The Society’s New Resistivity Meter

Earlier this year the Society obtained a grant through the North York Moors National Park ‘Land of Iron’ project which allowed us to buy a resistivity meter. This will help us carry out geophysical surveys on known and potential archaeological sites so as to provide us with more information about them.

We purchased a TAR-3 meter from R M Frobisher and this was delivered to us in February. On 24th March we held two training sessions, morning and afternoon for 8 members of the field team on a field at Brompton by Sawdon.

We held further training session on 9th and 16th June (two each day) for a wider group of people including our colleagues from Brompton Local History Society when a further 20 people were trained in the use of the meter.

Terrence from R M Frobisher demonstrating assembly of the equipment

As part of the grant agreement we have to do a certain amount of work for the ‘Land of Iron’ project and on 15th June we carried out our first assignment at Goatland incline top. The purpose of this work was to hopefully cast more light on this important early railway site including information on the turntable, the incline winding arrangements and the area near to the reservoir.

Resistivity meter in use at Goathland, magnetometer in the background

We were joined by our friends and colleagues Alison Spencer and David Snowden from Fridaythorpe Fimber and Wetwang Archaeology Project who brought along their magnetometer to supplement the resistivity survey.

We were also joined by two National Park staff; Maria Calderon Cultural Heritage Officer in the ‘Land of Iron’ project and Jo Collins Monuments for the Future Volunteers and Community Officer who was with us to learn about geophysical survey.

Moving the grid line before doing another transect

These are the results for Area 1 which is located to the east of the footpath and to the south of the houses. The engine turntable of 1845 can clearly be seen as a circular feature in the centre. The other two survey areas did not provide any compelling results

Text: Chris Hall

Images: Chris Hall & Marie Woods

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Professor Alice Roberts – The Celts

The Scarborough Library was full to capacity yesterday evening to listen to Professor Alice Roberts present a fascinating talk on the Celts.  The talk was sponsored by the Scarborough Archaeological and Historical Society following a successful application to the Trustees Fund by the Books by the Beach organisers.  Talking to attendees before and after, it seems that some people had travelled some long distances to listen to the talk as well as a good number of locals.  The Society runs an excellent Autumn and Winter lecture programme and to those coming to a talk for the first time, we hope to see you again later in the year.

Using examples from her book and her recent TV series, Professor Roberts presented a talk that challenges the orthodox opinion of the emergence of the Celtic tribes.  The audience was treated to evidence that didn’t make it into the final TV series and perhaps got an insight into how the demands of TV production can influence what makes it to our screens.

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Professor Roberts kindly took questions afterwards and then spent time signing copies of her book, ensuring that everyone who wanted to speak to her got their chance.

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“This Exploited Land” receives Lottery Grant

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On the 14th March 2016, Mark Sissons spoke to the Society about the “This Exploited Land” project and at the time the decision on their application for Lottery funding was imminent.  The great news is that the project has been awarded £2.8 million in funding and the project can now really start moving forward.

The full story can be found here and the project website can be found here.

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