Looks as though the news release that Banksy is exhibiting at Bristol Museum has knocked any BBC coverage of the dig due today at Berkeley on the head.
Although I love art it is only because Banksy is a "mythical" figure that so much coverage has been given to him, whereas here we have a story of international importance with a discovery of a monastery enclosure the size of Winchester in Gloucestershire!
So frustrating.
Showing posts with label anglo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anglo. Show all posts
Friday, 12 June 2009
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
Talk by Dr Stuart Prior
Just had a long tour of the University of Britstol's dig at Berkeley. Amazing progress made, medieval buildings uncovered, possibly St Michaels Lane, Roman finds, coins, etc and of course evidence of the Anglo Saxon Monastery they were looking for.
Some bits will be covered over for next year's dig but others will be left open for display for the next few months.
All very exciting and hopefully the BBC will give it good coverage on Friday.
Some bits will be covered over for next year's dig but others will be left open for display for the next few months.
All very exciting and hopefully the BBC will give it good coverage on Friday.
Friday, 5 June 2009
Half a William the Conqueror coin
Half a William the Conqueror coin
Originally uploaded by TMR Davies
From the dig at Berkeley in the garden of The Edward Jenner Museum. Half a coin from 1067, cut in half for payment before lower denomination copins were "invented"
Dr Stuart Prior Explains
Dr Stuart Prior Explains
Originally uploaded by TMR Davies
Dr Stuart Prior explaining one of the Anglo-Saxon ecclesiastical buildings (7th - 9th Century) found in the garden of the Edward Jenner Museum. This was likley to have been accomodation for the nuns on this site, and several oyster shells were found here too, as oysters were the staple diet of the time.
Saxon Nunnery in Museum Garden
The annual archaeological dig in Berkeley, Gloucestershire by University of Bristol believes that it has found the first ever excavated Saxon Nunnery which was part of a Mynster (Monastery), with domestic buildings in the garden of The Edward Jenner Museum and the remains of the Nun’s Church by the tower in the churchyard at the end of the Museum’s garden.
The Berkeley Project to find Saxon Berkeley and the missing nunnery has been going for five years. This year the Saxon Church has been found at the foot of the Edward Jenner Museum’s garden, by the church tower. The current tower dates from 1753 replacing an earlier tower damaged during the Civil War. The original Saxon Church that was part of the Mynster was recorded as far back as 1541 but had by then fallen into disrepair.
Of great interest to the Edward Jenner Museum was a rubbish pit found at the site of the church dating to the time of Dr Jenner: three broken snuff bottles were found amongst broken chinaware and other domestic waste, which is contemporary with the date that Edward Jenner lived in The Chantry. Sarah Parker (Museum Director) said: In the 260th Anniversary year of Jenner’s birth to find such a personal tangible link with him is a huge bonus on top of the other exciting but much earlier discoveries in our garden.
The remains of a high status Saxon building have been found underneath the Museum’s lawn, complete with a cobbled entrance and a refuse pit with oyster shells, staple food in the medieval period.
Other small finds in this area have included a William the Conqueror coin, a coin from the reign Henry I, and various medieval items from horse bridle furnishings and buckles to clothing pins. Some Roman coins and materials have also been discovered
Dr Stuart Prior of University of Bristol said that if the church was associated to the buildings and they do turn out to be part of the Anglo-Saxon nunnery it will be the first time that a nunnery of this date (7th - 9th Century) has ever been excavated and all the evidence to date including the Anglo-Saxon records support this Hypothesis! Which is very exciting.
With one more week to go it is hoped that there will be more finds and further developments of this fascinating story.
- ENDS -
Notes to Editors:
1) The Edward Jenner Museum & Conference Centre is based in Dr Jenner’s former home, The Chantry, in Berkeley, Gloucestershire. Dr Jenner lived in the house from 1785-1823. It was from this (Grade II* Listed) house that he pioneered world-changing vaccination against Smallpox. Joint tickets with Berkeley Castle can be bought at either venue.
2) 2009 is the 260th anniversary of Edward Jenner’s birth and a series of events throughout the year are marking the occasion. See www.jennermuseum.com for more details
The Berkeley Project to find Saxon Berkeley and the missing nunnery has been going for five years. This year the Saxon Church has been found at the foot of the Edward Jenner Museum’s garden, by the church tower. The current tower dates from 1753 replacing an earlier tower damaged during the Civil War. The original Saxon Church that was part of the Mynster was recorded as far back as 1541 but had by then fallen into disrepair.
Of great interest to the Edward Jenner Museum was a rubbish pit found at the site of the church dating to the time of Dr Jenner: three broken snuff bottles were found amongst broken chinaware and other domestic waste, which is contemporary with the date that Edward Jenner lived in The Chantry. Sarah Parker (Museum Director) said: In the 260th Anniversary year of Jenner’s birth to find such a personal tangible link with him is a huge bonus on top of the other exciting but much earlier discoveries in our garden.
The remains of a high status Saxon building have been found underneath the Museum’s lawn, complete with a cobbled entrance and a refuse pit with oyster shells, staple food in the medieval period.
Other small finds in this area have included a William the Conqueror coin, a coin from the reign Henry I, and various medieval items from horse bridle furnishings and buckles to clothing pins. Some Roman coins and materials have also been discovered
Dr Stuart Prior of University of Bristol said that if the church was associated to the buildings and they do turn out to be part of the Anglo-Saxon nunnery it will be the first time that a nunnery of this date (7th - 9th Century) has ever been excavated and all the evidence to date including the Anglo-Saxon records support this Hypothesis! Which is very exciting.
With one more week to go it is hoped that there will be more finds and further developments of this fascinating story.
- ENDS -
Notes to Editors:
1) The Edward Jenner Museum & Conference Centre is based in Dr Jenner’s former home, The Chantry, in Berkeley, Gloucestershire. Dr Jenner lived in the house from 1785-1823. It was from this (Grade II* Listed) house that he pioneered world-changing vaccination against Smallpox. Joint tickets with Berkeley Castle can be bought at either venue.
2) 2009 is the 260th anniversary of Edward Jenner’s birth and a series of events throughout the year are marking the occasion. See www.jennermuseum.com for more details
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