The Parish Church
2025-08-12
The Parish church: Origins, development, features and changes
An event organised by Olney Archaeological Society

MidNAG Excavation - CANCELLED
2025-08-16 - 2025-08-30
Excavation of a Roman and Iron Age rural landscape
MidNAG continue the excavation of an Iron Age and Roman site near the village of Nassington.
If you are interested in volunteering contact MidNAG through their Facebook page.

Domination
2025-08-29 19:30 UTC
DOMINATION: The Fall and Rise of an Empire
Join Professor Alice Roberts as she takes us on an investigative journey to establish who spread Christianity, how and why; the story of the fall of an Empire – and the rise of another.
Celebrating the publication of her new book, Domination, the narrative will lead audiences from a secluded valley in South Wales to the shores of Brittany; from the heart of the Roman Empire in a time of political turmoil to the ancient city of Corinth in the footsteps of the apostle Paul; from Alexandria in the fourth century to Constantinople.
As the Roman Empire crumbled in Western Europe, a shadow of power remained, almost perfectly mapping onto its disappearing territories. And then, it continued to spread. Unearthing the archaeological clues and challenging long-established histories, Professor Roberts tells a remarkable story about the relationship between the Roman Empire and Christianity.
New Theatre, Peterborough
Tickets FROM £37
Non-FRAG Event

DIG OPPORTUNITY - Harlaxton
2025-09-06 - 2025-09-21
The Lost Manors of Harlaxton
Weekend Excavations – September 2025
Harlaxton History Society is organising a series of digs this September as they seek to identify and record the site of the three ancient manor houses.
The project is supported by a lottery fund grant and is being guided by Prof Abi Hunt from Nottingham University.
The group is looking for volunteers with excavation experience to join their September fieldwork. If you are interested please email project leader, Douglas Brown: hhsmanordig@gmail.com
The preliminary plan is as follows:
Please note, tasks with an asterix * require volunteers with previous experience of an archaeological dig.
6-7 Sept Dig Days 1&2
Volunteers needed to
· Open two main trenches across GPR targets and manage/record finds *
· Survey of No2 Rectory Lane Garden and other properties on street for worked stone
· Measuring and recording the wall towards the Eastern end of the garden (poss former walled garden)
· Metal detecting across garden of No1
12, 13, 14 Sept Dig Days 3,4 & 5
Volunteers needed to
· Continue excavation of two main trenches manage /record finds*
· Open other small trenches and manage /record finds*
· Clear and record sunken room*
· Record all worked stone in No1 rectory Lane Gardens
· Measure and record Pond at Pond Street
19, 20, 21 Sept Dig Days 6,7 & 8
Volunteers needed to
· Continue excavation of all trenches and close in afternoon*
· Continue to clear and record sunken room*
· Record all worked stone in fabric of No1 rectory Lane
· Measure and record moat
Harlaxton is just a couple of miles to the East of the A1 at Grantham, just half an hour North of Peterborough.
Manors Project Information

Nassington Prebendal Manor
2025-09-14
Prebendal Manor looking Architectural changes from 1200 AD
From a royal Anglo-Norman timber hall to a substantial stone-built Prebend attached to Lincoln Cathedral.
Booking Required – Follow link below
Heritage Open Days Event

Thorney Heritage Walk
2025-09-14 14:00
Thorney Heritage Walk
A visit to Thorney. A good look at Thorney Abbey, then a walk through the historic village to the community museum.
A Heritage Open Days event

Flag Fen Auger Survey - Volunteers Needed
2025-09-15 - 2025-10-03
Flag Fen Auger Survey
Call for Volunteers
What’s Happening
Between Monday 15th September and 3rd October 2025, archaeologists from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) and Flag Fen Archaeology Park will be carrying out a 3 week survey of the ground around Flag Fen.
The aim is to better understand what lies beneath the surface — the layers of soil, peat, and gravel that make up the ancient landscape. This information will help us see how the land has changed over thousands of years and how best to care for the Flag Fen Bronze Age monument in the future.
If you can spare just a few hours, between 9am and 4pm (weekdays only) your help will make a huge difference. This is an exciting time to get involved and learn from the experts.
If you can commit to a few days in the above time period or have any questions regarding this, please let David Savory or Lousie Duly, know on: 01733 864468, or email on – flagfen@peterboroughlimited.co.uk
What We’ll Be Doing

Taking small soil samples using hand augers (a bit like a big hand drill).
Collecting samples at 235 points across the area, about one every 20 metres.
Auger holes are very small — about the size of a fist (4–10 cm wide).
All holes will be backfilled immediately, leaving the ground as we found it.
Up to 10 small test pits may also be dug (just 1m x 1m) to double-check auger results. These will also be refilled straight away.

