares - but also finds of fine sandy coarseware sherds that look quite medieval. There were also some iron slag lumps like the one in the photo.
We will return next weekend, weather permitting to finish the field.Less... 
- 02/11/2022 This year’s Val Whittaker Prize was presented at the November CAFG lecture in the McDonald Institute. The winner is Mikael Steeder, a final year student in the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology. He won the prize for his project... More...This year’s Val Whittaker Prize was presented at the November CAFG lecture in the McDonald Institute. The winner is Mikael Steeder, a final year student in the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology. He won the prize for his project report on a commemorative bronze head from West Africa – one of the Benin bronzes. The report contains a commendable discussion of historical, political and scientific aspects if his investigations into this topical and controversial subjectLess... 
- 16/10/2022 After a not very productive weekend at Childerley we returned to our Roman site at Wimpole and completed the field. This showed that the concentration of finds we found previously did not extend much further north or west than the area we... More...After a not very productive weekend at Childerley we returned to our Roman site at Wimpole and completed the field. This showed that the concentration of finds we found previously did not extend much further north or west than the area we had already covered. The photograph shows that a few pieces of Roman or medieval pottery remained but that the majority was post medieval in origin. GRE, stoneware, white ware and a piece of Staffordshire ware.Less... 
- 10/10/2022 After the large number of Roman finds last weekend at Wimpole we returned to the real world at Childerley. Witherow Field held promise of producing some flints but in the event it produced 5 finds bags of post med origin. We are closing in... More...After the large number of Roman finds last weekend at Wimpole we returned to the real world at Childerley. Witherow Field held promise of producing some flints but in the event it produced 5 finds bags of post med origin. We are closing in on walking the whole of the available land on the Childerley Estate - just 3 more small fields to go.
We will return to Wimpole this coming weekend to complete the productive field we started last weekend. How big the area of Roman pottery is will soon become clear.Less...
- 10/4/2022 We finished off the site we started at Ickleton near the M11 motorway. Finds were pretty much like the rest of the field, as shown in the photograph. There were some interesting pieces like the greyware neck of a flagon or something... More...We finished off the site we started at Ickleton near the M11 motorway. Finds were pretty much like the rest of the field, as shown in the photograph. There were some interesting pieces like the greyware neck of a flagon or something similar. Also Metropolitan slipware and Staffordshire combed ware similar to previous examples. The handle and base of sandy redwares plus the masses of tile fragments (which we left on the field) were also similar to the rest of the field. The stoneware pieces was different and shows part of a raised windmill design, suggesting it might have come from Holland. This will need checking to see if that is the case. Less... 
- 27/3/2022 Carrying on from last week, the field next door was investigated. This proved hard work due to the lumpy surface and dust which covered the surface and any finds. The finds that were recovered were similar to the previous field - lots of... More...Carrying on from last week, the field next door was investigated. This proved hard work due to the lumpy surface and dust which covered the surface and any finds. The finds that were recovered were similar to the previous field - lots of GRE, including several parts of handles (see photo). There was part of a Staffordshire slipware pie crust platter, white glazed ware, stoneware and dozens of pieces of tile (which we mostly left behind on the field). Clay pipe and oyster shell also figured but there were two earlier finds - the Nene Valley colour coat and a piece of shell tempered ware.
There will not be any field walking next Sunday but we hope to take advantage of the Waterbeach Barracks excavation open day. Further field walking will be arranged, if possible, for the 10th April otherwise we have probably reached the end of our Spring season.Less... 
- 14/10/2021 Another day of strange weather - starts quite pleasant and then rains quite a lot for 5 minutes then turns sunny again. A bumper number of walkers today so we finished our target field easily. The photograph shows the typical finds of the... More...Another day of strange weather - starts quite pleasant and then rains quite a lot for 5 minutes then turns sunny again. A bumper number of walkers today so we finished our target field easily. The photograph shows the typical finds of the day.
A little bit of probable medieval stuff on the right but the majority of the material was post medieval as shown on the left. There was lots of stoneware and the strange piece of Staffordshire slipware which looked like the flat base of a large platter. There were amounts of glazed redware and Blue & White transfer printed wares. In addition there were masses of small bits of broken bricks and tiles. All very predictable.
However, at the north end of the field is a decorative wall covered in ivy and a ditch - the latter having been recently cleared and the waste piled on the bank. This spoil contained masses of post medieval pottery, glass bottles and other domestic waste. There used to be cottages the other side of the wall and they obviously chucked their rubbish over the wall and into the ditch.
Weather permitting we will return here to finish off the other fields.Less... 
- 10/10/2021 After a limited selection of finds previously, our return to another field at Thornberry produced a wide range of finds from quite different periods. As the phot shows we had everything from Roman (a Nene Valley base and some Samian) on... More...After a limited selection of finds previously, our return to another field at Thornberry produced a wide range of finds from quite different periods. As the phot shows we had everything from Roman (a Nene Valley base and some Samian) on the right to post medieval (blue and white transfer ware and stoneware) on the left with coarse sand tempered ware, probably medieval, in the centre. The field had a crop of bean regrowth but the ground visibility was OK. A surprise was the large horizontal handle, probably from a meat dish or platter, in a glazed redware, shown far left. The heavy drizzle just before we were to walk nearly put us off but in the end it became a nice day.
We will be back on another field there, hopefully this coming Sunday.Less... 
- 9/5/2021 With no more immediate targets at Wimpole we returned to Childerley in the north-west corner of the estate. This was the last field, White Pits, that we needed to walk in order to have walked all the arable fields on the... More...With no more immediate targets at Wimpole we returned to Childerley in the north-west corner of the estate. This was the last field, White Pits, that we needed to walk in order to have walked all the arable fields on the estate.
The weather conditions were fine, the ground conditions good - the only thing missing were the finds!! Most of the finds were heavily abraded glazed redwares, with a smattering of other post-medieval wares. There were three pieces of possible medieval ware which came from an area near an electricity pylon. This was interesting because they came from spoil probably generated when the pylon was built. Could this hint at finds being below the immediate plough soil? We know from previous examples, Lamp Hill at Wimpole, that field walking does not produce evidence when that evidence is below the plough soil horizon.Less... 
- 18/4/2021 What a relief to be out field walking again, taking all the COVID precautions, of course. The weather was lovely and sunny, slightly cool as one expects in the spring. However, the recent lack of rain meant the ground has become rock hard... More...What a relief to be out field walking again, taking all the COVID precautions, of course. The weather was lovely and sunny, slightly cool as one expects in the spring. However, the recent lack of rain meant the ground has become rock hard - how times change. The field in the north west of the Wimpole Estate that we walked is due to be planted with trees so our exercise was to see whether there were any signs of archaeological value below ground.
The answer was probably none!! Finds were few and far between as the photo shows about a third of the total finds. The field is quite flinty so no surprise we found a couple of worked blades. There were a three probable early pieces of pottery plus several post medieval finds of red glazed ware and a stoneware rim.
However, the joy of good company, fresh air and exercise did us all a power of good - here's looking forward to the next walking before the crops render walking impossible.Less... 
- 1/11/2020 What turned out to be our last field walk for a while was a damp and muddy experience but the finds keep coming. Although we marvel at all the medieval finds we must not forget the other periods are also represented here. The photograph... More...What turned out to be our last field walk for a while was a damp and muddy experience but the finds keep coming. Although we marvel at all the medieval finds we must not forget the other periods are also represented here. The photograph shows just a few Roman pieces from our recent walking. Nene Valley colour coated ware, here as a cup base, continue to appear but not in large quantities. The mortaria, which may be Oxford ware, are found in a few cases. However, we must remember that some of the very large quantities of shell tempered ware are almost certainly Romano-British in origin.
What we have not found is the limit of the pottery scatter, although the number of finds is definitely dropping. The number of lava quern fragments is truly amazing, we have not been on a site where so much has been foundLess... 
- 11/10/2020 After the barren fields at Childerley we returned to Clopton to complete an area not covered when we were there a year ago. The ground conditions were a bit sticky after overnight rain but we escaped any more rain until it arrived just... More...After the barren fields at Childerley we returned to Clopton to complete an area not covered when we were there a year ago. The ground conditions were a bit sticky after overnight rain but we escaped any more rain until it arrived just after we had finished.
The field area we were on produced masses of pottery again and there is no real sign of the quantity dropping off as we move further west. The photograph shows just a few items, including amongst others a Nene Valley cup base, a globular jar neck, a stabbed decoration handle and some Stamford ware. A large quantity of shell and quartz tempered wares were recovered. We will continue further westwards next weekend to see where the pottery finds diminish to background levels. Less... 
- 20/09/2020 After 6 months out of action due to COVID 19 you may just recognise this picture - it's called a field - and the group ventured out to this field at Childerley this weekend to do some field walking. It was great to be out in the open air... More...After 6 months out of action due to COVID 19 you may just recognise this picture - it's called a field - and the group ventured out to this field at Childerley this weekend to do some field walking. It was great to be out in the open air again, with lovely weather and good company (2 metre distancing being observed at all times, of course). It was one of the last fields on the Childerley Estate we have not walked before, so a celebration of the end of many years of walking.
The only problem was a lack of any exciting finds to add to the pleasure. When three pieces of clay pipe stem are the highlight you know there is not a lot to say about this particular field. Still it was a start.
We have other field walking opportunities being lined up but the rumours about another lockdown mean we may not be out again for a while. Keep looking at this website for updates.Less... 
- 8/2/2020 Storm Ciara has caused us to cancel our planned field walking at Abbey Farm, Ickleton as the wind conditions will make walking... More...Storm Ciara has caused us to cancel our planned field walking at Abbey Farm, Ickleton as the wind conditions will make walking difficult.
So here are some views of the puddingstone quern we found last weekend. The stone is the lower half of a small hand operated quern and made of Hertfordshire Pudding Stone. Visible by the right hand end of the scale is the drilled spindle hole that centred and located the upper stone.Less... 
- 8/5/2019 The find from Comberton shown in the upper photograph is a piece from a German saltglazed stoneware jug, probably of bulbous form. It is part of a large medallion that would have a crown with bird 'supporters' above a GR cypher washed in... More...The find from Comberton shown in the upper photograph is a piece from a German saltglazed stoneware jug, probably of bulbous form. It is part of a large medallion that would have a crown with bird 'supporters' above a GR cypher washed in blue with a winged cherub beneath. It was made in the Westerwald region of Germany, circa 1715 - 1725. An example of a complete piece is shown in the second photograph.
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This example of a GR jug dates from the reign of George I of England. The jug has a large medallion on the front flanked by sinuous scrolling foliage on either side. A blackberry wash on the neck with the cobalt colouring of the foliage... More...This example of a GR jug dates from the reign of George I of England. The jug has a large medallion on the front flanked by sinuous scrolling foliage on either side. A blackberry wash on the neck with the cobalt colouring of the foliage and the GR cypher. These early jugs were exported in great numbers from Germany to England following the crowning of the first Hanoverians as Kings of England.
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- 14/4/2019 Now that walking is over we have time to look more closely at some of our... More...Now that walking is over we have time to look more closely at some of our finds.
The recent walk at Comberton produced a part of a clay pipe bowl which, unusually for Cambridgeshire, had some relief initials on the foot (see photograph courtesy of Stephen Read). The initials are fairly worn but look like I and S and it may be possible to determine the date and its maker (the first name initial is always on the left hand side of the bowl when looked at as if you were smoking the pipe). The stem bore is 6 - 7/64ths and the style is similar to Oswald Type 12.
Now comes the interesting bit - the pipe style and stem bore suggest a pipe from the middle of the 18th C. The maker is more difficult because the letter I was often used for a J on pipes, so John and James often appear as an I (so James Knight = I K). Looking at lists of Cambridge pipe makers, most likely ones date to the mid to late 19th C which is at odds to the style. However, Cessford lists a John Sibley (1752 - 59) and John Saunders (1745). It is not clear that either used initials on their pipes so we cannot be sure who actually made this pipe. It may also be an import from other counties or London (where Oswald lists a number of possible candidates for this period). Clay pipes did not generally travel far from their maker' premises so Sibley or Saunders are still the most likely.Less...
- 24/2/2019 Firm ground underfoot, warm sun on your back, skylarks singing above and no cold wind - the recipe for a perfect Sunday morning stroll. After the miserable past few weekends it was a pleasure, even if the finds were in relatively short... More...Firm ground underfoot, warm sun on your back, skylarks singing above and no cold wind - the recipe for a perfect Sunday morning stroll. After the miserable past few weekends it was a pleasure, even if the finds were in relatively short supply. However, as the photograph shows, we did have a number of very abraded sherds of probable medieval ware. Plus the usual collection of brick and tile, of course. There was little modern material so this field is not like many other Childerley fields.
This is the last large field we had left to do in order to have completed walking the majority of the Childerley Estate. We have to thank the Jenkins family for letting us carry out this large survey which will now need writing up.Less... 
- 3 and 10/2/2019 The weather and ground conditions stopped fieldwalking for two more weeks. We hope for better next Sunday.
- 20/1/2019 It was a lovely sunny day with a little ground frost but good ground visibility - but few finds, mostly broken 20th C tile. A total of 3 pottery finds was slim reward for our... More...It was a lovely sunny day with a little ground frost but good ground visibility - but few finds, mostly broken 20th C tile. A total of 3 pottery finds was slim reward for our efforts.
However, we do find plenty of fossils on the Childerley fields so we do get to practise our geology skills. The fossil on the left of the photograph is a fossil sponge found on Sunday which looks like a small cannon ball. However, the fossil on the right is also a fossil sponge but the broken edge allows you to see the actual sponge within it. Finds of ammonites, belemnites, gryphaea (oysters) are also quite common, so when the archaeology is not so exciting there is plenty of geology to keep you on your toes.Less... 
