By: Communications
Volunteers, pupils and archaeologists have recently finished excavations exploring the history of Warham Camp, an Iron Age fort in north Norfolk near the town of Wells-next-the-Sea, as part of the Later Prehistoric Norfolk Project.
The project, led by Dr Andrew Hutcheson of UEA’s Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Culture, involved volunteers, participants from the Restoration Trust and pupils from the Synergy Multi-Academy Trust, which comprises of 15 schools in Norfolk, creating inclusive opportunities for people to take part in archaeological research.
Warham Camp is one of Norfolk’s few hillforts, a form of prehistoric monument associated with the Iron Age (800BC – 43AD), consisting of earthworks comprising two banks and two deep ditches. Hillforts have traditionally been thought of as defensive, though archaeologists now understand that they would have been used in a variety of ways. Having been dug in 1914 by Harold Saint Gray and in 1959 by Rainbird Clarke, the latest excavations at the camp have focused on determining the date of this stunning site’s construction and establishing what activities would have taken place within it.
Mike Pittaccio, a teacher with Synergy Multi-Academy Trust whose pupils were part of the project, said:
“Archaeology is a fantastic experience for young people, it gives them an opportunity to really push the boundaries of human knowledge and to discover things that were previously unknown. At school, students have very few opportunities to participate in primary research of this kind.
“On the dig they used every subject taught at school and applied their learning in a real-life investigation. They apply biology in assessing bone fragments, chemistry in looking at soil conditions, art in the interpretation of the site and even food tech in considering the remains of cooking pots and food waste. Students also developed soft skills of planning, teamwork and leadership; but probably the best aspect of this activity is that archaeology is great fun!”
Working with a team of archaeologists from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit, this year’s investigations involved digging 24 trenches inside the hillfort and three others to examine the inner ditch and the base of the earthwork’s banks. Over 3,500 finds were discovered including animal bone, glass and worked flints and 1,405 sherds of pottery.
Dr Matthew Brudenell from Cambridge Archaeological Unit, said:
“The project presents an incredible opportunity to investigate one of Norfolk’s most iconic yet enigmatic prehistoric sites. We’ve been sharing knowledge about the practice and process of field archaeology, giving everyone involved the chance to participate directly in the excavation of the site. This project is a community endeavour, and through our work as a group we’re discovering more and more about the Iron Age and Romano-British communities who built and occupied this space.”
Dr Andrew Hutcheson, described it as a successful field work season, saying:
“We were able to better understand Warham Camp, provide a great learning experience for a range of primary and secondary students, involve people from the local community through the Restoration Trust and had eminent international visitors taking part.”
While the scientific analysis and study of these artefacts and environmental samples is still ongoing, the project has already revealed some fascinating insights into this enigmatic monument. Unlike other ‘developed’ hillforts found in Southern England, such as Danebury and Maiden Castle, Warham Camp does not appear to have been intensively lived in during the Iron Age. Instead, the archaeology suggests that occupation was periodic and did not result in significant structures, such as large houses, being built.
Another important suggestion is that during the 3rd and 4th Centuries AD, the late Roman period in Britain, that some metalworking was taking place though, again, this did not require the creation of major buildings. As part of the excavation samples were taken from the site’s inner ditch for radiocarbon dating which will hopefully enable the project to accurately date the monument’s construction.
Robert Fairclough, Artist, Photographer and Writer with The Restoration Trust, said:
“In just two years, The Restoration Trust, working in conjunction with Andy Hutcheson, has gone from being part of a local community to being a significant part of an international one, with participants at Warham Camp attending from all over the world. Moreover, the artistic input from volunteers – through photography, writing and landscape drawing – has developed into an essential part of the whole community archaeological experience. Every time I’m involved with a dig now, by the end of it I’m more informed, enlightened and content.”
A further core aim of the Later Prehistoric Norfolk Project is creating opportunities for people to volunteer in archaeology and exploring how this work can have a positive effect on health and wellbeing. At Warham Camp 35 Restoration Trust participants and dozens of local pupils from the Synergy Multi-Academy Trust were able to get hands-on experience investigating the past, learn valuable new skills and get a rare opportunity to work on a nationally significant monument. The fieldwork also involved international participants from Japan, Nigeria and Mauritius.
The project was supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Society of Antiquaries London, UEA, Arts and Humanities Research Council and Norfolk and Norwich Archaeological Society.
The Warham dig featured on BBC 2's Digging for Britain on 9 January and is available for catch up on iPlayer.