News

Wickham House Blog – Day #30 (3rd June 2025)

Part of a series of bulletins from the BAS excavations at Wickham House
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Attendees: Beth, Joanne, Geoff, Charlie, Chris, Stuart, James P, Lindsey, Jean, Tim L, Martin and Keith

All the first day of digging in meteorological summer got off to a damp start – but thanks to Tim and Stuart we had pop-up gazebos deployed to enable digging to continue in Trenches 2 and 4 as well as to providing shelter for other excavators during the morning’s frequent showers. This arrangement worked really well and is a valuable lesson learned for future seasons of excavation and were just as snug as the “Digging for Britain” yurt!

Figure 1. Pop up gazebos deployed across the site.

A new 2m x 2m trench (4B) was opened by Charlie and his team of mattock wielders to explore another of the pits seen of the gradiometer survey associated with the possible rectilinear roadside structure. In Trench 4A James and Stuart continued to explore the pit revealed last week and its contents taking samples and starting recording of the pit’s cut. Work in both these trenches will continue during the week.

A group of men digging in the dirt AI-generated content may be incorrect.
Figure 2. Charlie, Chris and Geoff opening up Trench 4B.
A couple of men digging in a hole AI-generated content may be incorrect.
Figure 3. James and Stuart excavating Trench 4B under cover

In trench 2C Martin and Beth continued to explore the ditch alongside the Roman road finding more Roman pottery, a piece of lead and taking bulk samples as they progressed. Beth was particularly pleased to discover her first piece of Samian pottery! Although this was a small fragment it had interesting decoration that will be examined further during post-excavation analysis.

A person holding dirt in her hands AI-generated content may be incorrect.
Figure 4. Beth having discovered her first piece of Samian pottery.

As it was too wet to excavate within Trench 2A, Tim, Joanne, Lindsey and Jean busied themselves with completing excavation of the overburden in Trench 1A and 1B where they discovered CBM and pottery from the Medieval and Roman periods.

A group of people digging in the ground AI-generated content may be incorrect.
Figure 5. Jean, Joanne and Tim excavating in Trenches 1A and 1B.