- 13/1/2019 A total contrast to last week - no hills, no rough ploughed surface. This time a flat surface with a growing crop but good surface visibility. We were finishing off a field we had part walked all the way back in Feb 2015. There were very... More...A total contrast to last week - no hills, no rough ploughed surface. This time a flat surface with a growing crop but good surface visibility. We were finishing off a field we had part walked all the way back in Feb 2015. There were very few pottery finds, mostly post-med but two (see photograph) may be medieval. The rest was a lot of modern broken tile and brick. No settlement here, although in the east corner we had walked in 2015 there were some medieval finds that could be associated with the deserted village of Little Childerley that lies just over the hedge from our field.Less... 
- 30/11/2018 This weekend we walked along the top of the "cliff edge" at Histon before "plunging down the hill" onto the fen soils. Going from the 10m level down to around 5m might not sound much but walking up this "hill" in the sticky soil was quite... More...This weekend we walked along the top of the "cliff edge" at Histon before "plunging down the hill" onto the fen soils. Going from the 10m level down to around 5m might not sound much but walking up this "hill" in the sticky soil was quite tiring.
However, there was a difference compared to the previous weekend, in that there was less early pottery here. The photograph shows how much more post-med pottery was recovered. The amount of cutlery found did not diminish, in fact it was more common than the week before except we still have not found a single knife. There were no university college links to the unmarked cutlery. Less... 
- 25/11/2018 We moved on to literally the fen edge, a totally different experience compared to the Childerley clays. This was a partial re-walk of a site walked some years ago and produced a wide range of material. We had possible Iron Age pot, Roman... More...We moved on to literally the fen edge, a totally different experience compared to the Childerley clays. This was a partial re-walk of a site walked some years ago and produced a wide range of material. We had possible Iron Age pot, Roman mortaria, medieval glazed wares and post-med stoneware - to name but a few. In the past this area has produced pottery and cutlery from the university colleges - no pot this time but still some cutlery which may relate to the university but does not have name to identify which college. Less... 
- 18/11/18 Another pleasant day out on the fields of Childerley. Weather fine, ground visibility OK (bit more growth than last weekend) but......not many finds. No more medieval, just the things shown in the photo. Very much post-medieval apart from... More...Another pleasant day out on the fields of Childerley. Weather fine, ground visibility OK (bit more growth than last weekend) but......not many finds. No more medieval, just the things shown in the photo. Very much post-medieval apart from the not very special flint.
However, we hope to be going out to Histon next weekend on fields we last walked many years ago. This is to help our friends at HIAG to continue their search for the village's past.Less... 
- 11/11/2018 Our return to Childerley was greeted by strong winds, but luckily of the mild temperature. In the mostly sunny conditions, the ground was surprisingly dryish and ground visibility good. However, finds were in short supply, lots of broken... More...Our return to Childerley was greeted by strong winds, but luckily of the mild temperature. In the mostly sunny conditions, the ground was surprisingly dryish and ground visibility good. However, finds were in short supply, lots of broken flint, field drain and broken brick but little pottery. The photograph shows most of what we found, including possible medieval rim and a handle, together with a possible worked flint. Not much for a morning's work!!Less... 
- 8/11/2018 FIELD WALKING AT CLOPTON HAS FINISHED AND WE ARE RETURNING TO... More...FIELD WALKING AT CLOPTON HAS FINISHED AND WE ARE RETURNING TO CHILDERLEY.
Parking is as follows: In Boxworth, opposite the Golden Ball pub is Battlegate Road. Follow this narrow road passed the ADAS site on your right. Several hundred metres further on is a large concrete pad on the right where we will park. The field is about 100m downhill. Start at 10am as usual. Less...
- 4/11/2018 An overcast day but a good walking crew. We had another productive day with nearly 100 finds bags collected, the most on one day for quite a long time. The photograph shows just a representative sample of the material being found. We have... More...An overcast day but a good walking crew. We had another productive day with nearly 100 finds bags collected, the most on one day for quite a long time. The photograph shows just a representative sample of the material being found. We have handles and rims in a variety of material - lots of shell tempered pieces in orange to brown to grey fabrics, black and red sandy wares and some lovely pieces like the Brill/Boarstall ware with its mottled glaze and impressed circular design.
We have reached a point nearly 140 metres west from the scheduled site boundary and still there are finds turning up, so who knows where it will drop off. This spread to the west was described in a paper by John Alexander (our previous President) who excavated and field walked here in the early 1960's.
Unfortunately the field is now treated and unavailable for further walking, so we can look forward to Autumn 2019 for a return visit. Less... 
- 28/10/2018 This was a good day field walking near the Clopton deserted medieval village site. In good, if a little windy and cool, conditions the group found a good selection of medieval pottery, perhaps also some Roman wares. A small amount of... More...This was a good day field walking near the Clopton deserted medieval village site. In good, if a little windy and cool, conditions the group found a good selection of medieval pottery, perhaps also some Roman wares. A small amount of post-med ware was also present. However, the surprise was the amount of flint around, both cores and tools. A selection of the finds is shown in the photograph. The star piece in the centre is part of a large handle in redware with a thumbed decoration.
We are returning this coming weekend to see what else turns up.Less... 
- 21/10/2018 The weather was perfect, the ground was dry, finds visibility was excellent - the only thing missing was the finds themselves. The photo shows the total number of pottery finds found in the complete field, i.e. 3 pieces of post-med pottery... More...The weather was perfect, the ground was dry, finds visibility was excellent - the only thing missing was the finds themselves. The photo shows the total number of pottery finds found in the complete field, i.e. 3 pieces of post-med pottery (plus some field drain and broken brick). Although we know that the Childerley fields are not deep ploughed any more hence finds could be below the ploughsoil depth, this suggests no settlement of any period was present in this area. Less... 
- 7/10/2018 In pretty perfect walking conditions, ground washed by rain the day before, we tackled another Historic England target. As the photo shows, there was a quantity of Roman pottery in one area of the field. Enough to suggest a building but... More...In pretty perfect walking conditions, ground washed by rain the day before, we tackled another Historic England target. As the photo shows, there was a quantity of Roman pottery in one area of the field. Enough to suggest a building but not enough to suggest a settlement.
Finds included a piece of Samian (the smallest piece in the photo), a possible piece of mortaria and several black/dark grey rims. The oyster shell is also often a Roman period find. The colour-coat dog bowl rim may be Oxford ware.
The coming weekend may produce more interesting finds, so we will wait and see what it produces.Less... 
- 30/9/2018 The site suggested by Historic England produced a real mixed bag. The walking conditions were ideal, a dry and harrowed surface with good visibility. There were a few Iron Age-looking sherds, a piece of Roman flue tile but lots of post med... More...The site suggested by Historic England produced a real mixed bag. The walking conditions were ideal, a dry and harrowed surface with good visibility. There were a few Iron Age-looking sherds, a piece of Roman flue tile but lots of post med stoneware and glazed redwares, as shown in the photograph.
This is not enough to suggest a big Iron Age/Roman site like those on the Childerley Estate. It may be that the underlying site revealed by the aerial photos is not being disturbed by ploughing, much like the Lamp Hill site at Wimpole that did not produce lots of finds but the current excavation has.Less... 
Interesting piece of Iron Age? shell tempered rim with a criss-cross "non-slip" surface to the underside of the everted... More...Interesting piece of Iron Age? shell tempered rim with a criss-cross "non-slip" surface to the underside of the everted rim.Less... 
- 8/4/2018 Well, the weather won again. The rain has made this a difficult field walking season and it came again. The scheduled season is now finished but we may try to return to Comberton in a few weeks time, If it dries out and the drilled crop... More...Well, the weather won again. The rain has made this a difficult field walking season and it came again. The scheduled season is now finished but we may try to return to Comberton in a few weeks time, If it dries out and the drilled crop sprouts enough, we will try to complete the last part. Keep checking the website and your emails for further news.
The next planned activity is during May at Wimpole where we have been asked to monitor contractors who are putting in 30 bore holes for Wimpole's new Heat Pump System. They will excavate 30 holes of 1 x 1m and to a depth of approx. 0.5m in batches of about 5 at a time. We need to draw sections and any features for each hole together with collecting any finds. The work is supposed to take 4 weeks from 8th May. Volunteers are asked to make their availability known to Mike Coles (michaelcoles741@gmail.com)Less...
- 25/3/2018 What a difference a week makes! Conditions were good - nice dry soil, blue skies and not much wind - and ground visibility... More...What a difference a week makes! Conditions were good - nice dry soil, blue skies and not much wind - and ground visibility excellent.
The photo shows what an esoteric mixture we found - a.303 cartridge, lots of oyster shells, lovely Westerwald jug/cup, a possible medieval strap handle, a white glazed redware rim and a small redware rim, possibly Roman. The white glazed foot could be from a cake stand. The previous time there was a lot of brick and tile in the other half of the field, this week virtually none.
The field is being prepared and drilled so this may be the last time on this field, and is probably the end of the spring season.Less... 
- 18/3/2018 Yet again the weather intervened at Comberton. A combination of snow on the ground and a biting easterly wind meant that the field walking was called off.
- 11/3/2018 Field walking this weekend took place in awful muddy conditions, the result of snow followed by rain showers on several days. We could see the surface finds very well and consequently plenty of brick and tile plus modern pottery came up.... More...Field walking this weekend took place in awful muddy conditions, the result of snow followed by rain showers on several days. We could see the surface finds very well and consequently plenty of brick and tile plus modern pottery came up. There were lots of oyster shell and some possible Roman pot, as the photo shows. The presence of a known Iron Age/Roman site over the other side of the road may be connected to these finds.
Let's hope it dries out somewhat before the next venture on this field!!Less... 
- 4/3/2018 Another cancelled weekend due to the inclement weather. The Beast from the East brought snow and low temperatures during the week but started thawing on Sunday. However, this left the ground in an unwalkable state. So here is a photo of... More...Another cancelled weekend due to the inclement weather. The Beast from the East brought snow and low temperatures during the week but started thawing on Sunday. However, this left the ground in an unwalkable state. So here is a photo of the happy members the weekend before when it was merely freezing cold with an Arctic wind. Let's hope for better this coming Sunday.Less... 
- 25/2/2018 This weekend we moved to a field in Comberton, which lay close to sites of medieval and Roman finds. However, the result of our efforts was very similar to our last ones at Childerley - very few finds, mostly modernish tile and several... More...This weekend we moved to a field in Comberton, which lay close to sites of medieval and Roman finds. However, the result of our efforts was very similar to our last ones at Childerley - very few finds, mostly modernish tile and several pieces of transfer printed ware. One piece of the latter must represent the smallest piece ever seen - well spotted someone!! There was also some stoneware and the odd piece of possible worked flint.
The good news was some sun and a strong wind had dried the surface out and made walking a pleasure, even if the wind was so cold we were glad to finish early.
Next weekend, a field near an Iron Age/Roman site identified by Historic England so fingers crossed. Let's hope the "Beast from the East" does not deposit too much snow in the interim.Less... 
- 18/2/2018 After 3 days of dry weather it was a pleasure to walk on a dryish surface at Wrefords and especially in... More...After 3 days of dry weather it was a pleasure to walk on a dryish surface at Wrefords and especially in the sun.
Finds were in short supply but the photograph shows the more interesting ones. More flint flakes and a burnt flint, together with a piece of lava quern stone and a possible whetstone in natural stone. There was a rim piece of possible Roman red sandy ware, some blue transfer print and mottled stoneware.
Next weekend we hope to be on a new site in Comberton which is near to where we found medieval ware before, so let's hope the weather remains dry. Less... 
- 11/2/2018 On a sunny day, but with a cool wind, we returned to Wrefords and its muddy surface. Having found little on the eastern end, we had few expectations for the western section that goes downhill to Knapwell village. However, we were surprised... More...On a sunny day, but with a cool wind, we returned to Wrefords and its muddy surface. Having found little on the eastern end, we had few expectations for the western section that goes downhill to Knapwell village. However, we were surprised to find a few interesting finds, as shown in the photo. They included the mottled ware handle, the green glazed medieval handle, the sandy ware base with the thumbed lower edge and some black wares. Also one of a number of flints, this being the best. They mostly came from the lower part of the field nearest to Knapwell village itself. Just shows that things can change a lot in 100 metres.Less... 
- 4/2/2018 We moved on to the Wrefords field this weekend but the result was basically the same as the week before - one piece of shell tempered ware and some possible flint (burnt and... More...We moved on to the Wrefords field this weekend but the result was basically the same as the week before - one piece of shell tempered ware and some possible flint (burnt and struck).
To remind us of more productive times, the photo shows the top stone of a beehive quern made of Hertfordshire pudding stone found by one of our members at Great Eversden. This is in very good condition, with only a few chips missing. You can see the side hole for the pushing handle and the conical feed hole on top. We have found quite a few lava quern stone pieces but these ones of pudding stone are much less common finds.Less... 
- 28/1/2018 The incessant rain this winter has reduced the clay-based fields in Cambridgeshire to paddy fields, with large puddles and mud everywhere. Walking these fields is becoming an exercise in stamina, often (as this weekend just gone) with very... More...The incessant rain this winter has reduced the clay-based fields in Cambridgeshire to paddy fields, with large puddles and mud everywhere. Walking these fields is becoming an exercise in stamina, often (as this weekend just gone) with very little return. After the small amount of medieval pottery from the previous weekend, it was back to a single piece of post-med pot and lots of broken brick this week.
Hopefully the rain might stop and some of the water drains away for next weekend, fingers crossed!!Less...
- 21/1/2018 Arriving to see a lightly frosted surface it was only minutes later that the sleet/snow started to fall. Within a short space of time, the surface was covered enough to make seeing any finds difficult. if not impossible. So home for a hot... More...Arriving to see a lightly frosted surface it was only minutes later that the sleet/snow started to fall. Within a short space of time, the surface was covered enough to make seeing any finds difficult. if not impossible. So home for a hot cup of coffee - better luck next time.Less...
- 14/1/2018 After last week and the absence of finds, the middle part of Thorofare gave us some interesting finds. In overcast, but dry and windless, weather, the field conditions were typical heavy clay-collecting-on-your-boots type of... More...After last week and the absence of finds, the middle part of Thorofare gave us some interesting finds. In overcast, but dry and windless, weather, the field conditions were typical heavy clay-collecting-on-your-boots type of walking.
