Page 8 - Town & Around - August 2023
P. 8

8  Town & Around August 2023                                                         Tel: 01485 540620 email: editor@townandaround.net
       SHARP and the Heritage Centre


           HARP (the Sedgeford Historical and
           Archaeological Research Project) is a
       Slong-term,        independently-run
       archaeological project. SHARP is one of the
       largest independent archaeological projects in
       Britain and is firmly rooted in the local
       community.
















                                           Left back row: Sheila and Stephen Kent, left front row: Amanda Bosworth, Ellie Blakelock
                                          and Ann Smith. On the right Kathryn Madder, Richard Hancox, Sam Atkins and Rami Calero

        Since the project was formed back in 1996,   bigger and we have some exciting finds.”
       thousands of people have arrived at the   Ann Smith added: “For example we have a
       Boneyard Field site to excavate, carry out   piece of daub with a wonderful wattle mark.”
       research, or take one of the many courses.    Other members of the SHARP team, some
        Many archaeologists got their start at   dressed in Saxon and Roman costume,  were
       SHARP and large numbers of them  now work   on hand to answer questions including
       in a variety of roles in commercial   Kathryn Madder, Richard Hancox, Sam
       archaeology, academic research and the   Atkins and Rami Calero - who also was the
       heritage sector.                  Roman sentry at the door.
        Former primary school teacher Ann Smith,   Work commenced on 2nd July for the 2023
       who joined SHARP as a volunteer in 2000 and   season, and apart from a lack of water
       became so hooked on archaeology that she   problem that was kindly remedied by Bruce
       completed an Archaeology degree at Bristol   at the King William lV, all is going very well
       University, is now a Finds Processor and   and work will continue until Friday 11th
       schools co-ordinator at the dig. She worked   August. The team are available to give guided
       with the Director of Excavations Ellie   tours of the site in Sedgeford Sunday-Friday
       Blakelock and the volunteers at the Heritage   10am-4pm.
       Centre in Hunstanton to get some of the Anglo   Speaking on behalf of the Heritage Centre
       Saxon finds on display.           Amanda Bosworth said: “This is an important
        On Saturday 8th July the public were   archaeological project in the area and our
       invited to view the artifacts for the first time.   collaboration means our visitors can find out
        Most of the display is from the settlement   more about SHARP, and visitors to the site
       site that was last dug in 2016.  Since 2013 the   can be directed to us. We are intending to
       project has been excavating the Malting   build liaisons with different businesses and
       Trench, which is in a gully just to the west of   organisations to enhance the tourism offering
       the settlement.                   in our beautiful and historically interesting
        Although only a small village, Sedgeford   area.”
       has an incredibly rich heritage spanning over   More Sedgeford news on page 26
       four thousand years. The research undertaken
       by SHARP has produced a fascinating picture
       of human settlement within the parish.  A
       variety of methodologies have been used
       throughout their studies, including excavation,
       test pitting, field walking, a geophysical
       survey, a landscape survey and standing
       building surveys, along with comprehensive
       desktop research.
        Ellie Blakelock, who is managing different
       excavations underway at the moment, says her
       main focus is the Malting complex, she said:
       “We think we have a total of six malting
       houses and the preservation is so good it is
       considered to be of national significance.
        “We’re very lucky because as a research dig
       the work can be carried out more slowly than
       commercial digs and the trench is getting
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