Peterborough Archaeology

Bronze Axe/Dagger Casting Workshop
2024-09-21 - 2024-09-22
Bronze Axe/Dagger Casting Workshop
Sat 21 Sept or Sun 22 Sep, 10am-4pm
£140pp
Take inspiration from Must Farm and join experimental archaeological Dr James Dilley of Ancient Craft for a day all about Bronze Age metalwork. The process of casting bronze is a fascinating one. The day will begin with a 1-hour introductory talk to metalworking in the Bronze Age. Participants will be taken through the process of sand-mould making before choosing an axe or dagger to make their mould with. Each participant will have the chance to cast liquid bronze into their mould. There will be time to clean, polish and decorate the templates in the afternoon.
A hands-on archaeology workshop organised by Peterborough Museum

Bronze Age Jewellery Workshop
2024-09-22
Bronze Age Jewellery Workshop
Sun 22 Sep, 10am-4pm
£110pp
Over 56 beads were recovered from the Must Farm settlement, made from amber, shale, siltstone, tin, faience and glass. Join experimental archaeologist Emma Jones to learn about the beads and have a go at making replicas of your own using a range of techniques that would have been available to makers over 5000 years ago! The day will begin with a 1-hour introductory talk to jewellery in the Bronze Age. Then create shale and amber beads/pendants, with the option to make prehistoric cordage from natural fibres to string them.
A hands-on workshop organised by Peterborough Museum

Medieval Wisbech
2024-09-25 19:00 UTC
The Development of a Medieval Town – Wisbech
Speaker: Dr Michael Gilbert
A Fenland Archaeological Society Event
See poster below with details

Must Farm - How to Build a Roundhouse
2024-09-26 19:30
How to build a stilted roundhouse
Speaker: Mark Knight, Cambridge Archaeological Unit
The charred, waterlogged remains of the preserved wooden architecture of the Must Farm pile-dwelling settlement included piles, ring beams, rafters, purlins, floor joists, wattle floors and walls. Non-wood elements involved clay, turves and straw. All the components necessary to build a home circa 850BC. The aim of this presentation is to provide a detailed ‘how to build a stilted roundhouse’ instruction manual, complete with a full list of parts and required tool kit.
An online talk organised by Peterborough Museum

Medicine & Surgery in the Roman Empire
2024-09-27 19:30
“With a strong and steady hand”- medicine and surgery in the Roman Empire
Speaker: Stuart Orme – Director, Cromwell Museum, Huntingdon
A Midnag Event – to be held at the Glapthorn Room, Fletton House, Fletton Way, Glapthorn Road, Oundle, PE8 4JA at 7:30PM

Ancient Britain - Manufacturing
2024-09-29
The Craft & Manufacture of Goods in Ancient Britain
A Conference organised by the Upper Nene Archaeological Society (UNAS)

Must Farm - Home Life
2024-10-03 19:30
Bronze Age cookery and home life at Must Farm
Speaker: Rachel Ballantyne, University of Cambridge
This talk outlines – from sampling to the laboratory – the diverse methods used to reveal microscopic and molecular evidence for home life at Must Farm. Although the settlement was built over a fen waterway, a significant proportion of the plant and animal resources were brought from dry land elsewhere. When combined, these strands of evidence give an unprecedented insight into Bronze Age life, both at home and in the wider landscape.
An online talk organised by Peterborough Museum

Flintknapping Demonstration
2024-10-07 19:00 | University Centre Peterborough, Park Crescent, Peterborough, PE1 4DZ
Flintknapping Demonstration with Dr James Dilley
Flintknapping is the oldest craft in the world. Archaeologist and craftsman Dr James Dilley gives an in-depth overview of the development of stone tool technology with an exciting demonstration. It is very rare to see an experienced flintknapper in the modern world so this display will give a unique opportunity to see something amazing.
James Dilley is an experimental archaeologist and craftsman, specialising in prehistoric technologies, he has worked with numerous museums, schools and heritage sites, and is the founder of Ancient Craft. His work is currently on display at Peterborough Museum as part of the Must Farm Exhibit and also displayed at the British Museum and Stonehenge, as well as working with high profile media companies such as the BBC, National Geographic, New Scientist and Dorling Kindersley Publishing.
FREE for FRAG Members
Non-members welcome – £5 cash, payable on the night
(card payment not currently possible)
The Venue for FRAG Talks is:
University Centre Peterborough
Park Crescent
PE1 4DZ
What3words: https://w3w.co/grants.liner.slime
This is NOT the new university building in the centre of the city, but is on a shared campus with Peterborough College and is accessed from Park Crescent.
There is on-site parking available.
The lecture theatre is on the first floor; a lift is available.
Google Map

