Categories for 2019
SLHA News ...
News 2019
Outings and Events

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Following the AGM in the Guildhall Arts Centre, SLHA members were taken on a short tour of the town by John Manterfield. The route included stops in Elmer Street, Castlegate, Finkin Street, Watergate and Swinegate.

The tour ended at the splendid St Wulfram's Church with the bonus of a visit to the chained library of early books collected by Elizabethan clergyman, Francis Trigge.


October 2019

Wind Pumps
Visit to a Norfolk collection

Members of the SLHA Industrial Archaeology team have recently recorded a redundant wind pump at Oxcombe in the Wolds. This was made by the Buckinghamshire firm of E H Roberts and probably erected in the early twentieth century to raise water for farm stock.

In order to understand the operation of the wind pump, team members visited the Wind Energy Museum at Repps in Norfolk on 23 August. A range of wind engines, mostly in good working order, are displayed at the museum, though missing an example of Roberts' extensive range.

In the photograph: the operation of a pump driving a scoop wheel is being considered.

August 2019

Bardney Abbey Service
Marking St Oswald's Day

A service was held to mark St Oswald's Day in the nave of the ruined abbey church of Bardney Abbey on Sunday 4 August. Over 60 attended the short ecumenical service and enjoyed a picnic on the grassy site.

The trust responsible for the abbey (Jews' Court and Bardney Abbey Trust) will shortly be amalgamating with SLHA, whose long-term headquarters have been at Jews' Court.


August 2019

Crafty Archaeology
Family activities at Kirton in Lindsey

A number of enthusiastic family groups helped the Society celebrate the 2019 National Festival of Archaeology with a joint event with Kirton-in-Lindsey Society held at the Jubilee Town Hall on Thursday 25th July.

Visitors had the opportunity to investigate a selection of images of Lincolnshire archaeology plus real and replica artefacts, and discover how they can help us find out about people in the past and how they lived.

Creating an Iron Age shield using card and foils and inspired by images of the real Witham shield, proved a popular activity. Adults and children alike were intrigued by the story of the Witham shield and how and where it was discovered. Other craft activities on offer included making a medieval head in clay and using craft materials to create some Roman style jewellery inspired by real examples.

The event was organised by Kathy Holland of the Society with thanks to the Kirton-in-Lindsey Society and the Jubilee Town Hall.


July 2019

Country House Water Supply
A guided tour at Gunby

As part of the 2019 Festival of Archaeology two members of the SLHA Industrial Archaeology team, Chris Lester and Eric Newton, led a tour of the small-scale waterworks at Gunby Hall on Wednesday 24 July.

A group of thirteen visitors were shown the range of water features which are located in the pasture a few hundred yards south-east of the Hall. Water from natural springs on this, the site of a medieval village, was collected and retained in a covered reservoir (see illustration) and then pumped to the house and its surrounding buildings and garden. Remains of both the original nineteenth century ram pump and the wind pump which replaced it were examined and discussed.

The interest and support of Astrid Gatenby and her staff at Gunby, a National Trust property, are warmly acknowledged.

July 2019

Tours in Uphill Lincoln
SLHA take a lead

SLHA contributed to the Uphill Lincoln Week (July 15-21) by offering a guided walk each day. The walking tours had the themes of Roman Uphill Lincoln and Lincoln's Medieval Streets and Markets.

Despite the indifferent weather, the seven tours attracted a total of over 90 participants, some of whom were locals and some visitors to the city.

The tour guides who shared the leadership were Nigel Burn, Tom Finegan, Penny Forsdyke, Avril Golding, Malcolm Stainforth and Karen Wood.

Photo: The Roman tour, close to Newport Arch


July 2019

Devon Study Tour
SLHA members enjoy a long weekend

The 2019 SLHA Study Tour was based in Exeter over the weekend 11 to 15 July. The event was organised and led by Ken Hollamby with the essential involvement of local guides and heritage site managers.

