Archaeology Day 2007 success

Shropshire County Council’s Archaeology Day at the Shirehall on 10 November attracted a great turn-out of over 80 people. The day included talks and displays about recent archaeological work in Shropshire.

Barbara Craig, Cabinet member for community services said: "The success of the Archaeology Day showed the enthusiasm for archaeology in Shropshire and the interest in the work being carried out by professional and community groups in the county. I am delighted that so many people enjoyed the event."

Among the speakers Peter Reavill, the county’s Portable Antiquities Liaison Officer reported on some of the recent finds that had been brought into the county’s museums - including a Bronze Age gold bracelet, a pair of Iron Age ceremonial silver spoons and a fabulous early Anglo-Saxon gold and garnet jewel.

Dr Trevor Hill talked about the work of the Sheinton Heritage Project, and David Poyner about the Four Parishes Heritage Group's work in the Stottesdon area - which included geophysical surveys of two rare medieval iron-working sites near Billingsley. Phil Scoggins and Dr Ian Dormor gave an overview of the Acton Scott Heritage Project that is exploring the landscape, history, and archaeology of Acton Scott parish.

In between the talks visitors were able to enjoy displays from The Sheinton Heritage Group, the Llanymynech Limeworks Heritage Project, Shropshire Archives, and the Archaeology Service, and there were demonstrations on how the county’s Sites and Monuments Record worked and of content from the Discovering Shropshire’s History website.

Hugh Hannaford, Community Archaeologist said: “I would like to thank all the contributors who helped make the event such a success. It is good to see the breadth of archaeological activity in Shropshire, and to see so many people enjoying finding out about their heritage.”

14 November 2007