Must Farm - Textiles & Yarns
2024-10-10 19:30
Extraordinary textiles and yarns of Must Farm Bronze Age settlement
Speaker: Dr Susanna Harris, University of Glasgow
The textiles and yarns of Must Farm have transformed knowledge of cloth and its production in Late Bronze Age Britain around 850 BCE. In this talk we discover the different types of plant fibre fabric found in the Must Farm settlement. We consider the rich evidence for how the yarns and fabrics were made, and the interpretation of these processing, weaving and twining activities in the settlement’s wooden structures.
An online talk organised by Peterborough Museum

West Deeping Archaeology Day
2024-10-19
A Pre-Historic day!
Gravel extraction nears completion on the Cemex site, in fields north of the crossroads at West Deeping.
The archaeologists from Cambridge Archaeological Unit will soon have finished their work. They will show some of the finds made since excavations began in 2010, and tell us about their historical significance, in both the local and national context.`
Saturday 19th October: 1- 5 pm
West Deeping Village Hall will be open to the public for a display of some of the archaeological finds. There will be archaeologists from Cambridge Archaeological Unit on hand and information boards to explain what these discoveries reveal about the very earliest inhabitants of our village – from the Neolithic period, through the Bronze and Iron Ages – with significant evidence of Romano-British occupation and Saxon activity.
Saturday 19th October: 6.30 for 7 pm
“6000 years of life and death at West Deeping”
Talk by Hannah Barrett, Project Officer, Cambridge Archaeological Unit
This is a West Deeping Heritage Group Event

Who are you calling Neanderthal?
2024-10-23 19:00
Who are you calling a Neanderthal?
A FenArch talk in Wisbech.

Life and Times of Henry I
2024-10-24 19:00
The Life and Times of Henry I – son of William the Conqueror
Henry I was King of England 1100 to 1135, the youngest son of William the Conqueror. He was the first ’Norman’ member of the ducal family to be born in England, and indeed he was raised here, until he reached adulthood, being knighted by his father at Westminster on 24 May 1086. Henry was, therefore, unusual amongst English kings: no future king of England would be raised in the country until Henry III (born in 1207). In this lecture, Stephen Church will explore some of the key events of Henry’s time as king of England.
A St Kyneburgha Building Preservation Trust Event in Castor

Patterns of Settlement in the Cambridge Region
2024-10-24 19:30
Waving to the neighbours? Patterns of settlement in the Cambridge region during the Roman period
A Fen Edge Archaeology Group Event
Village Hall, Rampton, Cambridge CB24 8QA
Speaker: Oscar Aldred
Oscar Aldred and his colleagues Christopher Evans and Anwen Cooper recently published an article in the journal Antiquity, marking the centenary of Cyril Fox’s 1923 book The Archaeology of the Cambridge Region. They explored Fox’s approach to landscape and how perceptions of the Cambridge region’s archaeology have changed over the intervening century. In this talk Oscar will compare Fox’s understanding of the Roman settlement in the region in c. 1923 with what we know now. This will include assessing the impact of the last 30 year’s fieldwork on our understanding of past landscapes, especially Roman settlement, and our ability now to compare low- vs high- densities of settlement. This new knowledge is helping us to understand Roman-period settlement and to explore with more confidence the meaning behind the variations in land-use and social relations across a regional and sub-regional level.
Oscar is now based in the Cambridge Archaeological Unit where is involved in writing and research, alongside landscape-scale developer-led excavations. He studied for his PhD at the University of Iceland and has held academic positions at the University of Iceland and Newcastle University. He has also worked for Historic Environment Scotland, the Institute of Archaeology, Iceland, and Somerset County Council.
His main research interests are in landscape archaeology, excavation, post-excavation, and archaeological method and theory, and the archaeology of the North Atlantic and the UK.

