Day 6: The View from the Trenches

Today marks the end of the final week, and a chance for everyone to gather their thoughts and gird their loins for the challenge of the weeks ahead. Therefore, it is a perfect opportunity to hand the blog over to some of our excavators for them to comment on their Thornton Abbey experience.

The Thornton Abbey Week 1 Team. Thanks for all your hard work, dedication and deturfing skills!

Fin Chesterman, Surrey

This has been my first ever archaeological dig and it’s been fascinating. I was excited to becoming on the trip and it has not been a disappointment. It has been an eye opening experience into the world of archaeology, provided by a welcoming and friendly community from the University of Sheffield and many others. My sincerest thanks goes out to all involved in making this trip happen as I leave at the end of the week.

Victoria Yuskaitis, Sparta, NJ (USA)

Digging in fabulous, sunny weather is unbeatable! After surviving the wet dreariness of yesterday, the warmth, fluffy clouds, and blue sky were especially beautiful. In all seriousness, archaeology is hard work; digging isn’t easy. But it is wonderfully invigorating to work outside all day long (I enjoy using a mattock in particular), then to be able to stand back and see all the progress you have made. I never fail to feel an immense pride and satisfaction when I can step back and see a job well done…Indeed, when I can see history literally becoming unearthed, and know that I am a part of that discovery.

Guy Trevellyan, Surrey

Recording Trench S

This trip has been an excellent opportunity to uncover the mystery that is archaeology. I have gone from the joy that is de-turfing to uncovering hidden Saxon walls to being moved to the main trench to uncover even more miracles. I thoroughly enjoyed the camping experience of having my tent flooded 3 times which was eventful but none the less made the trip feel more adventurous. I loved meeting new people who came from Sheffield University and some from the US and Canada, it was very enjoyable especially some of the very funny conversations but overall the experience of actually digging and finding various mysteries and camp life really made this trip special  and one that I will remember for ever.

Jonathan Rose, Highland, ILL (USA)

So far I am really enjoying myself here in merry old England. The food is great, the people are really friendly, and the history is amazing. I still can’t believe I’m really here digging on an actual medieval dig site (I must be dreaming). But it hasn’t been all sun shine and rainbows, as a matter of fact the weather can be quite problematic. However this does not slow the crew down, we persevere and finish the job the following day. I feel really privileged to be here and I can’t wait to see what the next weeks have in store for me.

Cleaning Trench P

Ryan Milton, Kinburn, Ontario (CAN)

The dig thus far has been a blast. Apart from the occasional rain, the atmosphere on-site and in camp has been great. The professor and the supervisors are available to answer questions, no matter how small, any time and will take the time to ensure that you understand. With such a deep history here at Thornton Abbey, and in the whole of Britain, this dig allows you to see history in first-person, uncovering the past one trowel scrape at a time. Good times in good company.

Tim Ayling, Surrey

The excavation at Thornton Abbey has been an interesting experience, cementing my interest in the past and the “mistakes” made by a man who saw himself as the “renaissance king”. It has been my first experience in theoretical and practical archaeology and I have come away with damp clothes and mud in rather strange places. However, I have really enjoyed this week, meeting new people, especially those who have travelled across the “pond” to trowel through “fire, wind and tempest”. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this wonderful experience!

The trench talks, in which supervisors discuss their trenches, draw each week to a close.

Day 5: Understanding undercrofts and deciphering drains

Today has been another rain-affected day, with a very damp and bedraggled team making their way back to camp a little earlier than planned. However, things are still steadily progressing and there have been exciting developments in almost all the trenches. 

Trench N and P

Although the two trenches are separate, the building they share between them is causing much excitement between the archaeologists. In addition to the large number of glazed floor tiles from Trench P (see the blog entry for Day 1), Trench N has produced a rather lovely piece of anthropomorphic sculpture; a hand clutching an object which appears to be a book. Whilst fragmentary, it does suggest a high profile building originally stood on the site and supports our supposition that the two trenches are situated over the medieval hospital. Furthermore, the large mounds of masonry contrast sharply with the large depressions between them, which suggests the floor collapsed after the building fell into disuse. This raises the possibility that the building may have an undercroft, in which case our diggers have a lot of work in the weeks ahead! By early next week we should be in a position to remove the rubble and start to investigate the structure beneath.

Whilst the excavators work, the supervisors compare hypotheses on the archaeology being uncovered

Trench R

Trench R is proving to be a slight enigma. The trench is situated over a strong geophysical anomaly and clear earthworks, but this does not correspond with the current archaeology. The rubble, whilst linear, is not overlying any substantial structure and, once it has been removed, the trench will consist of a single sandy clay layer. Despite this slightly pessimistic outlook, the geophysical and topographic surveys still suggest there may be something lying underneath this and we hope to uncover this in the upcoming days.

