Gnosall
Following a preliminary survey of the site (including geophysics), permission has been
given by the owners to do some digging. We hope to open an area in the garden where we
think the vicars' residence was, then excavate a circular feature in the field and put a
trench across a holloway which we think is the remains of an old track from the church
to a local village.
24/08/2003
We started today, Jan, Sue and Martin went over to the site and laid the grid out in
preparation for the forthcoming excavation. Later that week, Martin laid the geophysics
of that area over a plan of the site grid so we could determine where to put the trenches.
29/08/2003
Jan and Martin went to lay out the position of the trench on the ground but were rained off.
However, we did find a very nice garden centre at the junction of the A41 and the Gnosall
road at Newport, called Mere Park Garden Centre. The food was good and cheap.
30/09/2003
Today was the first dig, with Jan, Emma, Sandra, Bryony, Sue, Chris, Matthew and Martin.
We soon laid out the area to be dug and had the turf off.
07/09/2003
A smaller group today, Jan, Sue, Emma, Carol and Martin. Another fine day although rain was promised.
We continued excavating so all the trenches were at the same context level.
The next dig is on Saturday, September 13th.
13/09/2003
Even smaller today, just Emma, Jan and Martin. Continued to excavated trenches A and D.
Peter Gillard came and lent a hand as well, he seemed to enjoy it. I hope he won't be
too stiff tomorrow! The next dig is Sunday September 21st
21/09/2003
The same three stalwarts again today. Come back the rest of you, all is forgiven and you
are missing some interesting stuff. We may have found a wall in one of the trenches.
The Herberts came and talked to us and were very interested in what we were doing and their
grandchildren are turning into budding archaeologists. The next dig is SUNDAY September 28th,
not Saturday (we are wearing our orchid hats that day).
28/9/2003
Some came back! Today we had Emma, Chris, Clive, Jan and Martin with Carol in the afternoon.
Today was spent in getting all the trenches down to the same context level.
5/10/2003
Emma, Chris, Clive, Jan and Martin with Sandra fresh from the Antipodes. The Wall - er, sorry,
linear feature was cleaned up and all the trenches taken down to context 105.
The next dig is SATURDAY October 11th, but in future we will probably dig on Sundays,
not alternate Saturdays and Sundays as that seems to suit everybody best.
But if you want to dig but can only make Saturdays let Jan know, I am sure
she can sort something out.
The dig continues to go well, the next stage is to take out the cross walls, clean the area
up and plan it. There was no dig last Sunday (Nov 2nd) as the trenches would be waterlogged.
We contacted everyone whose telephone number we had. Apologies if we missed you, please make
sure Jan has your telephone number.
Digging will probably finish around the end of November because it will be too cold and dark
to do much.
23/11/2003
Emma, Clive, Jan and Martin. Today we cleaned the trench and planned it. We will probably
not do any more this year as the winter is closing in, except on December 7th when we intend
to geophys the trench (having got down to the disturbed area shown on the original survey,
can we find anything underneath?).
January 2004 This report has been written up