The photograph shows a summary of the finds - the flints (both burnt and struck), the red glazed and stoneware typical finds and even a piece of transfer printed ware. The interest is the possible medieval ware and a probable Roman bowl rim, these finds all came from a relatively small area of the field. It is also well away from the bridleway which is where you might have expected to find things.
Next weekend we hope to finish Thorofare and move on to another Childerley field that lies much nearer to Knapwell village - what will this produce?Less... 
- 7/1/2018 The new season started with a slight frost underfoot but sunny skies overhead. The frost kept the soggy field surface at bay for a while but, as it thawed, so the mud took over. There were just a handful of finds (literally), the photo... More...The new season started with a slight frost underfoot but sunny skies overhead. The frost kept the soggy field surface at bay for a while but, as it thawed, so the mud took over. There were just a handful of finds (literally), the photo shows the best, including the nice Staffordshire pie-crust dish/plate and a very dubious struck flint.
The area walked lies close to the public bridleway from Knapwell to Childerley and so it is surprising not to find lost material, especially at the Knapwell village end. Still, ever optimistic, the Romans or Saxons are just across the field!Less... 
- 17/12/2017 Our day started with clearing fog but frosted ground. Still good surface visibility so we carried on but as the temperature rose the ground got stickier and stickier. However we judged it well as the rain started just as we were finishing... More...Our day started with clearing fog but frosted ground. Still good surface visibility so we carried on but as the temperature rose the ground got stickier and stickier. However we judged it well as the rain started just as we were finishing picking up the finds.
As the photo shows there was a mixture of the post medieval - clay pipes, glazed red wares, stone ware and a piece of a mottled ware jug or jar - back to some very black micaceous ware that looks medieval and a tiny piece of shell tempered ware. Nowhere as prolific as the field next door where we found lots of medieval ware last year.
We now have a rest period until January when we will start again. Less... 
- 10/12/2017 Fearing the worst, I looked out of my bedroom window to see - snow as forecast. As it got steadily worse It was hard to remember the last time we could not walk on a Sunday because of snow. As the photo near Orwell shows it was quite thick... More...Fearing the worst, I looked out of my bedroom window to see - snow as forecast. As it got steadily worse It was hard to remember the last time we could not walk on a Sunday because of snow. As the photo near Orwell shows it was quite thick (3cms at least) and was of the damp and miserable type. A day to stay in and read the latest PCAS journal, I think. Let's hope for better next weekend.Less... 
- 3/12/2017 The previous weekend saw us finish off Hill Field. Again there were very few finds, as the photo shows the best of them. There continue to be a few poor quality flints and the odd brick and... More...The previous weekend saw us finish off Hill Field. Again there were very few finds, as the photo shows the best of them. There continue to be a few poor quality flints and the odd brick and tile.
The reason for so few finds became obvious when we looked at the Historic England aerial/Lidar interpretation for the area. There were no signs of any ditch type features, only a few banks. The contrast with Belham Hill and The Common is so marked. There does not appear to be any settlement evidence at all in this area of the estate.Less... 
- 4/12/2017 Research on the piece of lava quern stone we found last weekend has produced an interesting result. In Martin Watts book "The archaeology of mills and milling" there is an illustration (page 34) that closely resembles our find. The top... More...Research on the piece of lava quern stone we found last weekend has produced an interesting result. In Martin Watts book "The archaeology of mills and milling" there is an illustration (page 34) that closely resembles our find. The top stone has the scored lines around the edge and in the top surface within the raised lip, just like our find. He also says that they had a diameter of between 380 and 420mm which matches the estimated 400mm+ diameter of our piece. His illustration, shown here, is of a Roman quern found at the Roman fort of Newstead, near Melrose in Scotland. He comments that these lava querns are usually predominant on urban or military sites and were commonly imported until the late 3rd century.Less... 
- 26/11/2017 On a fine and frosty morning we finished walking on Sheep Walk and then transferred to Hill Field. As has been the case with these fields lately, there were very few finds. The usual small amount of post medieval ware and the odd rough... More...On a fine and frosty morning we finished walking on Sheep Walk and then transferred to Hill Field. As has been the case with these fields lately, there were very few finds. The usual small amount of post medieval ware and the odd rough flint as shown in the photograph. However, as seems to be the case recently, there was a single interesting piece - in this case a rim piece from a Roman mortaria or flanged bowl (not enough found to see any mortaria grits).
It is interesting that the landscape looks ideal - a sheltered valley with a stream running through it and not that far from the Roman road - but no sign of any settlement, of any period. It makes you wonder what criteria people used over the years to select their settlement sites.Less... 
- 19/11/2017 This weekend we walked the eastern part of Sheep Walk which is surprisingly a lot of uphill terrain. The finds were very few in number but the star find was the piece of lava quern stone shown in the... More...This weekend we walked the eastern part of Sheep Walk which is surprisingly a lot of uphill terrain. The finds were very few in number but the star find was the piece of lava quern stone shown in the photograph.
It is ~5cm thick and has a predicted diameter in excess of 40cm. As you can see the outside edge has vertical score lines while the top surface is not flat but has a raised lip at the edge which is about 4cm wide.
We have found a number of isolated pieces of lava quern stone at Childerley but none shaped quite like this. Unfortunately it is hard to date as quern stones made of lava were imported from Niedermendig in Germany over a long period, basically from the Roman period into the late medieval period. Ipswich was a major centre for the import of rough blanks and subsequent manufacture of the final item.Less... 
- 12/11/2017 This weekend we carried on walking down Homeground towards Knapwell village. Finds were very much like before, a mixture of post medieval red wares and nondescript flints. However, down by the village boundary was a collection of possible... More...This weekend we carried on walking down Homeground towards Knapwell village. Finds were very much like before, a mixture of post medieval red wares and nondescript flints. However, down by the village boundary was a collection of possible medieval wares.
We then moved on to the Sheep Walk which lies on the other side of the stream going down to Knapwell. Here there was even less material but included some Staffordshire ware and blue transfer printed ware. A clay pipe stem/bowl appears to be of late 17th C origin, judging by the bore size and the big, flat foot.Less... 
- 5/11/2017 This weekend we moved close to the stream that heads down towards Knapwell, hoping that people might have chosen to live nearby. However, as the photograsph shows, we found similar material to last... More...This weekend we moved close to the stream that heads down towards Knapwell, hoping that people might have chosen to live nearby. However, as the photograsph shows, we found similar material to last week.
The possible flint core is unusual in that it has been burnt while the possible blade is typical of the poor quality work we have recovered before. The post medieval stuff is typical stoneware, manganese ware and a clay pipe stem. There are a number of small pieces of sandy red ware but also a large rim and a possible squarish handle. Earlier material includes the large grey ware wall, the green-glazed piece and a brownish flat bowl rim. Again, this is a typical spread that might be due to older manuring methods. Still no settlement.Less... 
- 26/10/2017 Homeground is a large field running downhill into Knapwell village and looks like a potential settlement site. Under ideal conditions, we recovered only a small number of items, as shown in the photograph. For a field with a lot of flint... More...Homeground is a large field running downhill into Knapwell village and looks like a potential settlement site. Under ideal conditions, we recovered only a small number of items, as shown in the photograph. For a field with a lot of flint lying about it is surprising we only found the nice flint core. Apart from the post medieval collection of glazed pottery and building materials, there were lots of very small sandy redware pieces. They included the small handle seen in the centre of the photo, very hard to date. The large brownish rim looks medieval.
This collection looks similar to that from several other fields and does not look like evidence for settlement. However, there is still a large area of this field yet to walk, so fingers crossed! Less... 
- 22/10/2017 Having finished at Lark Rise, we moved on to a field called Bendy that lies alongside the road to Knapwell. Storm Brian was blowing quite strongly as we walked on quite a dry surface. Half the field was well prepared and rolled but the... More...Having finished at Lark Rise, we moved on to a field called Bendy that lies alongside the road to Knapwell. Storm Brian was blowing quite strongly as we walked on quite a dry surface. Half the field was well prepared and rolled but the other half was covered in stubble and chaff, making viewing quite difficult.
Finds were in short supply, just like last week. The photo shows a mix of finds, some post medieval like the clay pipe, the bottle half neck and glazed redware. A large lump of heavy, iron-rich slag is unusual. The older pot consisted of some sandy redware, shell tempered pot plus a small square of possible Stamford ware. Again this thin scatter of pottery of different dates does not suggest occupation in any particular period.Less... 
- 15/10/2017 This weekend we moved on to Lark Rise, does that sound like a certain television series?? Anyway, under good dry, if cloudy, conditions with the new crop just beginning to show, we had another field in the SW of Childerley with relatively... More...This weekend we moved on to Lark Rise, does that sound like a certain television series?? Anyway, under good dry, if cloudy, conditions with the new crop just beginning to show, we had another field in the SW of Childerley with relatively few finds. The photo shows a selection of them, including post medieval (transfer print, stoneware, bottle neck) and the possible medieval pottery and finally a burnt flint to complete the date range. This thin scattering of medieval pottery is not enough to talk about settlements but it is interesting that we did not recover any Roman pottery. Our rule-of-thumb about Roman settlements being about 1.5km apart on these lands still appears to work, as we would not have predicted any Roman activity in this area.
Next week we will be moving closer to Knapwell village and it will be interesting to see what turns up there. Less... 
- 8/10/2017 The past weekend was great for field walking, ground soft but walkable, sun shining and warm. We finished our small field and there was a single find to report. Moving on to the second field, we actually had some things to report, as the... More...The past weekend was great for field walking, ground soft but walkable, sun shining and warm. We finished our small field and there was a single find to report. Moving on to the second field, we actually had some things to report, as the photo shows. A possible flint tool, two probable medieval period pottery finds and the late 17th C clay pipe (based on its shape and pipe bore).
The absence of many finds may yet be more evidence to support the theory that Knapwell Wood did stretch all the way over these fields and down to the old A428 in previous times. Less... 
- 1/10/2017 Intermittent rain and very sticky conditions underfoot meant there was no field walking at Childerley. Hopefully conditions next Sunday will allow us to finish the two fields we have started.
- 24/9/2017 After our summer break, we started field walking again at Childerley. We started to complete our work on a field we did not finish in the spring and started another nearby. The finds were few in number but we did enjoy a pleasant walk in... More...After our summer break, we started field walking again at Childerley. We started to complete our work on a field we did not finish in the spring and started another nearby. The finds were few in number but we did enjoy a pleasant walk in the Autumn sunshine!!
The fields lie between two of our Roman settlement finds so, if one believes that Roman settlements were placed at about 1.5km apart, we were not expecting lots of Roman finds. However, the lack of any medieval finds or later could indicate this area has never been the site of any settlement. This would suggest that the mooted extension of Knapwell Wood to the south may have been, in fact, correct.Less...
- 19/4/2017 While field walking we often pick up what we call our "oddities", i.e. something not man made but often of a geological nature. One such item from our recent field walking at Childerley is shown in the photograph. At first we thought it... More...While field walking we often pick up what we call our "oddities", i.e. something not man made but often of a geological nature. One such item from our recent field walking at Childerley is shown in the photograph. At first we thought it might be a burnt piece of bone but its weight said it was probably a fossil.
A quick trip into the Sidgwick Museum and some friendly help says it is a fossilised piece of mammalian bone dating from the Ice Age some 20,000 years ago. It may be associated with the rounded red sandstone pebbles we find in these fields which we know are glacial erratics from the Ice Age.
This is not the only fossil we have found recently - a number of ammonites derived from the Ampthill/Kimmeridge clays underlying Knapwell have also been found. Perhaps more about them another day. Less... 
- 2/4/2017 The last session on the Hanging Field at Childerley produced very little, mostly brick/tile and some glazed redware. We moved over to Dibby Dole where we also found little, however crop growth means we could not finish this small... More...The last session on the Hanging Field at Childerley produced very little, mostly brick/tile and some glazed redware. We moved over to Dibby Dole where we also found little, however crop growth means we could not finish this small field.
However, the field north of the Hanging Field has just been cultivated and the owner is happy for us to walk this field over the next two weeks. The Historic England aerial/lidar interpretation does continue from the Hanging Field north into this new field, so perhaps the Roman concentration we found in that corner of the Hanging Field continues into the new field. Time will tell! Less...
- 26/3/2017 Several days were spent trying to finish off the Hanging Field, as the crop has so advanced that surface visibility is quite poor in places. We have now found another Roman hotspot in the NNE corner of the field, exactly where the Historic... More...Several days were spent trying to finish off the Hanging Field, as the crop has so advanced that surface visibility is quite poor in places. We have now found another Roman hotspot in the NNE corner of the field, exactly where the Historic England survey predicted it would be. Some of the finds are shown in the photo, they include colour coats and lots of coarse sanded grey, red and buff wares.
The rest of the field contained very little, apart from a clay pipe and more burnt flint.
There is a small area left to do and this will be the last field walking session of the spring, unless an alternative with less crop growth becomes available. We have done well this session with 28 days of field walking and very few abandoned days.Less... 
- 19/3/2017 A lovely day Sunday, apart from the howling wind. The new field was dry, making walking easy, but the crop growth is getting near the limit for visibility of the ground. Perhaps two more weeks as a... More...A lovely day Sunday, apart from the howling wind. The new field was dry, making walking easy, but the crop growth is getting near the limit for visibility of the ground. Perhaps two more weeks as a maximum.
There were a few finds, including the lump of lava quernstone shown in the photo. There was glazed redware of post medieval date but also a lot of sandy wares, grey and buff and pinky red in colour, which could be Roman and/or medieval. Needs an expert eye. The field has a lot of flint but no worked flints found although two burnt flints were recovered.Less... 
- 12/3/2017 We were lucky on Sunday in that we had almost finished walking on this field when the rains started. We got a bit wet while collecting the finds bags but there were so few we didn't get soaked. Very little pottery, just two possible Roman... More...We were lucky on Sunday in that we had almost finished walking on this field when the rains started. We got a bit wet while collecting the finds bags but there were so few we didn't get soaked. Very little pottery, just two possible Roman finds and a few bits of clay pipe. Again we seem to be confirming the lack of settlement suggested by the lack of features on the Historic England interpretation. Next weekend should see us start the last features on the Historic England plot for Childerley.Less...
