We had a great time at the Essex Festival of Archaeology last week! Thanks to Place Services for putting together such a well-organised and welcoming event.
It was great to be part of something that clearly struck a chord with so many people. Over 1,100 visitors came through the doors, the talks were fully booked (with waiting lists!), and there was a real buzz around the stands all day.
The feedback was lovely, people appreciated the range of exhibitors, the quality of the displays, and the enthusiasm from everyone involved. We’re proud to have been part of it, and we’re already looking forward to the next one.
PCA’s Senior Project Officer, Rita Pedro, and Project Manager, Judy Mlynarska, delivered a talk to Grantchester’s After 8s group on 10 July 2025, sharing preliminary findings from the archaeological excavation at 19 High Street, Grantchester.
The excavation uncovered substantial evidence of Saxon occupation, including several structures or ‘halls’ constructed using a variety of techniques: post-built, post-in-trench, and beam slot. A cooking pit or hearth was identified, along with numerous pits and both boundary and enclosure ditches. Notable finds included two decorated needles or dress pins, and a rare fragment of an amber bead.
The event was warmly received, with organisers describing it as “such an amazing evening,” and praising “a wonderful and interesting presentation.”
Recent archaeological work by PCA at Saxon Fields in Woodton, Norfolk, uncovered the remains of a Bronze Age ring ditch, evidence of a funerary monument long since ploughed away at ground level. The excavation was carried out in advance of a new housing development by Crocus Homes, who invited pupils from nearby Woodton Primary School to visit the site and learn more about the discoveries.
The children were shown how archaeologists identify and record features like the ring ditch, and had the chance to explore the site with the team and ask questions. Short talks on the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and funerary monuments were given by Project manager Peter, Supervisor Naomi and archaeologist Conor, who also escorted the teachers and children safely around the site, whilst the children looked for archaeological finds on the surface. For many, it was their first encounter with archaeology in the real world, not in a textbook or museum, but in the place they live.
The visit formed part of a broader commitment to community engagement. Crocus Homes were keen to make the archaeology accessible, and to give local people a sense of connection to the history beneath their village. The ring ditch may once have marked a burial or ceremonial space. Though subtle now, its discovery adds a new layer to the story of the area and for the pupils, offered a memorable glimpse into its deeper past.
PCA is pleased to work with developers who recognise the value of archaeology in planning and heritage-informed development, and who are willing to support opportunities like this for public learning.
Back in May, field archaeologists Luke Hall and Anna Robson from PCA Durham had the pleasure of visiting St Helen’s Primary School in Hartlepool to talk about the excavations taking place on their school field ahead of construction of a new school building.
Luke and Anna led a whole-school assembly and delivered an in-depth object-handling session to Years 5 and 6. They shared site photographs, real artefacts, and historical sources to show the children what the excavation was uncovering, while also passing on their enthusiasm for archaeology and why it matters. During the object-handling session, pupils and teachers got stuck into object identification, working together to identify a selection of finds and place them on a timeline from youngest to oldest.
A particular highlight was the enthusiasm shown by the older pupils, some of whom are considering archaeology as a future career, and the excitement of handling real objects and some of the tools we use, like our trowels.
We’re grateful to Galliford Try and St Helen’s School for all their help in facilitating these outreach sessions.
Last week, PCA had the pleasure of visiting St Thomas More Catholic First School to share the wonders of archaeology with their enthusiastic Year 3 students. Our archaeologist, Gareth Morgan, gave an engaging talk about the world of archaeology.
The highlight of the day was a hands-on session, where the students explored a variety of artefacts—from ancient pottery to a real dinosaur tooth! The excitement in the room was infectious, with both children and teachers eagerly examining the objects and asking insightful questions.
At PCA, we’re passionate about inspiring young minds and showcasing the value of archaeology in understanding our shared past. Seeing the curiosity and joy on these students’ faces reminds us of why we do what we do!
Join us for a Family Fun Day at Winchester’s Friarsgate Park on 29 August 10am – 2pm. This event offers a range of activities for all ages, inviting families to uncover Winchester’s hidden history and enjoy the newly created outdoor space. Get hands-on with washing archaeological finds, handle real artefacts, and test your skills with challenges based on previous digs.
Meet the archaeologists, take guided tours of the community excavation, and participate in pottery workshops with Design Junction. Don’t miss the chance to create pottery drawings and take them home. The event is free to attend, so just turn up on the day at Friarsgate Park, on the site of the former medical centre behind the bus station (what3words: craft.districts.groom).
Event Details:
Date: 29 August 2024
Time: 10am – 2pm
Location: Friarsgate Park (former Friarsgate Medical Centre, behind the bus station; what3words: craft.districts.groom)
We’re proud to announce that Sian O’Neill at the Cambridge office has received a Certificate of Appreciation from local schools for hosting students in work experience placements. This recognition highlights the impact of helping students develop key skills like communication, teamwork, and confidence in a professional setting. These placements offer students a real-world view of potential career paths, bringing to life jobs they are considering for their futures.
We’re pleased to display this certificate at our office and online; this partnership is a meaningful way to invest in the next generation, and we look forward to continuing this initiative.
The end of the school term means one thing at the Cambridge Office – work experience placements! We have been proud to host students from Sawston Village College for the past 11 years and have increased our provision to students from other schools and colleges in the region too since 2021. This year we have hosted 12 students over the past 2 months!
Harry excavating a cremation urn with Osteologist Petra
For insurance reasons we can’t have under 18 year olds working on construction sites so the majority of the placement is based in the office – working on finds and environmental processing and archiving. We do our best to make our placements as interactive as possible, introducing students to different career paths within archaeology through taster sessions with various staff members in different roles, such as specialist finds analysis, photography, and GIS.
Sawston Village College students on a site tour with Rita’s Saxon teacup pot
We also try to get students out to visit an excavation and were very lucky this year to have an amazing Saxon project based just ten minutes from our office, where they were present to see rare and unusual artefacts actually coming out of the ground, such as the small Saxon cup pictured here!
One of thousands of bags of bone marked this year!
As well as providing a comprehensive view of archaeology for our students, we also of course expect them to work hard and this year have had particular legacy project that needed to be prepared for archive. With their help we should be able to deposit the 640 boxes of animal bone that they meticulously marked by Christmas!
So, many thanks of course to our work experience students for all of their time and effort: Harry from Linton Village College; Audrey, Charlie, Lewis, Luca and Matthew from Sawston Village College; Isabel from Trumpington Community College; Ben from Tring School; Daniel from Hinchingbrook School; Sam from Kings College London; Seb from Parkside Community College; and Ró from Swavesey Village College!
Sian O’Neill’s recent talk to a group of Reception and Year 1 kids was a big hit!
Sian came to visit us at Polebrook school as the ‘Fabulous Finish’ to our History learning. She was brilliant!
Sian was exciting, engaging and passionate about archaeology. The children loved finding out about Polebrook in the past and the powerpoint was full of great images that really helped them to understand the different stages in history. The children were delighted to touch and hold real life artifacts and order them- This was just magical to watch!
The whole session was perfectly aimed at KS1 children, and we just can’t thank Sian enough for the opportunity to learn from a real-life archaeologist. Thank you so much for taking the time to come and visit!
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