Young Archaeologists in the Pandemic

The time flew by this morning at Fordham, a village near Colchester. The chairman of Colchester Archaeological Group (CAG) had arranged archaeological techniques and activities for the young archaeologists,  which had them enthralled for more than three hours. The picture above shows one member recording magnetometry readings. The results were later transferred to a computer which demonstrated some interesting features below the ground. In the background, another group is learning about metal detecting. Near the John Owen Barn, others were washing finds from a nearby Roman site, which included sherds of Roman samian ware and blackened cooking pots, tiny bones and teeth. The chairman of CAG had collected some clay from the Roman site and refined it for making pots, which the young people made with varying degrees of success. Picture below.    

 It took some looking for, and needed light to illuminate it enough to be seen. Tucked away behind a large screen, in the chancel of St Peter's church on North Hill is a marble memorial to 19 Colchester protestants who died for their faith.    St Peter's church guide books confirm our young archaeologists' club  researches. There were more protestant martyrs burned to death in and from Colchester than anywhere else in England, except for Smithfield, London.         The names of the 19, if I read the memorial correctly are, John Lawrence, Nicholas Chamberlain, Christopher Lyster, John Mace, John Spencer, Simon Joyne, Richard Nichols, John Hammond, William Bongeor, William Pureas, Thomas Beynold, Agnes Silverside, Helen Ewing, Elizabeth Folks, William Munt, John Johnson, Alice Munt, Rose Allen and John Thurston.     Of the ten who were martyred on that fateful day, August 2nd 1557, the memorial describes the places of execution as the castle bailey and outside the town walls,

  To promote and support the exploration of our local historic environment, Colchester young archaeologists' club project has been designed and printed. Apart from their map of Essex, for which the young people supplied or suggested new illustrations, they gave instructions to a graphic art firm to map out a walking trail for Colchester town centre. The two sides of the leaflet are illustrated above. Previously the young people had chosen type faces and illustrated the theme, which was originally entitled "Trapped in a Treacherous Tudor Web". Two of their illustrations were selected and amalgamated by a graphic artist, who also simplified the title of the project to be less of a tongue twister. The trail and leaflet has been promoted in the Colchester and District Talking Magazine for May this year, which can be accessed on the website for the Colchester and District Talking Newspaper.