FRAG - November Talk Cancelled
2024-11-04 19:00
There is no FRAG talk scheduled for November.
The next event on Monday 2nd December will be about the archaeological investigations associated with the A428 improvement project.
FRAG – December Talk

Cambridge Antiquarian Society - Conference
2024-11-09
CAMBRIDGE ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
AUTUMN CONFERENCE
Saturday 9th November 2024
Cripps Court Magdalene College,
Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 3AD

EXCAVATION: Collyweston Tithe Barn
2024-11-23 - 2024-11-24
The Collyweston Historical Society is continuing its quest in search of the Collyweston Tudor palace.
A dig at the end of November will focus on the tithe barn.
For further information contact the society.
Non-FRAG Event

Ely Monastery
2024-11-27 19:00
Late Anglo-Saxon Ely: A Monastery and its World
A FenArch Event – See Poster Below
The monastery at Ely was re-founded around 970, and rapidly grew to become one of the richest and most revered religious houses in England. This talk will look at how Ely established itself, and particularly at how it interacted with the society and landscape of the region in the late tenth and eleventh centuries. To do so, Rory Naismith will consider a range of unusual sources from Ely (including lists of peasants, agricultural records and guild statutes) which shed light on how the monastery ran its lands and dealt with locals.
Dr Rory Naismith is Professor of Early Medieval English History at the University of Cambridge. He is also a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He focuses on the economic and social history of England and its neighbours in the early Middle Ages. Books include Early Medieval Britain c. 500-1000(2021), Citadel of the Saxons: the Rise of Early London (2018), and Money and Power in Anglo-Saxon England: the Southern English Kingdoms (2012).

Life and Times of John Clare
2024-11-28 19:00
The Life and Times of John Clare
Born in 1793, John Clare he is now regarded as one of the most important poets of the natural world. He wrote many poems, essays, journals and letters about love, corruption and politics, environmental and social change, poverty and folk life. A talented fiddler, he became, in effect, one of the first collectors of ‘folk’ tunes.
Clare captured the local landscape between Peterborough and Stamford through a substantial transformation of land ownership and management. His perspective remains relevant to us, 200 years on.
Speaker – Dr Sam Ward
An event organised by the St Kyneburgha Building Preservation Trust in Castor

A428- Digging Deeper
2024-12-02 19:00
A428- Digging Deeper
In advance of the A428 improvement scheme between Caxton Gibbet and the Black Cat Roundabout, archaeologists have been undertaking extensive excavations.
Headless animals, possible vineyards and a stylus are among the discoveries unearthed helping experts build a detailed picture of what life was like in Britain through history.
Results so far. Between July 2022 and July 2024 MOLA, with CAU, excavated over 52ha of archaeological sites, with finds ranging from Neolithic to 19th century. In particular, the excavations have revealed new information about the Iron Age pioneers who ventured in the untamed claylands around 800-500BC, and how their settlements developed into complex farmsteads over-producing food during the Roman period.
Speaker: Simon Markus, Project manager, MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology)
You can do some pre reading by visiting the relevant sections of the MOLA and National Highways websites.
FREE for FRAG Members
FREE for FRAG Members
Non-members welcome – £5 cash, payable on the night
(card payment not currently possible)
The Venue for FRAG Talks is:
University Centre Peterborough
Park Crescent
PE1 4DZ
What3words: https://w3w.co/grants.liner.slime
This is NOT the new university building in the centre of the city, but is on a shared campus with Peterborough College and is accessed from Park Crescent.
There is on-site parking available.
The lecture theatre is on the first floor; a lift is available.
Google Map