- 5/3/2017 An hour's rain on the Childerley clay meant no field walking this weekend, although ironically an hour or so later the sun came out intermittently. Recent rain combined with today's turned the surface into somewhat of a quagmire. Never... More...An hour's rain on the Childerley clay meant no field walking this weekend, although ironically an hour or so later the sun came out intermittently. Recent rain combined with today's turned the surface into somewhat of a quagmire. Never mind, there is always next time.Less...
- 26/2/2017 A day of contrasts - sun and cloud, strong winds but dry underfoot and finds from lots of periods. The photograph shows a selection from the small number finds we made. There were flint scrapers, flint blades and burnt flint. Then came the... More...A day of contrasts - sun and cloud, strong winds but dry underfoot and finds from lots of periods. The photograph shows a selection from the small number finds we made. There were flint scrapers, flint blades and burnt flint. Then came the possible Roman wares - bright orange wall, black base, browny rim. Finally the modern wares - blue/grey decorated Westerwald stoneware, salt glazed ware, glazed redware and finally a white ceramic handle. This is a typical Childerley pattern of early material and late material with a big time gap in between.Less... 
- 19/2/2017 We returned to Childerley expecting the worst clay again to be pleasantly surprised with a much drier field at Green Lane. The finds were again in short supply and scattered over a wide area. However, this time they included some black... More...We returned to Childerley expecting the worst clay again to be pleasantly surprised with a much drier field at Green Lane. The finds were again in short supply and scattered over a wide area. However, this time they included some black quartz tempered wares not seen previously. The photograph shows a sample of the early black wares, post medieval redwares, some salt glazed ware and a glass vase (perhaps) base. Interestingly, the black wares were found where the Historic England aerial survey suggests there were Iron Age/Roman field boundaries and a possible trackway.
Next weekend will show whether this is a thin scatter or a more concentrated find spot.Less... 
- 11/2/2017 On Saturday we returned to Orwell where we had found lots of medieval pottery earlier. This time we laid out a series of 10m x 10m squares and had the help of the Young Archaelogists, 11 in total as shown in the photograph, to carry out an... More...On Saturday we returned to Orwell where we had found lots of medieval pottery earlier. This time we laid out a series of 10m x 10m squares and had the help of the Young Archaelogists, 11 in total as shown in the photograph, to carry out an intensive search. In sleet and drizzle with temperatures around 2 degrees at best and in the sticky mud, they put in a sterling effort until the cold finally got through to them (and us). We surveyed 20 squares and recovered lots more medieval pottery and were able to detect an area which had significantly more pottery.
The pottery has gone away with the YAC's for them to wash and then we will have it analysed by an expert. Our members enjoy this sort of community exercise and we look forward to working with the YAC's another time. Thanks to Sue Miller for helping arrange this very successful weekend.Less... 
- 5/2/2017 This weekend was walking in the fog and the Childerley mud. Again very few finds but a selection is shown in the photograph. The flint point was notable, along with a few worked pieces. There was the usual post-medieval glazed redwares... More...This weekend was walking in the fog and the Childerley mud. Again very few finds but a selection is shown in the photograph. The flint point was notable, along with a few worked pieces. There was the usual post-medieval glazed redwares including a big handle and some rims. Also a rare (for here) piece of an old clay pipe stem, probably 17/18th C. Interesting were the black micaceous pieces, together with a possible Roman redware rim - suggesting an earlier history for the land near the stream. The general shortage of finds means these pieces could all be the result of manuring practices.Less... 
- 29/1/2017 Although it was cloudy but dry, underfoot Childerley still is an exercise in trudging with boots laden down with mud. This weekend, as we move away from the areas highlighted by Historic England, there were more finds but their scattered... More...Although it was cloudy but dry, underfoot Childerley still is an exercise in trudging with boots laden down with mud. This weekend, as we move away from the areas highlighted by Historic England, there were more finds but their scattered nature means still no sign of a settlement, especially any Roman one. The photograph shows a selection of the pottery, ranging from worked and burnt flint through glazed red ware handles to crimped base in tin glazed ware. Also our first pieces of clay pipe stem and a lump of chalk tempered brick, perhaps?
Let's hope the Romans are hiding down in the small valley we will be searching next weekend.Less... 
- 22/1/2017 After missing a Sunday due to the rain, it was out to a frosty The Furground to investigate two areas of activity highlighted by Historic England. While it was frosty the walking was fine but as it thawed the glutinous nature of Childerley... More...After missing a Sunday due to the rain, it was out to a frosty The Furground to investigate two areas of activity highlighted by Historic England. While it was frosty the walking was fine but as it thawed the glutinous nature of Childerley clays came to the fore.
Our walking covered some of the Historic England area but there were very few finds of note, mostly it was field drain with the occasional tile and brick. The photograph shows the most interesting finds showing the date extremes - a piece of possible burnt flint of prehistoric date and a Staffordshire slipware pie crust rim. It does not look like the areas were habitation, most likely just field boundaries and ditches. Less... 
- 8/1/2017 On a grey overcast morning, and after our Christmas break, it was back to the field in Orwell. Yet again we retrieved a mass of medieval pottery from the west of the field, as can be seen in the photograph. A mixture of sand and shell... More...On a grey overcast morning, and after our Christmas break, it was back to the field in Orwell. Yet again we retrieved a mass of medieval pottery from the west of the field, as can be seen in the photograph. A mixture of sand and shell tempered wares, some ubiquitous Stafford slip ware and several pieces of a dimpled grey and dimpled orange slipware we have not seen before. This mass of medieval ware warrants a closer inspection of some areas of this field.
Next Sunday back to the clays of Childerley to investigate another Historic England target - what will we find this time??Less... 
- 18/12/2016 Our second session on the (slightly) less sticky Orwell field produced more medieval pottery, as seen in the photograph. This time it was a number of part handles, including the nice stabbed decoration piece. More shell tempered ware rims... More...Our second session on the (slightly) less sticky Orwell field produced more medieval pottery, as seen in the photograph. This time it was a number of part handles, including the nice stabbed decoration piece. More shell tempered ware rims are being found all over the field, together with clay pipe pieces. The post medieval finds included the nice pie-crust Stafford slipware rim seen here. Glazed redwares and blue and white transfer printed fragments also feature in some numbers.
We did not complete the field before Christmas, as we had hoped, so still some gentle exercise ready for the New YearLess... 
- 11/12/2016 After the lighter soils of Fulbourn it's back to the sticky pudding-like soil of a ploughed field at Orwell. With members of the local History Society we started walking the Big Meadow, not knowing what to... More...After the lighter soils of Fulbourn it's back to the sticky pudding-like soil of a ploughed field at Orwell. With members of the local History Society we started walking the Big Meadow, not knowing what to expect.
It turned out to be a mixture (as always) of all sorts of pottery from the Roman (mortaria) to post-medieval salt-glazed ware. In between was a mass of what is most likely to be medieval ware, as shown in the photograph. There were also oyster shells and the odd worked flint blade - all in all a surprise collection.
With over half the field to go, who knows what we will find next! Perhaps the cobbles in the corner might also reveal something interestingLess... 
- 9/12/2016 During the week a small group set out to finish the field at Lodge Farm expecting the odd flint and a mass of small bits of post medieval pottery - but it was altogether more interesting. The section below describes the interesting clay... More...During the week a small group set out to finish the field at Lodge Farm expecting the odd flint and a mass of small bits of post medieval pottery - but it was altogether more interesting. The section below describes the interesting clay pipe find while the photograph shows some of the other finds.
There were very few flints but included a nice scraper while the base of a Samian bowl was unexpected. There was the biggest oyster shell we have found and two glass bottle stoppers - what were they doing there? Then there was the collection of post-medieval wares - but all in quite large pieces - salt glazed, blue and white transfer print, glazed redwares and so on. In fact this field has been almost like a reference collection for post-med pot in the number of varieties found.
What will Orwell turn up on Sunday?Less... 
We are rarely lucky enough to find clay pipe bowls intact while field walking, we are even less likely to find a bowl with the maker's initials on the spur. Well this time we were... More...We are rarely lucky enough to find clay pipe bowls intact while field walking, we are even less likely to find a bowl with the maker's initials on the spur. Well this time we were lucky.
The photograph shows both sides of the spur with the initials T and M visible. This is most likely a pipe made by Thomas Moule who worked in George Street, Chesterton during the 1830's. We have found a marked example of his pipes before but they are apparently rarely found in Cambridge excavations. The shape of the pipe and the bore size of 5/64th inch both fit in with the mid-19th C date for Mr Moule.Less... 
- 4/12/2016 The frost made this a bit marginal to start with but it soon warmed up and the conditions were quite good for field... More...The frost made this a bit marginal to start with but it soon warmed up and the conditions were quite good for field walking.
Finds were very much like last weekend - a mixture of post-medieval pot of all sorts, a few struck flints/cores and a few bits of clay pipe. Again, just like Lower Valley Farm, there are no signs of the Romans living close alongside the Roman road leading east from Fulbourn. However, unlike Lower Valley Farm by the Roman road, flint here is in short supply and very poor quality - what made the difference to ancient people? Lodge Farm slopes to the east whereas Lower Valley Farm slopes to the west - is that the vital difference.
Next week we change again, back to the clay soils of Orwell and whatever differences that brings - some Romans perhaps?Less... 
- 27/11/2016 Ideal conditions - ground reasonably dry, sunny periods and little wind and ground visibility still good. The only thing that was missing were the worked flints we expected to find up the hill by the Roman... More...Ideal conditions - ground reasonably dry, sunny periods and little wind and ground visibility still good. The only thing that was missing were the worked flints we expected to find up the hill by the Roman road.
As the photograph shows, there was plenty of post-medieval pottery including salt glaze ware, blue and white transfer print, a piece of Westerwald stoneware and plenty of glazed redwares. Clay pipe was also in short supply while there were a few pieces of early pottery. Worked flints were present, see the long flake/blade, the scraper and a worked piece of debitage, but not in any quantity. The ground was covered in pieces of chalk and flints of all shapes and sizes which may have made seeing the worked material difficult but it is unlikely the team missed vast amounts. Let's see what next weekend brings.Less... 
- 21/11/2016 Although only on the periphery of the real Storm Angus, the amount of rain and the spongy surface of the field meant conditions were not suitable for field walking. Let's hope the promised break from rainy conditions mean we can get busy... More...Although only on the periphery of the real Storm Angus, the amount of rain and the spongy surface of the field meant conditions were not suitable for field walking. Let's hope the promised break from rainy conditions mean we can get busy next Sunday.
The weekend was not entirely wasted as we had our stand at the Autumn CAS Conference on Saturday. As well as a good opportunity to catch up with old friends, it was our chance to let people know what we have been doing this year. We also got some leads to more places to walk and the possibilities of excavations next summer - so a useful event all round.Less...
- 13/11/2016 This week was quite pleasant - no cold wind, plenty of sunshine and the ground well washed by the day before rain. The ground was softer but the crop had hardly grown at all so we managed to finish walking the lower part of the... More...This week was quite pleasant - no cold wind, plenty of sunshine and the ground well washed by the day before rain. The ground was softer but the crop had hardly grown at all so we managed to finish walking the lower part of the field.
This week's finds included more Roman material - Samian, red and grey sandy tempered ware and a large piece of Horningsea ware among them, as shown in the photograph. More post medieval glazed red ware, manganese ware and the usual blue transfer printed pottery. Clay pipe stems still abound as does the quantities of flint - burnt, flakes, blades and scrapers are all to be found.
The coming weekend finds us in the field abutting the Roman road, so who knows what may turn up here. Less... 
- 6/11/2016 Apart from the Siberian winds blowing over the field, it started off as lovely sunny day at Lodge Farm until the end, just when we were finishing, the cloud came and then the rain. Ground conditions were good, although the crop has grown a... More...Apart from the Siberian winds blowing over the field, it started off as lovely sunny day at Lodge Farm until the end, just when we were finishing, the cloud came and then the rain. Ground conditions were good, although the crop has grown a bit.
We are finishing off the site which we part completed earlier in the spring. Finds were what we expect from the chalk hills, as the photograph shows, but fewer in number than we have had before. There were the usual collection of flint flakes, perhaps one scraper, but of poor quality. Oyster shell was also present in some amount. A quantity of post-medieval pottery and clay pipe stems filled some bags. There was a single rim in a beige sandy fabric which hints at earlier pottery but generally we have the prehistoric period with no signs of anything more until the post medieval period.Less... 
- 30/10/2016 Braving the misty conditions we returned to the Childerley field that produced lots of Roman finds in order to finish the remaining two-thirds. After the feast, comes the... More...Braving the misty conditions we returned to the Childerley field that produced lots of Roman finds in order to finish the remaining two-thirds. After the feast, comes the famine.
The reduction in finds was dramatic. However, we recovered more Roman pot scattered over the rest of the field together with some worked and burnt flint, clay pipe and post medieval wares like the big Manganese ware rim shown in the photo.
We have certainly got a Roman settlement, thus confirming the Historic England analysis, but some material suggests it may even go back as far as the Bronze Age. More expert analysis will give us a firmer conclusion.Less... 
- 24/10/2016 After last weekend's rained off effort, we returned to Childerley with much nicer... More...After last weekend's rained off effort, we returned to Childerley with much nicer conditions.
Working on the basis of some Historic England data, we started our field walking. After half an hour of virtually nothing to show for our efforts, we suddenly came across what for us is the typical sign of a small Roman farmstead. In a relatively small area we gathered a lot of Roman pottery, some of which is shown in the photo. It was the usual mixture - small piece of Samian, some Nene Valley ware, probably local grey and red sandy ware. In addition some buff mortaria rim, plus a large Horningsea storage jar rim and finally a really coarse shell tempered large vessel rim - mostly quite abraded.Less... 