Trench S

Finn, finder of the Trench S wall!

Careful excavation and removal of subsoil in Trench S has revealed another wall in the southeast corner of the trench. This appears to be the return of the wall we had uncovered originally, although unlike our first wall it is composed primarily of limestone rather than chalk. However, the junction of the two walls appears to have been robbed, with clear evidence of a robber cut containing small fragments of broken masonry (this is just in front of Finn's trowel in the photo). We are currently removing the rubble from either side of the original wall and by next week will be in a position to investigate this further.

Trench T

Trench T has a drain! As monastic drains are one of Francesca’s key interests, she is particularly excited about the find of a brick built structure with a vault in the extended portion of her trench. Although the vault has collapsed, it appears to be the outflow of a drain which continues as a rubble-filled depression in the south of the trench. We have a lot of work to do in the area surrounding the drain before we can start to carefully excavate this feature but, as drains are usually associated with disposal of household and human waste, we are extremely hopeful that the trench should produce plenty of environmental material as well as some sensational finds. 

Trench T, with the collapsed drain and a damp digger clearly visible

Despite the rain (which has just about stopped!), spirits remain high; the camp is currently filled with the sound of impromptu communal song and everyone is looking forward to a quiz which will begin shortly. The high morale is just as well, as we are already almost a quarter of the way through the excavation and there is plenty of archaeology still to uncover!

Day 4: Extensions and Interviews

It's been a fairly quiet day on site, with most trenches in the process of being extended or being planned. As a result, it's an ideal time to introduce a regular feature in which we interview some of the students who are helping us on site. Today international archaeologists Emma, Jonathan and Victoria provide some insight into the reasons why they are here, their experiences and what they have disliked most!

From left to right: Emma, Jonathan and Victoria

Emma Le Pouesard

Home Town: Senlis, France

Why did you want to come to Thornton? I am studying medieval art and I want to get near medieval things. I can’t do that in Montreal, Canada where I study, and my professor said that I should do a dig in England. 

What are you enjoying most about being here? Finding stuff! I get really excited about finding anything, even if it is something small and insignificant like tiles.

What are you enjoying least? The rain!

What have you learnt? I never realised how many hypotheses archaeologists considered before selecting the correct one, and it’s fascinating to follow their deliberations.

What are your future plans? I’m currently finishing my undergraduate course and will start applying for PhD programmes in the Autumn.

Jonathan Rose

Home Town: Highland, Illinois

Why did you want to come to Thornton? I wanted to study medieval archaeology and see how things are different from the states. I feel a lot more care is taken in English academic digs compared to American commercial archaeology; you take a lot more care about their history.

What are you enjoying most about being here? Meeting people from students from all around the world. It’s a great experience to meet people from a global environment which I wouldn’t get to do normally. I’ve also enjoyed the different approaches used here as it demonstrates how there is more than one way to excavate the same feature.

What are you enjoying least? I’m not a big fan of camping, but as a boy scout that’s something I’ve got used to!

What have you learnt? The English have a different terminology for things, such as “sections” rather “walls”, although the measuring system is fortunately the same! Using the mini mattocks was also a fun new experience.

What are your future plans? Continue working with archaeology and maybe pursue a Masters in Medieval Archaeology at Sheffield.

Victoria Yuskaitis

Home Town: Sparta, New Jersey

Why did you want to come to Thornton? I’ve got a University of Sheffield Faculty Studentship for the MA in Medieval Archaeology in Autumn an, in correspondence Hugh [Willmott] mentioned the dig and said I should come, so I did!

What are you enjoying most about being here? It’s great to actually be here, although I’ve studied medieval archaeology for the past few years this is the first time I’ve seen it, so it’s the fulfilment of everything I’ve been looking for. I also didn’t realise the dig has such an international mix of students and that’s fantastic too! I’ve also done research on medieval hospitals in the past, so this also fits in well with my interests.

What are you enjoying least? The cold! I expected the rain, but I think the New Jersey definition of cold varies somewhat from the English version!

What have you learnt? I do have dig experience, but from Israel, so some of the methodology is very different and some of the technology here is more advanced. It’s a very different way of doing things, and that’s been something that’s been really interesting to find out about.

What are your future plans? In the past my research has focused on medieval mysticism, so investigating religion and church archaeology is something I’d like to explore further.

Extending Trench P

Now that most of our trenches are a lot bigger than on Day 1, there will certainly be plenty to keep our students occupied! We are already exploring the possibility of undercrofts, drains and even more walls, and will bring you further updates soon.

Planning Trench R