April 2013 (issue 129) - The Sussex Archaeological Society

Snippets
Help Uncover the
Hidden Past of
Petworth Park
THE National Trust is inviting
volunteers and local communities
to get involved in an exciting project
investigating the archaeology of the
700-acre Petworth Park. Volunteers
will have the chance to learn about
and get involved in all aspects
of archaeological investigation,
including documentary research,
field-walking, geophysical survey,
environmental sampling and
excavation.
The trustees of The Monument
Trust have provided a generous
grant to the National Trust for a five
year programme of restoration and
conservation in Petworth Park. As
well as conservation work such
as tree planting and repair and
maintenance of walls, the grant will
also fund a detailed archaeological
survey of the Park.
Many people are familiar with
Petworth House, a spectacular Grade
I listed building, home to the National
Trust’s finest collection of pictures
and sculpture, but the parkland in
which it sits is poorly understood.
Petworth Park today is very different
from the original park which was
created at least 750 years ago. Today
the park is made up of gentle rolling
slopes, tranquil shady glades of trees
and grand vistas. But historic maps
and documents suggest that in the
past the park has included canals
and formal gardens, rampart terraces
and monumental stables, Henry VIII’s
banqueting hall and a Second World
War military camp – not to mention
the site of the original manor house.
The project will address all of
these aspects of the park’s history
as well as looking to the earlier
human occupation of the area, giving
volunteers the opportunity to help
unearth the secrets and stories that
lie preserved in the landscape and
beneath the ground.
If you think you would be interested
in volunteering with the project,
whether it’s bringing to light new
evidence from the archives, getting
your hands dirty through excavation
or simply walking and reading the
Petworth Park landscape, you
can find out more or register as
a volunteer by e-mailing susan.
rhodes@nationaltrust.org.uk or
calling 01798 345525.
Near Lewes Hoard
Appeal
Emma O’Connor, Museums Officer
and Stephanie Smith, Finds Liaison
Officer, would like to thank everyone
for their generous donations in
support of this purchase.
The Society is still looking for some
funding to assist with exhibition and
conservation of this material. The
process for acquisition has been
delayed somewhat due to the high
volume of material being dealt with
through the Treasure Act process.
We anticipate that the material will
be acquired later in the spring.
People in the
Iron Industry
THE Wealden Iron Research Group’s
on-line database of iron-working sites
has been in existence for five years,
and continues to be updated when
new sites are discovered or when
additional information becomes
available.
A new facility allows users to
search for people associated with
the iron industry. More than 2000
individuals have already been
included, ranging from the owners
and tenants of iron sites to those
employed in various roles in smelting,
forging and other occupations.
People are linked, where possible,
to both ironworking sites and other
individuals with which they are known
to have been associated. Records
include bibliographic references and
selected archival extracts.
Access is unrestricted and ‘fuzzy’
searching enables variants of
personal names to be searched for
easily. This project will remain a ‘work
in progress’, and users who are able
to contribute material from sources
(such as parish registers) not already
included are invited to contact the
Editor via the site - www.wirgdata.
org. Access is also available via
the Group’s main website - www.
wealdeniron.org.uk.
Jeremy Hodgkinson
Wealden Iron Research Group
Next Issue
THE Sussex Past & Present
newsletter is published three times a
year, in April, August and December.
The next issue will be published in
August 2013; the copy deadline is
14th June. Short articles, letters and
‘snippets’ are welcome; longer items
should be kept to a maximum of 500
words unless prior arrangements have
been made with the editor, Wendy
Muriel, at spp@sussexpast.co.uk,
or Luke Barber on 01273 405733.
Please note that we require images
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submit digitally, please use MS Word
(preferably 97-2003 format) for text
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Muriel, Editor, Sussex Past & Present,
Bull House, 92 High Street, Lewes,
East Sussex, BN7 1XH, or emailed to
the above address.
Rates for insertions into the
newsletter, which goes out to over
2000 members, start at £100 (plus
minimum handling charge of £20).
Contact Lorna Gartside on 01273
405737 for details.
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Sussex Past & Present April 2013
www.sussexpast.co.uk