Why It Matters

Builds a clear picture of the ancient landscape and how Flag Fen developed over thousands of years.
Informs future conservation, flood management, and heritage protection.
Contributes to wider studies of the Fens, protecting nationally important archaeology.
All support is gratefully received, whether you can stay for a whole day or just drop in to lend a hand.

Who’s Involved
This is a partnership project led by the Flag Fen Futures Group

Guided Walk at Norman Cross
2025-09-17 - 2025-09-18
Guided Walk at Norman Cross – site of The Napoleonic Prisoner of War camp
Come for a guided walk and talk about the history of Norman Cross – the site of the first purpose built Prisoner of War camp in the world – and find out more of its fascinating history.
Places Limited – Pre-booking Essential – Follow link below
A Heritage Open Day event organised by Nene Park Trust

Architecture Through the Ages
2025-09-18 13:30
Architecture Through the Ages: A Film Journey at Corby Heritage Centre
Enjoy a film showcase exploring how architecture has evolved from Roman times to today through professional and amateur footage.
A Heritage Open Days Event

King's Cliffe Heritage Walk
2025-09-21 10:30
King’s Cliffe Heritage Walk
Take in the scenery in and around King’s Cliffe and Apethorpe with a knowledgeable local guide.
A Heritage Open Days Event

CBA Fieldwalking Conference
2025-09-24
Fieldwalking: Past, Present … and Future?
A Grantham event organised by Council for British Archaeology: East Midlands
This conference will examine the achievements of fieldwalking, take stock of its use today and ask what future it has as a tool for prospection.
More specifically, did fieldwalking privilege certain types of evidence, like flint scatters? Does the decline in fieldwalking mean that flint scatters and the activities they attest are less likely to be detected? What is the relationship between the decline in fieldwalking and the rise in metal-detecting (which by its nature emphasises the later periods of archaeology)? Why do many commercial archaeologists no longer practise fieldwalking?
The conference will aim to highlight past successes of fieldwalking, but also to address its limitations, and explore whether it still has a value as a method of archaeological prospection.
Booking

Cotterstock Villa Walk
2025-10-05 15:00
A SITE VISIT TO THE COTTERSTOCK ROMAN VILLA ON SUNDAY 5 OCTOBER AT 3PM
The walk will be led by Professor Stephen Upex and is kindly facilitated by the Richardson family.
This is a non-FRAG event raising funds for St Andrew’s, Cotterstock

Curious Cures
2025-10-06 19:00
Curious Cures: Medicine in the Medieval World
This month’s FRAG talk is also the subject of an exhibition at Cambridge University Library.
Medieval medicine has a bad reputation. It conjures up images of people blighted by disease and ignorance, living a degraded existence in squalid villages and pestilence-ridden towns, and subject to the misguided ministrations of physicians or the bizarre remedies of folk healers and charlatans. We commonly think of the Middle Ages as a time of superstition, blind trial-and-error and devastating mortality…but that’s not the whole story!
This talk will describe the complex theories and ideas that guided medieval physicians in their work, it introduces the many different constituencies who practised medicine at this time, and it reveals the bewildering array of ailments and illnesses they sought to cure.
Speaker: Dr James Freeman, Medieval Manuscripts Specialist, Cambridge University Library
James was the Principal Investigator of the Wellcome-funded project, Curious Cures and is curator of the exhibition Curious Cures: Medicine in the Medieval World, which is open to all and free to visit at Cambridge University Library until 6 December 2025. Prior to joining the University Library in 2016, James worked in various capacities in the Manuscripts and Rare Books Departments at the British Library. He also serves as Assistant Editor for the Transactions of the Cambridge Bibliographical Society and as Chair of the Association for Manuscripts and Archives in Research Collections, which promotes the study, accessibility and preservation of manuscripts and archives in Britain, Ireland and further afield.
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

The Hedda Stone Mystery
2025-10-14 19:30
The Hedda Stone Mystery
A Peterborough Cathedral in person lecture
Speakers: Dr Jackie Hall and Dr Teresa Porciani
Step back into the world of Anglo-Saxon England and unlock the secrets of Peterborough’s Hedda Stone—one of the most mysterious and intriguing sculptures in the country. In this captivating talk, our speakers will take you on a journey through centuries of speculation, examining fresh research, bold theories, and the tantalizing clues that surround this enigmatic masterpiece. What story does the Hedda Stone really tell? Who created it, and why?

