Dorset Diggers Community Archaeology Group
Tuesday 30 April 2024
There we was, digging this 'ol...
Sunday 18 February 2024
AGM 2024
The DDCAG AGM took place and we discussed the forthcoming sites that we will be working on this year.
The DMV in East Dorset was presented as an exciting opportunity to research an important area of settlement in the county over several years. Our first job will be a geophysical survey and then we will concentrate on an area where features are located.
Our collaboration with Bournemouth University will continue, as we look at an Iron Age/Roman site, with the geophysical survey done and test pits to follow.
We are about to start our investigation at the Bridwell site on Sherborne. The geophiz showed some features that may be cess pits, so we will open a couple test pits. It is a well known trope that humans will always fill any holes in the ground with rubbish, and rubbish is our game!
Close to Dorchester we will look at a site that was investigated in 2006, which found a Bronze Age burial in a garden. The owners now wish to see if any other features are there, so more test pitting for us.
We are in touch with two museums in Dorset, where we will be undertaking collaborations.
More walks and talks are planned, one walk being in Thorncombe Woods walking the Roman road and then looking at two Bronze Age barrows.
We are hoping to have geophysical training days for members, so that we have a broad base of trained people for any sites we work on in future.
2024 is looking busy for our group and we look forward to doing some great research onto Dorset's past.
Tuesday 16 January 2024
Sherborne Survey
We undertook a geophysical survey in Sherborne last week, looking for any evidence of structures and features behind buildings that date back to the 15th century. We are now planning to do one or two test pits looking at features that will hopefully contain dating evidence relating to pre- and post-dissolution activity on the site, thus adding information on this area to the archive.
Wednesday 6 December 2023
New Projects
DDCAG is excited to say that we are building two more new projects in Dorset.
One is located on the Isle of Purbeck locating a DMV (Deserted Medieval Village) and the other in the pretty and ancient town of Sherborne looking at one of their many medieval structures and surrounding garden. Plus, the Waddon Hill project has completed the geophysical surveying and test pitting will be undertaken in the new year.
2024 is already looking to be a busy one for the Group! This follows on from our meeting with the Executive Director of the Council for British Archaeology who are very enthusiastic about local heritage groups collaborating on projects and exchanging skills and experience.
DDCAG are doing just that!
Sunday 26 November 2023
Blandford project
DDCAG and Blandford Museum are planning to work together in the new year on archaeology projects. The committee are committed to establishing partnerships with other heritage organisations in Dorset the more to help local people to research and learn about their past. Exciting.
Wednesday 20 September 2023
Just a Bit Blowy
Sunday 13 August 2023
The Church of St Basil, Toller Fratrum
Dorset Diggers have undertaken a geophysical survey at the church of St Basil to see if we can find the earlier structure under this Victorian building.
There we was, digging this 'ol...
Sherborne Bridewell Three teams worked on the Sherborne Bridewell over three weekends looking for any structures that may have been connecte...
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Martin (left) and WDDAG WDDAG visited Martin Green's Down Farm this weekend, and what an experience it was! He took us through ...
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This is a little film about how to distinguish between natural flint and human made tools. If you have found anything that you may think ...
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Dorset Diggers Community Archaeology Group: Finding Flints : This is a little film about how to distinguish between natural flint and hum...