The Wiltshire Council Archaeology Service once again made a successful contribution to the recent national Festival of British Archaeology fortnight. The team led two guided walks and talks, this time in the south and east of the county.

At the first, in Mere, over half of the 100 participants from the two walks joined Clare King and David Vaughan, Assistant County Archaeologists, at Mere Castle and Whitesheet Down. Suggested by our friends in Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the event attracted a large contingent from readers of the AONB Newsletter, The Hart, while others had travelled from as far away as London and Dorset, indicating the continued popularity of these walks and a rapacious interest in archaeology and the historic environment.

Clare’s introduction to the history of this once-imposing edifice was well-received, prompting the usual widespread and interesting array of questions from the assembled group. The walk had started with a steep climb up the sides of Long Hill, a natural rise that was remodelled at its eastern end during the Middle Ages to form the enclosure castle. The earthworks exploited by these early castle-builders remain today as a striking presence in the local landscape and were repeatedly admired by the group as they completed the second part of their walk.

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The Festival of British Archaeology, an annual nationwide event, takes place this year from Saturday 16 until Sunday 31 July.  The Archaeology Service are keen to build on the success of their events last summer and are running two further days for the public this year.  All events in The Festival aim to promote archaeology and are usually very well attended. To book your place or to find out more information, please see the contact details below via 'read more'.
 

Mere Castle and White Sheet Hill – Guided Walk

The first event is an exciting guided walk from Mere Castle, which is located just north of Castle Street in the village of Mere.  Mere lies at the extreme south western tip of Salisbury Plain, close to the borders of Somerset and Dorset.  The walk takes in the medieval castle and it’s adjacent Bronze Age round barrows as well as the prehistoric monuments of the down edge.  Surrounded by an incredibly beautiful landscape, the walk will continue across to the spectacular Neolithic Causewayed Camp of White Sheet Hill.

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