The long drive to Devon was broken by a visit to Stonehenge. The first full day kept the group in Exeter, first at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum (where Tom Cadbury former Lincoln museum curator was the guide) and then, according to individual choice, at various city sites.

Most of the group took a cruise along the Jurassic Coast from Exmouth to Sidmouth on Saturday morning. This was followed by a visit to Beer Quarry Caves.

Sunday was spent in the Merrivale area of Dartmoor viewing a variety of archaeological sites on a walk led by Richard Ware of the Dartmoor Guides.

The final visit was to Coldharbour Mill at Uffcolme on the journey back to Lincolnshire. It was a very enjoyable weekend for all, enhanced by warm summer weather.

Photos: Members at Stonehenge and Dartmoor (Bronze Age standing stone)


July 2019

On Saturday 1 June a group of 40 people assembled at The Heneage Arms in Hainton to learn from the SLHA Building Recording Group (RUBL) about the historic Lincoln Lane Farmhouse in the centre of nearby Sixhills.

Members of RUBL gave presentations describing details of the building's construction and history that have emerged from more than three years' fieldwork and research. Jenne Pape and Chris Page began by giving a general description of the building, with particular reference to its timber frame, chimneys, brickwork and staircases.

The special photographic techniques, including rectified photography, used during the recording of the building were outlined by Richard Croft. These had enabled an extremely accurate record to be made of building's construction, including the stones built into the walls which were recovered from the Gilbertine Sixhills Priory following the dissolution.

Mark Gardiner gave an account of the re-used twelfth-century oak timbers at first-floor level, an unexpected and intriguing discovery. These joists are of fine quality.  The oak from which these timbers were carved came from Sherwood Forest and is similar to timbers in the roof of Lincoln Cathedral.

Naomi Field's presentation dealt with the extensions to the original building and the cellar. As part of the project, Paul Croft had taken paint samples from some of the building's painted surfaces. Laboratory analysis enabled him to identify and date some of the house's internal decoration over a long period of time.

David Stocker, RUBL Chairman, summarised the documentary history of the farmhouse and its tenants. He provided a plausible and coherent account of the building's use and significance over the past four hundred years.

Following lunch, members visited Lincoln Lane Farmhouse and, with the help of RUBL members, examined this intriguing building.

RUBL is open to all members of the Society and has an active programme of work. Anyone interested in joining should contact RUBL's secretary Ken Hollamby ken@abbeyside.co.uk.

Photograph: Ken Hollamby and Jenne Pape discuss the timber framed building with Norman Bonner (former head carpenter at Lincoln Cathedral)



June 2019

Claxby Ironstone Mine
A walk around the site

As part of the 2019 Wolds Walking festival, Stewart Squires led a walk from the Viking Centre in Claxby on 31 May to the nearby site of the nineteenth century ironstone mine.

A keen and attentive group of walkers learned about the precarious life of miners and, under the leader's expert guidance, made some sense of the steep hillside's humps and hollows.

Stewart's book on the ironstone mines at Claxby and Nettleton was published by SLHA in 2017.


On the site of the Claxby Mine

May 2019

Open Lincoln Weekend
Visitors and Guided Walks

Over the weekend March 30-31 many of Lincoln's historic sites opened their doors and welcomed visitors - at no charge. Jews' Court again attracted a number of visitors who were told about its history and significance by Pearl Wheatley. Chris Hewis was guide to a mounted display of Lincoln photographs from his postcard collection; he also showed visitors less familiar areas of the building, including the attic.

Tours looking at historic aspects of the City were arranged on both Saturday and Sunday. These covered Roman Uphill Lincoln, Medieval streets and markets, and the city in the Victorian industrial period. Leaders were Penny, Karen, Avril, Mal, Tom and Nigel. The total count of tour participants was 337, a very satisfying number.

Photos: Right - Penny and Karen leading groups looking at aspects of Lincoln in the industrial period.
Below: Chris Hewis (centre) and Pearl Wheatley (left) giving insights into Jews' Court's history and discussing local photographs.

 


April 2019