Anglo Saxon Settlements
2025-01-06 19:00
Do The Angles Add Up? Exploration of Anglo Saxon Settlements
10 years ago Dr John Blair revealed his research into grid planning theory in Anglo-Saxon settlements. This will be a discussion and exploration using his findings and recent discoveries at the ongoing excavations at Sedgeford to prove his theory beyond doubt, by our very own Phil Hill.
Speaker: Phil Hill
FREE for FRAG Members
Non-members welcome – £5 cash, payable on the night
(card payment not currently possible)
The Venue for FRAG Talks is:
University Centre Peterborough
Park Crescent
PE1 4DZ
What3words: https://w3w.co/grants.liner.slime
This is NOT the new university building in the centre of the city, but is on a shared campus with Peterborough College and is accessed from Park Crescent.
There is on-site parking available.
The lecture theatre is on the first floor; a lift is available.
Google Map

Katharine of Aragon Festival 2025
2025-01-22 - 2025-01-29
The Katharine of Aragon Festival 2025
This Non-FRAG event is jointly organised by Peterborough Cathedral and Peterborough Museum
See their websites for full details, pricing etc
The Festival is a unique opportunity to step back in time and experience the rich history of the Tudor era. It honours the life and legacy of Katharine of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII.
The annual festival invites visitors to immerse themselves in the captivating stories, traditions, and culture of the 16th century. Discover a week filled with engaging talks, guided tours, family-friendly activities, and live historical reenactments, all set against the stunning backdrop of the Cathedral where Katharine remains to this day.
Whether you are a history enthusiast or simply looking for a memorable experience, the Katharine of Aragon Festival promises a fascinating journey into the past. Join us as we celebrate this remarkable queen and explore the enduring Tudor heritage of Peterborough.Pre-Festival Activities
Wednesday 22nd January 2025
Cathedral Tudor Tour
A costumed tour with a Tudor focus including the tombs of Katharine of Aragon and Mary Queen of Scots, the gravedigger who inspired Shakespeare, the Tudor ‘New Building’ and much more
Thursday 23rd January 2025
Tudor Day for Schools
Meet Katharine of Aragon, learn Tudor etiquette, visit a barber surgeon and get hands-on with an immersive carousel of activities including quill writing, fingerguard making and crafting. A day of celebration and fun for all things Tudor with Peterborough Museum, History off the Page and Marvellous History. Aimed at KS2. FREE to all schools in Peterborough. To book or for more information, please email the school visits’ team
Friday 24th January 2025
8.30am Roman Catholic Mass
Conducted by the clergy of St Peter and All Souls Church, Peterborough. All welcome
11am Commemoration Service and wreath laying
The Very Revd Chris Dalliston, Dean of Peterborough, will lead a short service of commemoration with readings and prayers. During the service wreaths will be laid on Katharine’s tomb by school pupils and visiting dignitaries. All welcome.
Cathedral Tudor Tour
A costumed tour with a Tudor focus including the tombs of Katharine of Aragon and Mary Queen of Scots, the gravedigger who inspired Shakespeare, the Tudor ‘New Building’ and much more.
Katharine of Aragon Embroidery Workshop for beginners
Katharine of Aragon was a skilled embroiderer who was known for her blackwork and popularised this form of embroidery. This workshop will give participants the opportunity to learn how blackwork was applied to garments using simple running stitches to create complex motifs and borders. Using these stitches and following a printed chart you will be able to produce a piece of work inspired from designs 600 years ago.
17.30 Vespers
The daily evening service at the Cathedral, this time in the form of Vespers, a form familiar in Tudor times, sung by the Cathedral Choir. All welcome.
Son et Lumiere
An exclusive, atmospheric and beautiful evening; experience the Cathedral at night as stories will be spun and tales told. Each story will explore a period in the Cathedral’s history, accompanied by music of that period. The experience will end with mulled wine in the Tudor New Building and visitors are warmly invited to join with the service of Compline afterwards. Limited places.
21.30 Compline
A service at the close of the day, sung by adult members of the Cathedral Choir. Like Vespers, Compline would have been part of the daily Divine Office observed by the monks of Peterborough Abbey. All welcome.
Saturday 25th January
At Court with the Tudors
A drop-in event for families celebrating all things Tudor. We will be joined once more by the amazing Regal Rose Historical Portrayal – Katharine, Henry and the whole Court will arrive at 11.00 for visitors to pay homage, ask questions and take selfies. Impromptu dancing and game playing will be in store as well as a Tudor storytelling, dressing a Tudor Queen talks and craft makes for children and adults alike.
Monks, Mischief and Marauders Family Tours
A costumed, guided tour aimed at a family audience. A unique and light-hearted take on the Cathedral’s history. Complete with keys, spade and skull, our guide, dressed as Tudor gravedigger Robert ‘Old’ Scarlett, will try not to scare you with his ‘grim visage’ and ‘mighty voice’ as he takes you round the building. Just keep up – he hates dawdlers! ​ Children receive his personal guide and activity book to complete after the tour!
Saturday 25th January
Henry and Elizabeth: The Marriage That Made the Tudors. Talk by Nathen Amin
Walking a tightrope: Catherine of Aragon’s ladies in waiting. Talk by Dr. Nicola Clark
​Maiden, Mother Majesty: The Imagery of Mary I. Talk by Dr. Peter Stiffell
Tudor Banquet
Uncrowned Queen: The Fateful Life of Margaret Beaufort. Talk by Dr Nicola Tallis
Queen-Making: Catherine of Aragon, Princess Mary and the Reigning Queens of Spain. Talk by Dr. Elizabeth Norton
Katharine of Aragon and the Tyranny of Henry VIII. Talk by Jackson Van Uden
Wednesday 29th January 2025
Cathedral Tudor Tour
A costumed tour with a Tudor focus including the tombs of Katharine or Aragon and Mary Queen of Scots, the gravedigger who inspired Shakespeare, the Tudor ‘New Building’ and much more