RAF Alconbury
2025-10-31 19:30
RAF Alconbury – Military architecture through the years
A MidNAG Event in Oundle
Speaker: Jeff Hawley
Alconbury Airfield’s history spans from its 1938 founding as a British Royal Air Force (RAF) satellite base through World War II and the Cold War, ending its operational life in the mid-1990s after decades of continuous American occupation. Once a strategic site for reconnaissance and bomber operations for both the RAF and United States Army Air Force, the airfield is now being redeveloped into Alconbury Weald, with its military heritage being preserved through listed buildings, public archives, and a planned heritage trail.

Stowe Farm, West Deeping
2025-11-03 19:00
Stowe Farm, West Deeping – Prehistoric Settlement in the Welland Valley
This month, we have Bob Hatton bringing us a review and update on prehistoric findings from Stowe Farm, West Deeping – Settlement in the Welland Valley.
The Welland valley was a focus for prehistoric settlement, just as was the case in the Nene valley.
The research collated from excavations aimed to build a cohesive site narrative and to place the site at Stowe Farm, Lincolnshire, in a local and regional context.
This talk will bring us up to date on findings for the area.
Speaker: Bob Hatton
Bob is the course lead for the BA (Hons) in History and Archaeology degree at University Centre Peterborough. Previously, Bob worked with the county archaeological team and was involved in several local excavations, including Etton and Maxey, and Flag Fen as well as Stowe Farm.
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

DIG OPPORTUNITY - Alconbury Weston
2025-11-16 - 2025-11-19
An event organised by Sawtry Archaeology
Visit their website for application forms and more information:
https://sawtryarchaeology.wixsite.com/my-site/events
Survey Aims and Strategy
This is the fourth session of the third season of archaeological investigation on Safefield Farm, which is a continuation of the desktop survey (Season 1)
and an earlier evaluation excavation undertaken in Oct 22 (Season 2).
The purpose of this session is to determine the relationship (if any) between the various features revealed in previous sessions and the nature of the yellow clays that differ from, but are associated with, the identified natural geology. It will also continue to locate the accumulated Roman/Romano-British pottery assemblage discovered by Landowners Historical Research Group (LHRG) detectorists.
Opportunities
This excavation will give volunteers with excavation experience the opportunity to develop their excavation skills and techniques, and will give volunteers with no excavation experience the opportunity to learn the principles of archaeological excavation, and basic skills and techniques.

RAF Lakenheath Excavations
2025-11-24 19:30
RAF Lakenheath Excavations
A Histon & Impington Archaeology Group event
Speaker – Joanna Caruth
Details of 1,500 year old burial grounds at RAF Lakenheath, including that of the famous Lakenheath Warrior, are included in a recent publication.
“The Anglo-Saxon Cemeteries at RAF Lakenheath, Eriswell, Suffolk: Excavations 1997-2008” explores excavations of many human remains resulting in the discovery of four separate, but linked, burial grounds of the 5th to 8th centuries AD.

Metal Detectorist's World!
2025-12-01 19:00
Metal Detectorist’s World!
Join us at FRAG for wintery nibbles and an intriguing talk from a small group of local detectorists.
Discover what the world of a metal detectorist is really like – from understanding the legal responsibilities that guide the hobby, to building relationships with landowners and researching the rich history of the landscape. They will also discuss the group’s work with the Finds Liaison Officers and how their finds contribute to the national Portable Antiquities Scheme, with many recorded on the finds.org.uk database.
There will be a chance to chat informally and explore a finds table showcasing genuine local artefacts and opportunity to get hands on with the latest tech in metal detectors and practice making your own finds!
Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or simply curious about the stories buried below, this is a unique opportunity not to be missed!
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

