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Festivities for Free!

Posted by: Blog Administrator on Jun 29, 2010

Tagged in: Wroughton , Wiltshire County Archaeologist , Wiltshire Archaeology Service , Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre , two , the Ridgeway , telephone , talk , Swindon , Sunday 1st August , SN15 3QN , single day , Saturday 31st July , Roman Villa , ramparts , promote , prehistoric features , Orpheus mosaic , nationwide , Nancy Jane Danks , Melanie Pomeroy-Kellinger , Marlborough Downs , Littlecote Roman Villa , Iron Age Hillfort , Hungerford , http://festival.britarch.ac.uk/. , guided walk , guided tour , free , Festival of British Archaeology , excavations , event , e-mail , David Vaughan , countryside , Cocklebury Road , Chippenham , Britain , Barbury Castle , Assistant County Archaeologist , archaeology@wiltshire.gov.uk , archaeology , annual , actively involved , 2pm , 01249 705504

The Festival of British Archaeology is a nationwide, annual event that aims to promote archaeology. It has been running for twenty years, and has evolved from a single day to two whole weeks. As in previous years the Wiltshire Archaeology Service are actively involved and this year we will be doing not one but two exciting days out. Both events are free!

 Aerial view of Barbury Castle

Aerial view of Barbury Castle

The first event is an exciting guided walk around Barbury Castle followed by a walk down the Ridgeway (approximately 2.6 km) to see some of the amazing prehistoric features of the Marlborough Downs. Barbury Castle is an impressive Iron Age Hillfort with enormous ramparts that overlooks Wroughton, Swindon and the surrounding countryside. David Vaughan, Assistant County Archaeologist will be leading this walk at 2pm on Saturday 31st July. To book your place or to find out more information see the contact details below via 'read more'.

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Roman Family Fun

Posted by: Blog Administrator on Aug 14, 2009

Our Roman family event was enjoyed by nearly 100 people at the beginning of the school holidays. Running as part of the Festival of British Archaeology visitors enjoyed the opportunity to find out more about the Roman period in Wiltshire. A soldier from the Ermine Street Guard told us all about life in the Roman army and impressed visitors with his weapons and armour. A household slave told tales of life in a villa working for wealthy owners. Local archaeologists brought along a range of roman finds from recent excavations for people to see and handle. The finds officer was kept busy identifying finds brought in by visitors and those cleaned by enthusiastic children in the finds washing activity.

Finds Washing at the Roman Family Fun Day
 Finds Washing


Read on to discover our visitors' comments:


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Would You Enjoy Living In Roman Wiltshire?

Posted by: Blog Administrator on Jul 2, 2009

Would the life of a Roman soldier suit you - free uniform, good rations, chance to travel? Perhaps you would prefer the life of a mosaicist, travelling from villa to villa to complete mosaics of the latest fashion for the owners? What if you were a household slave travelling with her mistress to Bath to take the waters - would a life of servitude be a good choice? Come to our Roman Family Fun day on Monday 27th July 2009 and you can find out what it was like for people living in Wiltshire when it was part of the Roman Empire. Read on to find out more......

Excavation at St. Laurence School, Bradford on Avon

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