2024 Excavation at Nassington
2025-01-31 19:30
2024 Excavation of Nassington Roman Farmstead and More
Speaker: Derek Roberts
Organised by the Middle Nene Archaeology Group, MidNag

Living Conditions in the Iron Age
2025-02-03 19:00
Living Conditions in the Iron Age
This talk will provide an overview of Britain before the Romans, covering farming, trade, clothing, and home life.
It will include demonstration of costume, collection of artefacts, and construction of housing.
Speaker: David Freeman
David has spent the last 40 years working in archaeology. It has been a mix of experimental work, teaching, constructing, and interpretation. His primary research has been in the construction of prehistoric buildings, and in particular, houses and living conditions. Workshops and demonstrations of ancient technologies are provided for a wide age range of audiences.
FREE for FRAG Members
Non-members welcome – £5 cash, payable on the night
(card payment not currently possible)
The Venue for FRAG Talks is:
University Centre Peterborough
Park Crescent
PE1 4DZ
What3words: https://w3w.co/grants.liner.slime
This is NOT the new university building in the centre of the city, but is on a shared campus with Peterborough College and is accessed from Park Crescent.
There is on-site parking available.
The lecture theatre is on the first floor; a lift is available.
Google Map

Through the Ages...
2025-02-15 - 2025-02-23
Through the Ages… (February half term)
A Flag Fen Event
What’s included:
– Pre-history trail
– Spear throwing
– Learn about wattling & pre-historic medicine
– Storytelling
– Archaeology dig tent
– Decorate a Roman shield

Origins of Medieval Fields and Settlement
2025-02-17 19:30
Tradition and transformation – the origins of medieval fields and settlement
Speaker: Susan Oosthuizen, Emeritus Professor of Medieval Archaeology at the University of Cambridge
Organised by the Histon & Impington Archaeology Group

The Importance of Pottery Decoration
2025-02-28 19:30
The Importance of Pottery Decoration to Prehistoric Societies

Speaker: Sarah Botfield

An Oundle event organised by the Middle Nene Archaeology Group

From Viking Boats to Whitby Jet
2025-03-03 19:00
From Viking Boats to Whitby Jet: new discoveries on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula
In this talk Prof Oliver Harris will explore the archaeology of Swordle Bay on the Ardnamurchan peninsula, examining how a seemingly empty landscape is in fact teeming with more than 6,000 years of archaeology. Covering the excavation of Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Medieval and post-medieval sites this talk will set out the fascinating landscape and the discoveries we have made, including the only Viking boat burial on the UK mainland.
Speaker: Oliver Harris, Professor of Archaeology, University of Leicester
Oliver Harris is Professor of Archaeology at the University of Leicester. He is the author or co-author of five books and specialises in the study of the Neolithic and Bronze Age of Britain and Ireland as well as archaeological theory. He has co-directed fieldwork on the Ardnamurchan peninsula, western Scotland since 2006.
FREE for FRAG Members
Non-members welcome – £5 cash, payable on the night
(card payment not currently possible)
The Venue for FRAG Talks is:
University Centre Peterborough
Park Crescent
PE1 4DZ
What3words: https://w3w.co/grants.liner.slime
This is NOT the new university building in the centre of the city, but is on a shared campus with Peterborough College and is accessed from Park Crescent.
There is on-site parking available.
The lecture theatre is on the first floor; a lift is available.
Google Map