Flag Fen Futures
2025-12-08 19:30
Flag Fen Futures – 10 Year Plan
Speaker – Jacqueline Mooney, General Manager, Flag Fen
A Peterborough Civic Society Event at St Mark’s Church Hall

Tudor Christmas
2025-12-15 19:00
A Tudor Christmas
Event organised by Peterborough Museum
Join Alison Weir & Siobhan Clarke
We might assume that our modern Christmas owes much to the Victorians. In fact, as Alison Weir and Siobhan Clarke reveal, many of our favourite Christmas traditions date back much further. Carol-singing, present-giving, mulled wine and mince pies were all just as popular in Tudor times, and even Father Christmas and roast turkey dinners have their origins in this period.
The Tudor Christmas was a time of feasting, revelry and merrymaking, a twelve-day-long festival, over which the Lord of Misrule held sway, and convention was thrown to the winds. Christmas was so beloved by English people that its traditions survived remarkably unchanged in this age of tumultuous religious upheaval.
This event will be followed by a book signing of their book ‘A Tudor Christmas’.

FRAG Meeting
2026-01-05 19:00
FRAG 2026
Bring yourselves, bring your questions and prepare to share your thoughts and knowledge
Julie Grey, invites you:

After nearly 3 years as Chair, I’ve come to see the many nuggets of information that you, as members, bring to each of the talks. So why not start the year with some friendly for and against conversations or sharing favourite titbits of archaeological or historical facts?
I might start with the obvious: what have the Romans ever done for us? Or not.
Let’s just get out of the house, have a tea or coffee with a treat on the side and see where the evening goes.
It may also give us ideas on where to look for future speakers.

Best wishes for 2026 to you all,
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

Environmental Archaeology in the Fens
2026-01-19 13:00 - 14:00
5000 years of environmental archaeology in the Fens
Free Webinar
A Non-FRAG event organised by the Fens East Peat Partnership
Exploring the extraordinary landscape of the Fens where the exceptional preservation of organic artefacts and environmental evidence gives unparalleled insights into the last 5,000 years of communities, resources and habitats.
The webinar will be presented by the archaeology team from the Fenscapes project hosted and funded by the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Cambridge University.

Zooarchaeological Evidence
2026-01-19 19:30
More than food: What zooarchaeological evidence can tell us about life in the past and the complex human-animal relationship
Speaker: Dr Hayley Foster, Oxford Archaeology
A Histon & Impington Archaeology Group Talk
Also available online

Nassington and Barnwell North Lodge
2026-01-30 19:30
Nassington and Barnwell North Lodge Excavations
A MidNAG Talk in Oundle
Many MidNAG and FRAG members have been involved in the recent excavations at both of these Roman period farmsteads. Derek Roberts will provide a round-up of the work we have completed so far at these sites and what we have learnt about them. He will also give us an insight into further work to be undertaken as we look forward to the return of the summer excavation.
Speaker: Derek Roberts

Katherine of Aragon 2026
2026-01-31 - 2026-02-01
The Katharine of Aragon Festival 2026
Organisers, Peterborough Cathedral and Peterborough Museum:
This year’s festival features our most comprehensive programme to date, welcoming leading historians, renowned authors, and expert guides who will bring the Tudor world vividly to life through talks, performances, and heritage workshops. Visitors can enjoy authentic historical re-enactments, guided tours, family activities, and the opportunity to immerse yourself in the Tudor world. All set in the city centre at Peterborough Cathedral and Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery.
Tours and events start on Sat 24th Jan.
There are a series of history talks on Sat 31st Jan and Sunday 1st Feb. They are also available online.

Flag Fen Update
2026-02-02 19:00
Update on the Flag Fen Investigations
Speaker: Mark Knight, Senior Project Officer, Cambridge Archaeological Unit
Full details to follow
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

Geophysics
2026-02-16 19:30
Geophysics
Speaker: Kris Lockyear, Institute of Archaeology, UCL
A talk organised by the Histon & Impington Archaeology Group
Also available online

A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet
2026-02-20
Digging Deeper – A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Excavations
Speaker: Simon Markus
A non-FRAG talk in Oundle organised by MidNAG

FRAG Talk
2026-03-02 19:00
FRAG Talk – Details to follow
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