However, the star find was this lovely flint axe blade, obviously broken in antiquity. This is the third flint axe we have discovered at Childerley so it was obviously a popular place even thousands of years ago. A period will be decided... More...However, the star find was this lovely flint axe blade, obviously broken in antiquity. This is the third flint axe we have discovered at Childerley so it was obviously a popular place even thousands of years ago. A period will be decided by an expert in due course.Less... 
- 17/10/2016 On arrival at Childerley on Sunday morning the rain was falling steadily, the parking area was already full of puddles and so field walking was called off. Within a short time the sun came out and you regret your decision. Then the rain... More...On arrival at Childerley on Sunday morning the rain was falling steadily, the parking area was already full of puddles and so field walking was called off. Within a short time the sun came out and you regret your decision. Then the rain starts again, so the right decision after all. Such are the vagaries of the British weather in the autumn.
We will return the coming Sunday and hope for better weather. Less...
- 9/10/2016 This past weekend we were field walking at Meldreth with some members of the Meldreth Local History Group. This was on a field that we started almost one year ago but never finished as the farmer completed his preparation and... More...This past weekend we were field walking at Meldreth with some members of the Meldreth Local History Group. This was on a field that we started almost one year ago but never finished as the farmer completed his preparation and sowing.
A little earlier rain had washed a lot of the dust away so ground conditions were pretty good, except on the Sunday when the bright sun cast a lot of shadows. This time we finished the field and found much the same things as before. The photograph shows a summary - flint flakes, burnt flint, probable Roman pottery and some post medieval pottery plus mostly tiles. There were some interesting finds - the scallop shell, which we very rarely find, and a piece of shell tempered pottery from the prehistoric period. Less... 
This photograph is a close-up of the various flint... More...This photograph is a close-up of the various flint pieces.Less... 
- 25/9/2016 As part of the Autumn season field walking preliminary work we need to check out potential fields to be walked and whether they are ploughed/harrowed and suitable to walk. While checking out the state of a field at Arrington, the eye was... More...As part of the Autumn season field walking preliminary work we need to check out potential fields to be walked and whether they are ploughed/harrowed and suitable to walk. While checking out the state of a field at Arrington, the eye was caught by a bright orange/red piece of pottery (shown in the photo). After washing it proved to be a piece of decorated Samian pottery which is quite unusual for us to find. Most of the Samian sherds we have collected over recent years seem to be plain. What is interesting is that is hardly worn and does not appear to have been churned around in the plough soil for any length of time.Less... 
- 4/9/2016 This weekend saw the completion of the field walking at Belham Hill. The north of the field produced very little pottery, although there were a couple of stray Roman pieces. The majority of the pottery was glazed post medieval redwares, as... More...This weekend saw the completion of the field walking at Belham Hill. The north of the field produced very little pottery, although there were a couple of stray Roman pieces. The majority of the pottery was glazed post medieval redwares, as shown in the photo. There were some worked flints, a salt glazed pot but the star find was a piece of lava quern stone. This can't be dated because lava quern stone from Niedermendig in Germany continued in use from Roman times to the medieval period.
This has been another successful trip to Childerley, with another Roman site to add to our collection on this estate. Many thanks go to Martin Jenkins for his continued support of out work there.
We now have a break until the first week in October when we hope to have another exciting venue to walk.Less... 
One of the items recovered from Belham Hill was a mysterious bronze/brass tube, shown here. It was tubular but with a varying diameter and with a series of striations around the circumference and along its length. Our first hope was that... More...One of the items recovered from Belham Hill was a mysterious bronze/brass tube, shown here. It was tubular but with a varying diameter and with a series of striations around the circumference and along its length. Our first hope was that it looked somewhat like a leg, perhaps from a statue, which might be Roman in origin. However, investigations subsequently proved otherwise.Less... 
The truth emerged when similar objects were found on the web. It is a brass 18th C beer barrel tap!!! Designed to be hammered into the hole in the barrel, items like this are still in use today. A complete version is seen in the photo.... More...The truth emerged when similar objects were found on the web. It is a brass 18th C beer barrel tap!!! Designed to be hammered into the hole in the barrel, items like this are still in use today. A complete version is seen in the photo. Quite what it was doing sat in the middle of a field miles from the nearest pub remains a mystery.Less... 
- 27/8/2016 This Saturday we carried on our field walking at Belham Hill. We concentrated on the area north of the footpath, and especially on the region where aerial data suggested human activity. We certainly found enough pottery to confirm that,... More...This Saturday we carried on our field walking at Belham Hill. We concentrated on the area north of the footpath, and especially on the region where aerial data suggested human activity. We certainly found enough pottery to confirm that, and the selection was similar to the previous finds. As this photo shows, we had more grey and red coarsewares, more Nene Valley but also lots of flint tempered rims. The star find was the very small piece of Samian (middle right near the large Nene Valley bowl rim). More modern striped creamware and an embossed porcelain type were also recovered. Next Sunday we will go further north and on another area picked out on the aerial data, who knows what awaits us there.Less... 
This weekend we carried out some activities at Childerley on the Belham Hill site. Of the area walked, quite a lot of field drain and modern brick and tile were seen. However in one smallish area there was quite a bit of Roman or possibly... More...This weekend we carried out some activities at Childerley on the Belham Hill site. Of the area walked, quite a lot of field drain and modern brick and tile were seen. However in one smallish area there was quite a bit of Roman or possibly medieval pottery, as shown in this photograph. It included grey wares, Nene Valley ware and several large pieces of red sandy ware.
In addition there was some post medieval material including a nice pie-crust rim of Staffordshire ware and some salt glazed ware. A flint core took the date range even further back.Less... 
This tiny sherd was particularly interesting. Although the red sandy ware is quite abraded, you can still see the presence of a series of ring-and-dot decorations infilled with a darker fabric. This may well be Iron Age as the ring-and-dot... More...This tiny sherd was particularly interesting. Although the red sandy ware is quite abraded, you can still see the presence of a series of ring-and-dot decorations infilled with a darker fabric. This may well be Iron Age as the ring-and-dot motif is used on all sorts of Iron Age material, including bone combs and metal work. More investigation is needed.
NOW BELIEVED TO BE MEDIEVAL, POSSIBLY FROM ESSEX.Less... 
It's that time of year again. Combines are combining, tractors are shifting and this year's crop is coming in. Some fields have even been rough ploughed and harrowed already - just needs a little rain to wash things down and we are in... More...It's that time of year again. Combines are combining, tractors are shifting and this year's crop is coming in. Some fields have even been rough ploughed and harrowed already - just needs a little rain to wash things down and we are in business.
We have a tentative programme of field walking arranged but are waiting for the fields to be in the right condition. If anyone has an interesting field or fields in the South Cambs area and can get permission for us to walk them, please let us know - all we would need is the site, the farmer's name and contact details.
Hope to see our members out in the fields again this year.Less... 
- 22/4/2016 After the excitement last week, Friday was back to the normal Lodge Farm fare, as the photograph shows. Instead of nice pieces of Samian it was the small abraded pieces of coarseware to the fore. The flints keep coming, including some nice... More...After the excitement last week, Friday was back to the normal Lodge Farm fare, as the photograph shows. Instead of nice pieces of Samian it was the small abraded pieces of coarseware to the fore. The flints keep coming, including some nice cores, together with the post-medieval collection. It will be interesting to plot the flint finds because the appearance is of a scatter over the whole field.
The season is now finished but we have a number of fields at Fulbourn and Great Eversden which we can hopefully return to in the Autumn. For the field walkers, enjoy the summer break, after a record number of Sunday's out you deserve it. See you in September.Less... 
- 17/4/2016 This coming Friday, 22nd April, will be our last session at Lodge Farm and the end of the Spring season of field... More...This coming Friday, 22nd April, will be our last session at Lodge Farm and the end of the Spring season of field walking.
Last weekend was as profitable as any out here at Fulbourn. The photograph shows a selection of the finds, the most interesting were the two pieces of Samian pottery. We have quite a bit of Roman pottery on this site but most of it has been low quality domestic wares so the upmarket Samian marks a change. The post-medieval stuff keeps coming, here some cream ware and manganese ware, plus the clay pipe bowl and more stems.
Finally the worked flint continues to be found, here shown are some nice blades, a core, burnt flint and the star piece being the (slightly battered) oblique arrowhead.
We hope to return to this prolific site in the Autumn. Many thanks to the members who have been involved during this Winter/Spring field walking season.Less... 
- 10/4/2016 After last week's ideal conditions, this week a surprise harrowing has left the field in a very dusty state as we have had very little rain. Even with the poorer ground visibility, the finds keep coming. As the photograph shows, we have... More...After last week's ideal conditions, this week a surprise harrowing has left the field in a very dusty state as we have had very little rain. Even with the poorer ground visibility, the finds keep coming. As the photograph shows, we have more worked flint blades, a core and burnt flint. There was very little Roman pottery this time but the clay pipe stems and post medieval ware keep appearing. This time we had part of a lady with flowers which looks like a lid handle. Transfer printed ware and stone ware are regular finds.
We will be back on Sunday, weather and crop-state permitting, the recently sown area has sprouted dramatically in only a few days.Less... 
- 3/4/2016 This weekend we returned to Lodge Farm, Fulbourn to discover ideal field walking conditions - field harrowed and dry underfoot. Ground visibility excellent and, above all, sunny conditions and warm. It is a big field we are tackling and we... More...This weekend we returned to Lodge Farm, Fulbourn to discover ideal field walking conditions - field harrowed and dry underfoot. Ground visibility excellent and, above all, sunny conditions and warm. It is a big field we are tackling and we need lots of assistance.
Finds-wise we turned up a lot of worked flint again, as the photo shows. A nice leaf-shaped arrowhead, several blades (some nicer than others), two scrapers - one of which appeared to have been burnt. There was also quite a bit of roman pot, especially the greyware and redware rims, a piece of black burnished ware and a buff piece. Finally, some post medieval, including transfer printed wares and the stoneware shown in the photo.Less... 
- 20/3/2016 As the field is now drilled, this was our last session on the Merry's Farm field until the... More...As the field is now drilled, this was our last session on the Merry's Farm field until the autumn.
The weather and the field conditions were fine again this weekend as we moved both north and then west on the field. As we commented last week, the finds diminished even more and have become very post-medieval, as the photo shows. Stafford slipware and clay pipes continue to be found, along with various glazed red wares. More slag has appeared and the star find - a rather bent spoon bearing the initials T C K. I wonder who that belonged to?
What is clear is that the early finds all lie next to the Wimpole Road and the east-west trackway heading in the direction of Kingston. Perhaps the centre of occupation lies under the present Merry's Farm.Less... 
- 13/3/2016 There has been a subtle change to the finds as we progress westward across the field. They are definitely mostly post-medieval now, save for the handle shown... More...There has been a subtle change to the finds as we progress westward across the field. They are definitely mostly post-medieval now, save for the handle shown below.
There is still the odd worked flint but most finds are glazed post-medieval redwares. Some Staffordshire slipware is still being found and clay pipe bits keep coming. However we found a modern carborundum whetstone and a golf ball!! We often find the odd golf ball sat in the middle of a big field miles from anywhere - who are the people who go out in the wilds to hit a golf ball around?Less... 
The medieval handle is unusual in that it is decorated with both a angled slash and a pointed hole type of design. They are placed opposite each other on the handle. It has a light grey core and an oxidised sandy rough surface. We will get... More...The medieval handle is unusual in that it is decorated with both a angled slash and a pointed hole type of design. They are placed opposite each other on the handle. It has a light grey core and an oxidised sandy rough surface. We will get an identification of the source later.Less... 
- 6/3/2016 A day of fine weather but still a nasty wind. Rain the previous day made the ground slightly sticky but still better than the clay lands. We had another wide selection of finds from many periods - ranging from a Roman mortaria through... More...A day of fine weather but still a nasty wind. Rain the previous day made the ground slightly sticky but still better than the clay lands. We had another wide selection of finds from many periods - ranging from a Roman mortaria through mottled ware flagons to more Stafford slipware. Also a nice whetstone and yet more clay pipe stems and a broken bowl, but without decoration. The photograph shows a small part of the more interesting finds.
We reached the top of the ridge and suddenly you appreciate how big this field is, stretching into the distance to west and north. We will be here for a while yet!Less... 
- 28/2/16 What a lovely day for the enthusiasts this weekend - dry if a little breezy and cold, good underfoot conditions with a well-weathered soil. This is what field walking should be... More...What a lovely day for the enthusiasts this weekend - dry if a little breezy and cold, good underfoot conditions with a well-weathered soil. This is what field walking should be like.
And it produced lots of finds, varying from the Roman (top left in the photo) in the form of quite small abraded sherds, through to the post medieval (top right) including more nice Staffordshire ware, then some worked flint blades (bottom left) and finally a nice clay pipe part-bowl and stem with the initials G and S on the foot. These may make it possible to determine the pipe maker.Less... 
Finally, crushed in a tractor track were pieces of pottery that could be re-assembled as a part rim and handle of a bowl. It is in fragile condition which suggests it could predate the Roman or medieval period and could even be an Iron Age... More...Finally, crushed in a tractor track were pieces of pottery that could be re-assembled as a part rim and handle of a bowl. It is in fragile condition which suggests it could predate the Roman or medieval period and could even be an Iron Age (or earlier) bowl. Expert examination will reveal all but it ended a very profitable field walk.
UPDATE: the consensus is early medieval and it looks very much like a picture of Essex Micaceous Sandy Ware, dated 1050 - 1225.Less... 
- 21/2/2016 The small band who turned out at Lodge Farm under grey skies also had to deal with a wind that almost blew you off your feet - but at least it was warmish! The sprayed-off field still produces similar finds, as shown in the... More...The small band who turned out at Lodge Farm under grey skies also had to deal with a wind that almost blew you off your feet - but at least it was warmish! The sprayed-off field still produces similar finds, as shown in the photograph.
We have transfer-printed ware (top row), more Staffordshire slip ware (bottom row), a lovely blue/green ware, a large piece of manganese ware bowl (top right), glazed redware handle (top left) and worked flints.
