Sedgeford archaeological dig wants to Power the Past!

An Archaeological dig, which has been excavating in Sedgeford for 25 years launches a Crowdfunder campaign to install a mains electrical supply to the site, which has previously been reliant on a generator for everything - despite training over 4000 people in the last 25 years!

Sedgeford Historical & Archaeological Research Project (SHARP) is one of the country’s largest archaeological sites run entirely by volunteers, and has now been running excavation, research and training courses for 25 years. The site is looking into how people used and settled the land, from the earliest times to the present day, although most of its current work is focusing on the Anglo-Saxon period.

During that time, over 4000 people from all over the world have come to join this unusual community; many of whom have gone onto to work as professional Archaeologists. Hundreds of local people and visitors to north west Norfolk come to the site every year to see what’s been uncovered – with many coming back every year!

After a fallow 2020 season because of Covid, they are looking to come back bigger and better in 2021! But to do this, they need mains power on our site, rather than the trusty diesel generator they hire every year.

A Crowdfunder campaign called ‘Powering the Past’ to raise the £15,000 this will cost to install has been launched, and has already raised almost £4,000.

Once the power supply is installed the project will be able to:

• Have more people on site, including people who live in the area and local schools
• Offer a better camping experience, with permanent showers – heaven!
• Offer better classroom facilities for their courses
• Give better access to their collection and archive to local people, students, volunteers, academics and researchers
• Expand the programme SHARP offers into out-of-season activities

Here’s the link to the campaign page: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/sharp-powering-the-past

Link to SHARP'S website: www.sharp.org.uk

Note: All photos taken during the 2019 season for T&A by Ian Burt