Upcoming East Lothian and Borders Archaeology, Family History and Heritage Events

There are two sets of events next month in our part of Scotland that may be interest: East Lothian Archaeology and Family History Fortnight, which runs from 1st to 16th September and Borders Heritage Week, which runs from 12th to 23rd September. Download the East Lothian Archaeology and Family History Fortnight programme and the Borders Heritage Week programme.  

Edinburgh, Lothians and Borders Archaeology Conference 2010

I just picked up a leaflet about this conference at Galashiels Library yesterday.

This is an annual conference organised by the City of Edinburgh Council, East Lothian Council and Scottish Borders Council. It provides an  opportunity to hear and discuss first hand accounts of the archaeological fieldwork and research being undertaken in south-east Scotland.

It's a very interesting programme.

0900 - 0930 Registration, tea & coffee
0930 - 0935 Welcome: (Scottish Borders Council)
0935 - 1000 The Lewisvale Park Roman Altars
John Gooder (AOC Archaeology Group)
1000 - 1025 The Lost Northumbrian Cross of Jedburgh:
An Anglo-Saxon Cross Base in the Scottish Borders
Dr Christopher Bowles (Scottish Borders Council)
1025 - 1035 Discussion
1035 - 1105 COFFEE/TEA BREAK
1105 - 1130 St Andrews Kirk, Gullane: A facelift for a Norman Church
Bill Nimmo (Gullane and Dirleton History Society) and
Diana Sproat (AOC Archaeology Group)
1130 - 1155 Medieval grave-slabs at Temple
Ian Fraser (RCAHMS)
1155 - 1220 A line through Edinburgh: Edinburgh Trams the story so far
John A Lawson (CECAS)
1220 - 1245 Discussion
1245 - 1345 LUNCH
1345 - 1410 Revisiting Roxburgh: Creating a 3D GIS
Piers Dixon (RCAHMS)
1410 - 1435 Clues to the Past: The Eddleston Parish Project
Trevor Cowie (Peeblesshire Archaeological Society)
1435 - 1500 Tweed not Tweel: Textile production on the Teviot
Alistair Robertson (Headland Archaeology)
1500 - 1515 Discussion
1515 - 1545 COFFEE/TEA BREAK
1545 - 1610 POW’s, Soldiers or displaced persons: Excavations at Frogston Road
Camp, Edinburgh
Bruce Glendinning (CFA Archaeology)
1610 - 1635 The Portobello Potteries: New documentary and shard evidence
George Haggarty (NMS Research Fellow)
1635 - 1700 Discussion

It's on Saturday, November 20th (9am - 5pm) at the Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh (next to Musselburgh railway station).

Tickets £20 each, Concessions £12, Buffet Lunches can be pre-booked at £8.

More information.

Paxton Before the House Community Research Project

This is a new community interest project that has been set up to investigate the history and archaeology of Paxton and the surrounding landscape.

It aims to investigate the landscape to locate some of the early settlements that existed in the parish of Hutton.  Archaeologists from Bamburgh Research Project and Edinburgh University will be working with local organisations and volunteers to uncover new evidence of this important historical setting. Members of the community are invited to participate in various aspects of the work including 'hands on archaeology', digging a variety of sites from prehistoric promontory forts to traces of the early origins of 'Fermtouns'. They hope to be able to show continuity between the prehistoric landscape and the present farmland.

A public meeting will be held at Paxton House at the Hayloft on Monday 27th September at 7.30 pm. All welcome !

They are looking for volunteers to get involved in every aspect of the archaeological research at Paxton. If you would like to take part please contact them on 01289 386291 or via the Paxton House website.

Having taken part in archaeological digs before, my experience was that this is often a very exciting way to spend a few days. Not only does one learn about the generalities of archaeology, there's usually lots of opportunity to learn about the objects found. It's very exciting to unearth historic artefacts, and wonder whether your ancestors made, dropped or sold them.