This will be the last day at Lodge Farm for, although we never quite finished the field, it is scheduled to be ploughed in the near future. As a result we will be moving to a new field at Great Eversden alongside the Wimpole Road. Less... 
- 14/2/2016 On the top of the ridge at Lodge Farm the wind was bitterly cold and blowing a gale - but at least the ground was firm and the sprayed-off weeds meant ground visibility was... More...On the top of the ridge at Lodge Farm the wind was bitterly cold and blowing a gale - but at least the ground was firm and the sprayed-off weeds meant ground visibility was good.
The ground was covered in masses of broken flint and chalk lumps but also lots of post-medieval brick, tile, wall tiles and other debris spread over the surface. The photograph shows a selection of finds, some nice blue/grey Westerwald stoneware, some pie-crust Staffordshire slipware, transfer-printed bowl and handle, bits of flowerpots and some burnt and worked flint flakes. The broken flint meant we may have missed more worked flint but the eyes get overwhelmed with flint after a while. Less... 
- 31/1/2016 Remember those days of old - you are out on site, the sun is shining and the ground is firm... More...Remember those days of old - you are out on site, the sun is shining and the ground is firm and dry.
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Then suddenly you wake up with a start and the grim reality hits you. The elements have conspired yet again to make the conditions out there even worse than last time. Mud, puddles and drizzly rain greet you and field walking is the last... More...Then suddenly you wake up with a start and the grim reality hits you. The elements have conspired yet again to make the conditions out there even worse than last time. Mud, puddles and drizzly rain greet you and field walking is the last thing you can do. So you pack up, go home and have a cup of coffee, sit in the chair - and dream of those days of old again. Ah well, next week perhaps. Less... 
- 24/1/2016 This past weekend we were looking forward to some drier conditions on the chalk-based soil of Fulbourn. Some hope- when we turned up after more overnight rain the scene that greeted us on one of the fields can be seen in the photograph.... More...This past weekend we were looking forward to some drier conditions on the chalk-based soil of Fulbourn. Some hope- when we turned up after more overnight rain the scene that greeted us on one of the fields can be seen in the photograph. Removing a beet crop had churned the ground into a muddy quagmire, the mud came over half way up my boots and threatened to suck your boots off your feet!! Time for a re-assessment. Less... 
As a result we turned to another field which had a crop that was well developed, as shown in this photograph, but still walkable. Even here the mud clung to our boots until we got further up the... More...As a result we turned to another field which had a crop that was well developed, as shown in this photograph, but still walkable. Even here the mud clung to our boots until we got further up the slope.
The results were more finds than the last weeks at Childerley, including worked flint, clay pipe stems, possible medieval pottery and a quantity of post-medieval wares. We will return, weather permitting of course, to the remaining half of the field and hope for more of the same.Less... 
- 17/1/2016 Week two was as bad as week one, i.e. not many finds and little of interest, apart from a possible lead washer-shaped find that may be a spindle whorl for spinning fine threads, see the photograph. It is 1.57cm in diameter and 0.44cm deep,... More...Week two was as bad as week one, i.e. not many finds and little of interest, apart from a possible lead washer-shaped find that may be a spindle whorl for spinning fine threads, see the photograph. It is 1.57cm in diameter and 0.44cm deep, weighing 6.2grm. The irregular centre hole is 0.5 to 0.68cm in diameter.
Week three nearly did not start as a thin overnight layer of snow made it difficult. A brave band decided to press on and it was good that we did, the snow melted except in one sheltered corner. Very muddy underfoot so it was good exercise but again very few finds as we finished Coldharbour field. This confirms the south west corner of the Childerley Estate has seen very little settlement, at least as exposed by field walking.Less... 
- 3/1/2016 Well, it may be a new year but the weather is the same as before, wet and windy. For the stalwarts who turned out in the light rain on Sunday it was a new field, Coldharbour, and some interesting finds at last. Not many, but interesting... More...Well, it may be a new year but the weather is the same as before, wet and windy. For the stalwarts who turned out in the light rain on Sunday it was a new field, Coldharbour, and some interesting finds at last. Not many, but interesting and the photograph shows some of them. The salt glazed bottle neck, the probable wine glass stem with twisted white pattern and the likely Roman pottery rim sherd span a considerable period.
The crop shows little sign of rapid growth so we hope to carry on this coming Sunday, weather permitting of course, and look forward to more interesting finds.Less... 
- 20/12/2015 After last week's washout, the morning dawned fair and with no recent rain it must be a good morning's field walking, right? Wrong, everything was good with warm wind and the sun shining except there were no finds worth talking about... More...After last week's washout, the morning dawned fair and with no recent rain it must be a good morning's field walking, right? Wrong, everything was good with warm wind and the sun shining except there were no finds worth talking about (alright, there were 5 bags of modern stuff). Winney Hill has to be the worst return for walking I can remember - there may be Iron Age/Roman/Saxon settlement just over the road in Cambourne but they never made their way across the A428 to Winney Hill!
Never mind it is all very character forming and one cannot strike lucky every time. We will have our Christmas break and return fortified for 2016. Less...
- 13/12/2015 After the damp but good walking surface of last week the rains have returned. As the photo shows, Winney Hill was covered in puddles and definitely not easily walkable. Add in the misty, drizzly conditions and you have the perfect reason... More...After the damp but good walking surface of last week the rains have returned. As the photo shows, Winney Hill was covered in puddles and definitely not easily walkable. Add in the misty, drizzly conditions and you have the perfect reason for being at home with a cup of hot coffee in the hand.
All was not lost as a walk around the landscape has shown a number of landscape features that may be platforms suitable for settlement. With nearby streams flowing quite well, they would be quite good places to settle.
Hope next week is better, as the remaining fields in this corner of the Childerley Estate are LARGE and need plenty of walkers.Less... 
- 6/12/2015 This weekend a very select group braved the tail end of Storm Desmond to go to Winney Hill in the south west corner of the Childerley Estate. Walking conditions were good, the ground being surprisingly firm and with the crop not well... More...This weekend a very select group braved the tail end of Storm Desmond to go to Winney Hill in the south west corner of the Childerley Estate. Walking conditions were good, the ground being surprisingly firm and with the crop not well developed. However, while the conditions were fine, the finds were more or less absent from the part that we walked. Apart from plenty of field drain, there were no really significant finds and what little pottery we found appeared to be mostly post-medieval transfer print and the like.
Never mind, next weekend we will find the Roman or medieval concentration tucked in the other corner of the field!! Less...
- 29/11/2015 This weekend the small group returned to a very overcast and windy Great Park at Childerley. This is the field in which we found the superb polished flint axe which was missing part of its blade. So eyes were firmly fixed on finding the... More...This weekend the small group returned to a very overcast and windy Great Park at Childerley. This is the field in which we found the superb polished flint axe which was missing part of its blade. So eyes were firmly fixed on finding the other piece!
No such luck. The ground conditions were reasonably good considering the rain we have had, and luckily the promised further rain held off until we had finished. So Great Park has been completed and the only notable thing this weekend was a small area containing numbers of burnt flints (see the photograph). This area was not that far away from where the polished axe was found, so perhaps we have a small gathering of prehistoric folk here in the past.
Next weekend we have the event with the Cambridge Young Archaeologists on Saturday where we will lead them on a practical field walking exercise at 8 Elms Farm, also Dominic will be present with his metal detector. Hopefully this gives them an insight into what dedicated groups can achieve while adding to the county's history. On Sunday we will be at Childerley in an area we have not been before so all to look forwards to.Less... 
- 15/11/2015 The weather has not improved much - on Sunday it was not raining, only blowing a gale. The small hardy band finished off the western edge of the field where the geophysics looked so promising. However, very few finds were recovered and... More...The weather has not improved much - on Sunday it was not raining, only blowing a gale. The small hardy band finished off the western edge of the field where the geophysics looked so promising. However, very few finds were recovered and nothing like a concentration of anything.
The photograph shows the highlights - a nice ceramic door handle, a large piece of lead sheet, two pieces of grey ware and three pieces of redware, some of which may be Roman. So the field walking does not confirm the presence of some occupation site. The heavy water-logged soil here just does not suggest a nice place to build a house or anything. Unless drier in Iron Age/Roman times, this appears an unlikely settlement site.
This completes the work at Lamp Hill but due to the rapid growth of the crops and the water-logged soils there will be no field walking on 22nd Nov. We will probably be out at Fulbourn the following weekend, hopefully on the drier chalk-based terrain.
CAFG will have a small display of recent finds at the Cambridge Antiquarian Society's Conference in the Faculty of Law, West Road, Cambridge from 10.00am.Less... 
- 8/11/2015 Not a very good weekend weather-wise. Saturday abandoned due to the persistent heavy drizzle/rain making the ground conditions very poor and potentially damaging the crop. Sunday better but the small band of walkers did not find the... More...Not a very good weekend weather-wise. Saturday abandoned due to the persistent heavy drizzle/rain making the ground conditions very poor and potentially damaging the crop. Sunday better but the small band of walkers did not find the Roman/Iron Age material we were expecting from the geophysics and did not finish the field.
We will be walking again on Sunday 15th when, weather permitting, we will finish the work and hopefully make the expected finds.Less...
- 1/11/2015 As we marched off up the ridge into the mist, we were hoping that we might recover some finds that were typical of what the geophysics had suggested. The appearance is of an Iron Age or Romano-British... More...As we marched off up the ridge into the mist, we were hoping that we might recover some finds that were typical of what the geophysics had suggested. The appearance is of an Iron Age or Romano-British enclosure.
As we continued west, the finds were typical of what we had before - brick and tile, blast furnace slag etc. Then suddenly more interesting pottery appeared, as shown in the photograph. We had (bottom right) a nice piece of a Samian bowl, followed by some chunky shell-tempered rim (on the left) and (at the top) a very large red-ware rim (but is that a flower pot, we wondered). It is interesting that, as we go west, the ground drops away again and becomes wetter and not where you would want to have your house. Looked at from the ridge, there does appear to be a level platform above the very bottom of the small valley, perhaps this was dry enough in Iron Age times
Hopefully next Saturday we will investigate the area at the heart of the geophys responses.Less... 
- 31/10/2015 This weekend we started a project for the National Trust by field walking the field at Lamp Hill. It wasn't until you get on the field you realise how big it is!! Luckily we have allowed several mornings to complete the work. Clayey soil... More...This weekend we started a project for the National Trust by field walking the field at Lamp Hill. It wasn't until you get on the field you realise how big it is!! Luckily we have allowed several mornings to complete the work. Clayey soil but still not a mud bath. Finds were mostly modern pottery, brick and tile - the usual mixture. But there were some interesting finds, including this small pitchfork head (I think) shown here - suggestive of days when farming was a much more manual affair than today's industrial mechanisation.
Also we found lots of the pale grey blast furnace-type slag we had previously found at Childerley, probably confirming our suspicion it was being used as a liming agent for the soil. The question remains - why put such large lumps (in one case over 15cm cube) on the soil because it would not break down very easily, even when hit by the plough or harrow?Less... 
- 25/10/2015 On another lovely morning (and with the benefit of an extra hour in bed) we carried on field walking in Comberton with the objective of finishing the two fields available... More...On another lovely morning (and with the benefit of an extra hour in bed) we carried on field walking in Comberton with the objective of finishing the two fields available to us.
Carrying on from last week, we found more medieval pottery (including some nice rims, both large and small) on or close to the ridge by Harcamlow Way. This time there was also some post medieval pottery in the form of transfer printed and Westerwald-type stoneware. In addition a struck flint scraper and some early clay pipe bits were also recovered, as shown in the attached photograph.
The question remains - is it a manuring scatter or a sign of habitation in the medieval period?Less... 
- 18/10/2015 Walking this week was on another set of fields positioned on the ridge north of Comberton that runs down into the Bin Brook valley. They are next to the Harcamlow Way footpath. The pattern from last week was more or less repeated. The... More...Walking this week was on another set of fields positioned on the ridge north of Comberton that runs down into the Bin Brook valley. They are next to the Harcamlow Way footpath. The pattern from last week was more or less repeated. The fields have very little material on them, even stones were in short supply! However, on the top of the ridge there is a thin scatter of medieval pottery, as shown in the photograph. At the top right is a small bronze tag but we won't know what it is until a closer look.
Remember the clocks go back this weekend so set your clock before you come out on Sunday.Less... 
- 11/10/2015 And now for a complete change - from the chalky clays of Meldreth to the heavy clays of Comberton. This site, which lies outside the ancient core of the village, provides a spectrum of finds of all periods, as many fields do. The... More...And now for a complete change - from the chalky clays of Meldreth to the heavy clays of Comberton. This site, which lies outside the ancient core of the village, provides a spectrum of finds of all periods, as many fields do. The photograph shows a selection of the finds from the Comberton field - a fire-cracked flint, a piece of prehistoric shell tempered ware, a red Roman rim and grey sand tempered ware, a clay pipe stem, post medieval manganese ware with circle designs and a handle in white ware. All present in small quantities - so is it manuring scatter or a site of long-term habitation? Less... 
- 2/10/2015 After our summer break, the new season of field walking began on 2nd October at Meldreth in co-operation with the Meldreth History Group. A field near the solar farm has produced finds of the Roman period in the past so was a good and... More...After our summer break, the new season of field walking began on 2nd October at Meldreth in co-operation with the Meldreth History Group. A field near the solar farm has produced finds of the Roman period in the past so was a good and interesting place to begin.
With the assistance of members of the Meldreth Group (who turned out in pleasing numbers) we carried out two days of walking on 2nd and 4th October. Underfoot conditions were good but the sun shining on the chalky clay made visibility a bit of an issue. However, on with the Romans - except they were there in only small amounts. What was present was a significant quantity of flint work, like the arrow head and blade shown in the photograph here. At least two leaf shaped arrow heads were found, along with various blades and other struck flint.
Further analysis will take place when we wash and catalogue the finds at Bar Hill next week.Less... 