Malaria in the Fens
2025-03-12 14:30
Fenland Ague: The Story of Malaria in the Fens
A Peterborough Archives Talk at Peterborough Library
Join Dr Martyn Thomas for a fascinating illustrated talk on Fenland Ague, a disease that once plagued the Fens.
Learn about its causes, treatments, and how it vanished by the late 19th century—plus Peterborough’s role in its history.

CAS Spring Conference 2025
2025-03-15
Cambridgeshire Antiquarian Society – SPRING CONFERENCE 2025
Villages in Archaeological and Historical Perspective
Key Note Speaker – Prof Carenza Lewis
University Faculty of Law,
Sidgwick Avenue, Cambridge CB3 9DZ

Saxons in the Nene Valley & FRAG AGM
2025-04-07 18:50
Saxons in the Nene Valley & FRAG AGM
FRAG Annual General Meeting
Please arrive 10 minutes earlier than usual so we can complete the FRAG AGM in good time for our monthly talk.
The Agenda for the AGM is shown below.
Saxons in the Nene Valley
The Nene Valley offers a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of Saxon settlements and the landscape from the late Roman period through to the time of Domesday. The transition from Roman urbanism to Saxon rural settlements is evident in the archaeological record, particularly in the form of building remains, cemeteries, and changes in settlement patterns. By the 9th century, the region saw the establishment of territorial units such as hundreds and parishes, which laid the foundation for the medieval landscape we recognise today. The evidence from the Nene Valley thus provides an important insight into the development of Anglo-Saxon society and its administrative structures, offering a window into both the continuity and change that characterised the early medieval period in England.
Speaker: Professor Stephen Upex
Stephen Upex has written on a wide variety of topics related to British landscape history and archaeology and his interests range from Roman and Saxon landscapes and archaeology to medieval open fields systems. He has directed archaeological excavations on Roman and Saxon sites in the East Midlands and contributed to several Time Team programmes for Channel Four. He lectures at the University of Cambridge. Recently, Stephen has written a series of landscape and archaeological reports and books on sites within the East Midlands and he is currently working on a volume for the Society of Antiquaries on Roman and Saxon landscape in northern Cambridgeshire.
FREE for FRAG Members
Non-members welcome – £5 cash, payable on the night
(card payment not currently possible)
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE FANE ROAD ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP
7th APRIL 2025 held at University Centre Peterborough

Welcome and Apologies for absence
Minutes of AGM held Monday 8th April 2024
(Matters Arising not covered below)
Chairman’s Report on the past year – Julie Gray
Treasurer’s Report – Tamsin Foster
Election of new Committee.

Recommendation for amendment to the constitution
Suspension of the need for a Field Officer and Safe Guarding Officer if or until the Group resumes an active dig.
Nominations for Committee:
Those offering themselves for re-election:
Chairman: Julie Gray; Treasurer: Tamsin Foster
Minutes Secretary: Dan Peeroo
Standing down: Wendy Gamble, Daphne Mair, Nick Coneybear
Other nominees from members attending? (2 or 3 more would be good)
7. Upcoming events
8. (Any Other Business)
FREE for FRAG Members
Non-members welcome – £5 cash, payable on the night
(card payment not currently possible)
The Venue for FRAG Talks is:
University Centre Peterborough
Park Crescent
PE1 4DZ
What3words: https://w3w.co/grants.liner.slime
This is NOT the new university building in the centre of the city, but is on a shared campus with Peterborough College and is accessed from Park Crescent.
There is on-site parking available.
The lecture theatre is on the first floor; a lift is available.
Google Map
