We are pleased to report that the Heritage Lottery Fund proposal described in February 2009 is making progress. The application passed the preliminary stage; the full application has been worked up over the summer months, and has now been submitted. We should know the result by the end of the year.
If all goes well, we will be recruiting members – anyone who is interested in learning archaeological techniques and who would like to help us with various archaeological activities. There will be training by professional archaeologists in several skills.
We will be doing fieldwalking and then processing our finds, to understand what they are. Landscape days will record surviving historical features such as ridge and furrow and ancient boundaries. Assistance will be needed for excavations on pottery sites – digging the sites under professional direction, then washing and processing finds. Training will be provided for those who want to learn how to do archaeological drawing, to record the pottery finds. Local displays and open days will keep the community informed. The project work will be spread over three years.
We would welcome anyone who is interested in hands-on local archaeology and history, including children (providing they are accompanied at all times by a responsible adult). You may get cold; you will certainly get dirty; but you will be contributing to genuine archaeological research aimed at finding out more about the production of good early pottery in Ticknall.
We would like to thank all those individuals who have helped and supported us in making the application, together with the National Trust and their tenants, local kiln site owners, members of the Parish Council, the Village Hall Committee and the Ticknall Preservation & Historical Society.