- 8/3/2015 Finally finished Honey Hill field, what a size this field is. Dry underfoot and a lot easier walking without masses of clay handing on your boots. Still finding more slag-like bits, one almost as big as a football. More research suggests... More...Finally finished Honey Hill field, what a size this field is. Dry underfoot and a lot easier walking without masses of clay handing on your boots. Still finding more slag-like bits, one almost as big as a football. More research suggests this is not early medieval slag (not coloured enough by residual iron - early smelting was not very efficient and left a lot of iron in the slag). Another suggestion was slag from a lime kiln, but the material does not fizz when dilute acid is put on it so suggesting it isn't limestone.Less...
- 1/3/2015 A bit like last week at Honey Hill - strong cold wind but some sun and less muddy underfoot. There were again few finds but we are still finding lumps of slag. The latest pieces are interesting, as shown in the... More...A bit like last week at Honey Hill - strong cold wind but some sun and less muddy underfoot. There were again few finds but we are still finding lumps of slag. The latest pieces are interesting, as shown in the photographs.
One piece looks like slag that has run down a channel with a U-shaped base. The channel width appears to vary from 4.5 - 6cm, while the height is around 7cm. As can be seen, the bottom is solid slag while as you go closer to the top the gas vesicles get larger and larger. This suggests slag running down the channel while the gas rises to the top, expanding as it does so.Less... 
This second piece is also interesting - what we have is a slag matrix which is filled with round globules of iron (which has rusted either during the smelting activity or subsequently after being in the soil for a long time). The spheres... More...This second piece is also interesting - what we have is a slag matrix which is filled with round globules of iron (which has rusted either during the smelting activity or subsequently after being in the soil for a long time). The spheres vary in size from about 1.5 - 4mm.
What could this represent? and how old are these slags? Room for some research to be done. Less... 
- 22/2/2015 Another day at Honey Hill with a strong, cold wind. Not many finds but more lava quern stone or perhaps industrial slag - closer examination needed to be... More...Another day at Honey Hill with a strong, cold wind. Not many finds but more lava quern stone or perhaps industrial slag - closer examination needed to be sure.
Looked in Honey Fill Wood to try and see if rumours of existing ridge & furrow hidden in the wood are true - some signs but they are very reduced in size. Less...
- 8/2/2015 Beautiful weather at Childerley, sunny but cool, and little wind. Walked the remainder of Woodwalk Field and then on to Honey Hill field, the latter being incredibly glutinous. Walking with that much mud on your boots must be good... More...Beautiful weather at Childerley, sunny but cool, and little wind. Walked the remainder of Woodwalk Field and then on to Honey Hill field, the latter being incredibly glutinous. Walking with that much mud on your boots must be good exercise, we are told. Again not many finds to report. However, several pieces of possible lava quernstone came to light in Honey Hill, and one quite large piece that interested all the happy walkers as the photo shows.Less... 
- 1/2/2015 Still at Childerley, now on Woodwalk Field. A howling, cold wind but at least drier than previously. Not many finds again, some problems with the grass but quite walkable elsewhere. Finds included a possible large worked flint and a... More...Still at Childerley, now on Woodwalk Field. A howling, cold wind but at least drier than previously. Not many finds again, some problems with the grass but quite walkable elsewhere. Finds included a possible large worked flint and a quantity of Post-medieval pottery (some shown in the photograph). Another cluster of brick and tile, possibly late 19th C, used to fill a wet area.Less... 
- 25/1/2015 This week we moved on to Chappell Ground South at Childerley. Pretty much the same as the weekend before - muddy, lots of grass to hinder visibility and not many... More...This week we moved on to Chappell Ground South at Childerley. Pretty much the same as the weekend before - muddy, lots of grass to hinder visibility and not many finds.
However, this field was a geology lesson in the making with lots of fossils, glacial erratics and so on. The photograph shows a fossil not seen very often - it is a mudstone covered in dozens of worm (serpulid) casts. Probably dating to the Jurassic period (150 - 160Ma) this comes from the local clays (Oxford or Kimmeridge). The casts result from worms lining their burrows with mucus which forms the calcareous tubes you see.
Let us hope next week at Childerley we get back to some archaeology!Less... 
- 18/1/2015 After last week's mud we tried the Chappell Ground North field at Childerley. A frosted surface was easier walking and the amount of grass was limited - and the sun shone... More...After last week's mud we tried the Chappell Ground North field at Childerley. A frosted surface was easier walking and the amount of grass was limited - and the sun shone brightly.
Finds were sparse but varied. A lot of modern tile (mostly) but also flint, medieval pot (see photo) and a strange lump of copper alloy (also in photo). Weighing 200gm, it is a cast piece but with no holes or fixings visible - any ideas what it might be? It looks somewhat like part of a bracket but with no means of attaching it to another object it is intriguing.
LATEST: Thanks to Dave Loose, who has previously found something similar, we now know this is the foot from a copper alloy cooking pot, probably of medieval/late medieval date. All we need now is the rest of the pot!!
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- 11/1/2015 Another difficult weekend. The saturated clay on the Great Park Arable was glutinous and the uncultivated field was covered in grass and weeds so poor visibility of surface finds. The cold wind was also uninviting so we shortened the... More...Another difficult weekend. The saturated clay on the Great Park Arable was glutinous and the uncultivated field was covered in grass and weeds so poor visibility of surface finds. The cold wind was also uninviting so we shortened the session to retreat to somewhere warm!
However,we did discover an area of about 20 x 20m which was full of post-medieval pottery and brick. The bricks did not have frogs so are early. The photograph shows some of the interesting finds, the slip-decorated bowl fragment and the piece of lava quernstone. Dating the quernstone is not possible but it is most likely to be medieval in this context. This field warrants another visit when conditions are better.Less... 
- 4/1/2015 Not a good start to the year. The heavy hoar frost made walking on the young crop impossible, due to the damage that it might have caused. The fog made visibility bad as well, we could not see one end of the field from the other end. We... More...Not a good start to the year. The heavy hoar frost made walking on the young crop impossible, due to the damage that it might have caused. The fog made visibility bad as well, we could not see one end of the field from the other end. We walked around the perimeter of the un-walked part of the field but saw only one piece of post-medieval transfer printed pot.
We have, therefore, taken the decision to transfer back to Childerley for the next week's field walking. This will be near the deserted medieval village of Great Childerley, so let's hope for some nice medieval finds. Less...
- 21/12/2014 Well the last weekend session of 2014. We moved over to Wild Barns field 2 but this turned into a geology lesson. The field is covered in fossils, glacial erratics and flint by the bucket load. However, once more, pottery finds were in... More...Well the last weekend session of 2014. We moved over to Wild Barns field 2 but this turned into a geology lesson. The field is covered in fossils, glacial erratics and flint by the bucket load. However, once more, pottery finds were in short supply. There was an area covered in 19/20th C tile (with some brick) that appeared to have been dumped in one corner, possibly to fill in a damp patch.
We will return here after the Christmas festivities where the exercise will help overcome the lasting effects of just one mince pie too many!Less...
- 14/12/2014 Off to a new field at Wimpole, named Wild Barn, with plenty of volunteers, however .... A typical glutinous Wimpole field, as the photograph shows. The mud was probably the thing most picked up all day, although some finds did turn up but... More...Off to a new field at Wimpole, named Wild Barn, with plenty of volunteers, however .... A typical glutinous Wimpole field, as the photograph shows. The mud was probably the thing most picked up all day, although some finds did turn up but in small numbers.Less... 
- 7/12/2014 Walkers were in short supply this weekend. However two hardy souls braved the rain showers and the cold wind to finish the field walking at Nursery Field. The conditions underfoot were appalling and it was possible to gain three inches in... More...Walkers were in short supply this weekend. However two hardy souls braved the rain showers and the cold wind to finish the field walking at Nursery Field. The conditions underfoot were appalling and it was possible to gain three inches in height in about 50 yards.
The Romans came to light at the top of the hill on its western edge, where we expected following the previous walking here. Finds included the Nene Valley mortaria, yet more tegula and the bowl rim shown in the photograph here. They all lie on an area of flint rich sandy clay which in the conditions was slightly drier and less muddy than the rest of the field. This presumably was the case in Roman times and why this find site is where it is.Less... 
- 30/11/2014 After a misty start the sun came out and a pleasant morning walking was had by all. Even the conditions underfoot were... More...After a misty start the sun came out and a pleasant morning walking was had by all. Even the conditions underfoot were reasonable.
As we move down towards Lower Valley Farm itself, the finds become less and less. Even the post-med pottery is harder to find while the scruffy flints are there but even fewer in number. We have nearly finished this field and need to take a decision on what to do next.Less...
- 23/11/2014 If this were a football match, then the weather is winning the recent exchanges. Heavy rain, cold blustery wind, squelchy underfoot and big puddles - not ideal for field walking... More...If this were a football match, then the weather is winning the recent exchanges. Heavy rain, cold blustery wind, squelchy underfoot and big puddles - not ideal for field walking again.
However, we will carry on at Lower Valley Farm this coming weekend, weather permitting - hope to see you there.Less...
- 16/11/2014 As John Keats said in his poem To Autumn (1820) "Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness". Well, we certainly had the mistiness, in fact full fog on Sunday at Lower Valley Farm. One could only see about half way across the field, then it... More...As John Keats said in his poem To Autumn (1820) "Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness". Well, we certainly had the mistiness, in fact full fog on Sunday at Lower Valley Farm. One could only see about half way across the field, then it cleared a bit and then it rained again.
In between, the field walking turned up the usual mixture here, some scrappy flints and fair amount of post medieval pottery.Less... 
- 9/11/2014 Out to Lower Valley Farm again. Rained overnight but the conditions walking on the high ground were good. Crop advanced as well. Very few finds, however. Mostly poor quality worked flint and transfer printed post med pottery as shown in... More...Out to Lower Valley Farm again. Rained overnight but the conditions walking on the high ground were good. Crop advanced as well. Very few finds, however. Mostly poor quality worked flint and transfer printed post med pottery as shown in the photograph. Some other material bears further inspection after washing.Less... 
- 2/11/2014 Our walking at Nursery Farm has been interrupted by the crop planting that occurred, so we transferred to Lower Valley Farm at Fulbourn (another of our... More...Our walking at Nursery Farm has been interrupted by the crop planting that occurred, so we transferred to Lower Valley Farm at Fulbourn (another of our targets)
However, on arrival the crop was seen to still be immature. Then the rains came, to walk under these conditions would have damaged the crop so we abandoned our walking.
We will return next Sunday when the weather (and crop) may be more optimal.Less...
- 26/10/2014 They are back!! Walking up the hill towards the Belts at Nursery Field this weekend produced the hoped-for Roman finds on the flat area near the top. Our previous fieldwalking here found quantities of Roman brick and tile, together with... More...They are back!! Walking up the hill towards the Belts at Nursery Field this weekend produced the hoped-for Roman finds on the flat area near the top. Our previous fieldwalking here found quantities of Roman brick and tile, together with Roman pottery, in the same general area. These sorts of finds have been replicated again, as this photo of a Roman tegula tile found over this weekend shows.
With half the field still to cover, who knows what else we may turn up this coming weekend.Less... 
- 19/10/2014 After the Roman extravaganza at 8 Elms, it was across the fields to Nursery Field, Wimpole. We were expecting some medieval pottery but in fact found everything from a nice prehistoric flint blade, (see picture) to Roman to medieval to... More...After the Roman extravaganza at 8 Elms, it was across the fields to Nursery Field, Wimpole. We were expecting some medieval pottery but in fact found everything from a nice prehistoric flint blade, (see picture) to Roman to medieval to modern pottery. The medieval mostly lay close to the road that runs from Home Farm up the hill to the Belts wooded area.
We have walked the area before so it will be interesting to compare the results from then with those of this weekend.Less... 
- 12/10/2014 On our fourth, and probably final, weekend at 8 Elms Farm we carried on with the field that produced a lot of Roman pottery the week before.We recovered only a few pieces of Roman pottery but plenty of brick and tile plus lots of granite... More...On our fourth, and probably final, weekend at 8 Elms Farm we carried on with the field that produced a lot of Roman pottery the week before.We recovered only a few pieces of Roman pottery but plenty of brick and tile plus lots of granite chippings (presumably from Ermine Street roadworks).
We then set out ten 10 x 10m squares to carry out an intensive survey where most of the Roman pottery had been found. Dozens of pieces of pottery were recovered, including the significant rim of a shell tempered pot, shown here. Other finds were pieces of Samian ware, Nene Valley ware, mortaria from the Oxford and Colchester kilns plus lots of shell tempered and grey wares.
We will compare our finds with those listed in the excavation report for the NW corner of this field published in PCAS LXXXIII for 1994, p31.Less... 
- 5/10/2014 The third weekend was even better, as this photograph shows - the Romans were there after all. Significant amounts of pottery were recovered from the new field which has only been partially walked, so hopes are high for more this coming... More...The third weekend was even better, as this photograph shows - the Romans were there after all. Significant amounts of pottery were recovered from the new field which has only been partially walked, so hopes are high for more this coming weekend (weather permitting).
The area still to be walked was subject to excavations when the new Arrington roundabout was put in so there may be less to find. Time permitting we may carry out a more intensive search of the area producing the pottery finds.Less... 
- 28/9/2014 The second field walking weekend saw more of 8 Elms Farm covered and the first tantalising glimpses of Roman activity as we move further... More...The second field walking weekend saw more of 8 Elms Farm covered and the first tantalising glimpses of Roman activity as we move further south.
Star find was a possible coin, well spotted Mick James! This non-magnetic (copper or copper alloy) disc is 3.06cm in diameter, 0.35cm thick and weighs 16.76grm. It is very corroded and any surface details have gone but it may be possible to date the period. We will see if the Fitzwilliam coin specialist can help.Less... 
- 21/9/2014 The happy group who turned up at 8 Elms Farm, Arrington on the 14th Sept for our first field walking of the autumn were disappointed not to find much sign of the Romans. Copious amounts of brick/tile and 19th/20th C pottery in the field... More...The happy group who turned up at 8 Elms Farm, Arrington on the 14th Sept for our first field walking of the autumn were disappointed not to find much sign of the Romans. Copious amounts of brick/tile and 19th/20th C pottery in the field nearest Ermine Street - hard core for a building project, anyone? - and not much in the field nearest the Wimpole Avenue. Walking conditions were OK but we could do with some rain to wash things down.
See you this coming weekend as we move further south and nearer those elusive Romans (hopefully).Less... 
- 14/9/2014 With the early harvest this year, we are starting the Autumn field walking at 8 Elms Farm near Arrington on Sunday 14th... More...With the early harvest this year, we are starting the Autumn field walking at 8 Elms Farm near Arrington on Sunday 14th September.
This will complete our work at 8 Elms Farm which we started as part of the Wimpole HLF project. It is an interesting area because it has a Roman history. It is believed that a Roman posting station and roadside settlement grew up alongside Ermine Street and near the Cambridge Road and the ford over the River Cam.
This is the start of our field walking and efforts are underway to get access to sites in Fulbourn, Duxford, Nursery Farm Wimpole and Childerley This should provide an interesting mix of terrain.Less...
- 19 April 2014 Field walking has finished for this season, but one recent find by a CAFG fieldwalker was this rather nice copper-alloy chape from the end of a dagger or knife sheath. Similar objects on the PAS website seem to be dated to the 13th or 14th... More...Field walking has finished for this season, but one recent find by a CAFG fieldwalker was this rather nice copper-alloy chape from the end of a dagger or knife sheath. Similar objects on the PAS website seem to be dated to the 13th or 14th century. Lots of pottery of the same date from this area: we will try to get this dated and analysed by an expert.
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- 23 March 2014 Found on 23rd March during fieldwalking by someone with 'sharp eyes', a buckle, known as a Spectacle Buckle, made of copper alloy in the 16th or 17th centuries. Probably a casual loss, as there was no associated pottery or other finds. Our... More...Found on 23rd March during fieldwalking by someone with 'sharp eyes', a buckle, known as a Spectacle Buckle, made of copper alloy in the 16th or 17th centuries. Probably a casual loss, as there was no associated pottery or other finds. Our current work at Childerley has been very unproductive, just a few sherds of medieval and Roman pottery and occasional struck flint, but the next field may be more fruitful.
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In our autumn fieldwalking on the chalk "hills" nor far from the Roman Road in Fulbourn, we found a few worked flints, and marcasite in what looked like lumps of... More...In our autumn fieldwalking on the chalk "hills" nor far from the Roman Road in Fulbourn, we found a few worked flints, and marcasite in what looked like lumps of slag.
Our fieldwalking at Boxworth since the beginning of the year has, unfortunately, produced little so far except a lot of mud, but we remain optimistic.Less...  We started fieldwalking on the Childerley estate on Sunday 21 October 2012 and expect to continue there for several weeks, meeting at 10 am. We finish about 12.30 pm. For more details,... More...We started fieldwalking on the Childerley estate on Sunday 21 October 2012 and expect to continue there for several weeks, meeting at 10 am. We finish about 12.30 pm. For more details, contact fieldwalking@cafg.net. Less...
- 1 October 2012 Our fieldwalking season is about to start. First, by permission of the National Trust, we will be fieldwalking on their land at Wimpole on the morning of 7th October. The following weekend, the 13th and 14th October we will be digging some... More...Our fieldwalking season is about to start. First, by permission of the National Trust, we will be fieldwalking on their land at Wimpole on the morning of 7th October. The following weekend, the 13th and 14th October we will be digging some test pits in the same area to see if any archaeology remains and to get some dating. For more details, contact fieldwalking@cafg.net. Less...
The next season of fieldwalking is almost here. We have been to see the owner of the Boxworth and Knapwell farm and have discussed what he plans to plant this autumn, from this we will be able to agree where we will walk this winter. We... More...The next season of fieldwalking is almost here. We have been to see the owner of the Boxworth and Knapwell farm and have discussed what he plans to plant this autumn, from this we will be able to agree where we will walk this winter. We are also in discussion with the farm Manager at Wimpole to agree access to further fields. We hope we may do a small trial trench in August/September on some geophysics features found by RheeSearch. The fieldwalking will be dependent on the wheat being cut and the fields being cultivated, it will all be a bit late as the ground is so wet that there are problems of putting heavy combines on our west Cambridgeshire clay. So watch this space for details of when we might start.Less...
The weather seems to have improved after two weeks lost due to snow and frost, so we can hope to continue our fieldwalking tomorrow. So far this season since October we have located another Roman site at Boxworth, an area with Neolithic... More...The weather seems to have improved after two weeks lost due to snow and frost, so we can hope to continue our fieldwalking tomorrow. So far this season since October we have located another Roman site at Boxworth, an area with Neolithic struck flint at Reach - with the NT and local people from Reach - and a small area with struck flint on the heavy clays at Comberton. Fields at Arrington yielded little, except the nice early crotal bell described in the article elsewhere on this site.Less...
- 28/11/2016 An unusual find from our recent Childerley field walking was the stone shown in the photograph. We often see round pebbles of red sandstone in fields around here that are the result of glaciation. However, we have never seen one like this... More...An unusual find from our recent Childerley field walking was the stone shown in the photograph. We often see round pebbles of red sandstone in fields around here that are the result of glaciation. However, we have never seen one like this with a series of round pits over the surface. We jokingly called it the Druid's ritual stone because it did not look natural and we were finding Iron Age material on site.
Were the pits man-made or were they natural? A quick trip to the Sedgwick Museum and some friendly contacts resolved the issue - it is, in fact, a "bioturbated red sandstone glacial erratic" and apparently very natural.
What does this mean? Essentially some worm-like creatures burrowed down in a sandy surface and later their burrows became filled with deposits before the rock was created. Being churned around in a glacier removed some of the burrow fill, which is softer than the core rock, leaving the pits,
It was pointed out that it could have attracted a Druid's eye and been curated for ritual purposes, hence we could be right with our name - but we will never know!Less... 
- 20/3/2016 It's a question we have often asked ourselves - well now we know. Thanks to Tim's magic watch we know exactly how far he walked on Sunday. The GPS plot of his path, shown here, reveals that he walked 1.93 miles on Sunday morning. Assuming... More...It's a question we have often asked ourselves - well now we know. Thanks to Tim's magic watch we know exactly how far he walked on Sunday. The GPS plot of his path, shown here, reveals that he walked 1.93 miles on Sunday morning. Assuming we all walked about the same amount that means a group total of almost 14 miles!!
This is a useful device as it shows, when superimposed over an aerial photo of the field in question, we were a little short in the middle stints. For the people who pick up the bags after the walking the distance ids even more - the week of 6th March Tim's watch revealed the field walking plus bag collection distance was just under 3 miles. So for a bit of healthy exercise come field walking!!Less... 
- 5/12/2015 On Saturday 5th morning the group helped organise some field walking tuition for the Cambridge Young Archaeologists Club at Arrington. Several members gave their time and took the youngsters field walking over the area where we have found... More...On Saturday 5th morning the group helped organise some field walking tuition for the Cambridge Young Archaeologists Club at Arrington. Several members gave their time and took the youngsters field walking over the area where we have found Roman material before. The field did not disappoint us and they found some very nice Roman pottery (see photo) including mortaria, Samian, Nene Valley and Oxford wares with one of the good pieces being the large rim. The youngsters are going to wash their finds and we will meet them again to log and classify them. Many thanks to the members who turned out in the howling gale and made it such a success.
UPDATE: Finds were washed on the 9th January and are now drying at Wandlebury.
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On Sunday 5th January we started fieldwalking on the Childerley Estate, Boxworth. For more details, contact fieldwalking@cafg.net
On Sunday 6th April we completed fieldwalking for the winter 2013/14 season. For details of any forthcoming field activities, contact fieldwalking@cafg.net
The start of the 2011-12 fieldwalking season on the has produced a remarkable scene: T shirts, shorts and knees, a sight never before seen by our team, but it was 27C. This last Sunday we made a start on fields to the east of Battle Gate... More...The start of the 2011-12 fieldwalking season on the has produced a remarkable scene: T shirts, shorts and knees, a sight never before seen by our team, but it was 27C. This last Sunday we made a start on fields to the east of Battle Gate Road, Boxworth; no new finds of significance but who knows what might be there. We will be back there next Sunday to continue the survey.Less... 
- 6/4/2011 Fieldwalking... More...Fieldwalking Update
We have come to the end of fieldwalking for the 2010-2011 winter after 24 Sunday mornings out in the fields of Comberton, Toft and a one-off at Burwell. The spring-sown wheats drilled only three weeks ago are now growing fast, obscuring the soil surface and making it impossible to continue. The weather has been kind as we only lost those days of hard winter in the second half of December and since Christmas it has been very dry, even allowing for some wet days on the heavy clays of Toft. On average seven members have been out on each Sunday morning and between us we have made about 750 find points – mostly post-medieval pottery.
The outcome of all this work has in some ways been disappointing in view of the large area walked. In November we found a small scatter of Roman pottery north of Bennell's Farm and then no more, other than post medieval, over the whole of the area we looked at in Toft. Our move to the south and east of Comberton church initially gave the same blank result, until the 27th March when we recovered a very significant amount of Roman pottery and building material. This seems to be the surviving remains of a villa site first seen as mosaic floors and a stone column in the 19th century when gravel was being quarried in this field. The finds we made covered a quite small area and perhaps this is one part of the field where gravel was not dug out. We will explore the possibility of getting agreement for geophysics to be done here at some suitable time.
While walking the fields in Toft we did recover a few struck flints but the last field in Comberton, to the east of the Roman material, is a gravel soil on which we found a larger number of struck flints. The field with struck flint might be worth visiting again when conditions are suitable, to undertake a more detailed study. This site of a south facing gravel bank over-looking the course of the Bourn Brook would have been attractive to hunters and settlers in the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. The flints and the Roman finds have yet to be washed and recorded but the photo in the Gallery is of a very nice core for long blades found by Susan May.
Mike Coles
6 April 2011
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At the end of September 2010 we started to look at the fields of Bennell's Farm, Comberton. Colin Coates had spotted some crop marks on the fields to the north of the farm buildings using Google Earth and Terry Dymott organised access... More...At the end of September 2010 we started to look at the fields of Bennell's Farm, Comberton. Colin Coates had spotted some crop marks on the fields to the north of the farm buildings using Google Earth and Terry Dymott organised access with the farmer Mr Tebbitt. The fields are on the north side of the Bourn river valley and slope up to the north. We spent ten Sunday mornings here, and on the 14th November, at the highest point, found a scatter of Roman pottery, the usual 2nd to 4th century wares. This site covers no more than 50m east to west and abuts a hedge on the north; we were unable to properly look at the field beyond as it was sown with oil seed rape. The small nature of the pottery spread suggests that this is an outlying Roman farmstead, perhaps related to the villa known at Comberton.
As an interlude from the heavy clay of West Cambridgeshire, we visited Burwell Fen on the 23rd January 2011. Here we looked at the spoil heaps of peat created as part of the management of the site by the National Trust. We were joined by seventeen members of the public, organised by Lois Baker from NT Wicken Fen, for them to experience some practical archaeology. In the event, on a cold grey day, we found a small handful of Neolithic struck flint and a bone that was a bovine astragalus (ankle bone), perhaps of an Auroch. Thanks to the efforts of our members, the visitors had a good morning and we recovered a few finds.
Then back to the heavy clay, across the Toft- Hardwick road to Wood Barn Farm, again access organised by Terry Dymott. Six weeks later and we have few finds to report from these large open boulder clay fields. There was an area near the farm with 18th and 19th century pottery and Liz Tomkins found a superb circular fossil on a large piece of sandstone.
John Waterhouse and Stephen Reed have made great progress in working on record files from previous sites and we hope that we will be able to lodge copies of them all with the HER in the near future.
Hopefully the rest of the fieldwalking season will be more productive and rewarding.
March 2011
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We have been fieldwalking since September 2010 until April 2011, mostly in Toft and Comberton. The field officer's summaries can be seen by clicking here. and here.
Another Sunday morning walking on the fields at Boxworth. Eleven members enjoyed a pleasant time with temperature back to a more reasonable 17C. The canola crop has begun to grow so there will only be a week or two more here. Beside many... More...Another Sunday morning walking on the fields at Boxworth. Eleven members enjoyed a pleasant time with temperature back to a more reasonable 17C. The canola crop has begun to grow so there will only be a week or two more here. Beside many pieces of land drain there were a few sherds of Roman pot.
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During 25 weeks of fieldwalking, we found 3 Roman sites and 1 Medieval, despite the bad weather. This is the happy band on the last... More...During 25 weeks of fieldwalking, we found 3 Roman sites and 1 Medieval, despite the bad weather. This is the happy band on the last day.Less... 
- 21/10/2012 We started fieldwalking on the Childerley estate on Sunday 21 October 2012 and expect to continue there for several weeks, meeting at 10 am. We finish about 12.30 pm. For more details,... More...We started fieldwalking on the Childerley estate on Sunday 21 October 2012 and expect to continue there for several weeks, meeting at 10 am. We finish about 12.30 pm. For more details, contact fieldwalking@cafg.net. Less...
Since April 2011 we have completed 22 Sunday morning field walking sessions. This has produced evidence of previously unrecorded sites with Roman pottery and scatters of struck flint in Boxworth, Arrington and Comberton. As part of an... More...Since April 2011 we have completed 22 Sunday morning field walking sessions. This has produced evidence of previously unrecorded sites with Roman pottery and scatters of struck flint in Boxworth, Arrington and Comberton. As part of an exercise of reviewing previous results of
fieldwalking, with the help of Rob Atkins and others at OAEast, we have been looking at pottery we had listed as unidentified, this has significantly improved the rate of identification. We have also
submitted the struck flint from Oily Hall to Lawrence Billington at CAU for a preliminary study, he provisionally reports that much of it is Mesolithic. There are various new fieldwalking projects in
the pipe line for next autumn.Less...
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