Programme for 2011 to 2012

Various dates: Rocks and fossils - quarry visits

Field trips to several quarries in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire, several dates during 2011. Please ask for details. For instance:

£10 for a full day; £5 half day.

The courses below are at introductory level and provide a really thorough explanation of the subjects, with lots of hand outs and in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.

The lecturer, Dr Jill Eyers, has been lecturing for the Open University, Oxford and others since 1986. The courses are always very hands-on, with a relaxed friendly atmosphere, with lots of the tutor's own collections available as first-hand examples.

There are always lots of hand outs and more details can be seen from the links above:

August 14^th (Sunday)  Field trip to the Cretaceous seaside

A fascinating tour back in time 115 million years to the Cretaceous world of Bedfordshire. The quarries of Leighton Buzzard reveal an intriguing story – that story can be ‘read’ in the rocks and through the fossils found there. Nr Leighton Buzzard, 10 am to 4 pm £20

September 3rd(Saturday) Geophysics field day - Jill's 'Time Team' 

This is a whole day training at Aston near the River Thames, near Henley. The equipment to be used will be the resistance meter and magnetic susceptibility. With permissions we may use the metal detector also. Full training and instruction, with handouts, will be given. This is training but it is also real research - not just a trial. We are investigating Bronze Age to Roman Aston. Full results will be sent when processed. 9.30 to 4 pm. £20.

September 11th (Sunday).  Fossils – the what where and when.

A morning indoor session using lots of real fossils followed by a field trip to a disused quarry. What is a fossil? How do they form? How do you identify them and where can they be found? These plus many more interesting areas will be covered, with an opportunity to learn what they tell us about ancient environments. Nr Buckingham. Worksheets provided. 10-4 pm, £25.

September 24^th (Saturday) Stone tools and ancient lifestyles

This indoor workshop will use stone tools to explore how people lived from the Palaeolithic to the Neolithic plus a little of the Bronze Age. How do you recognise a chipped rock from a tool? How did people make the tools and what were they used for? Can we date tools to know when they were made.  What do archaeologists do to them? Real artefacts make this a very interesting day. Lots of handouts. Near High Wycombe, 10 to 3 pm. £25

October 8^th (Saturday)  Life and death in a Roman villa.

This is a first-hand account of the story of Roman Hambleden - as seen on BBC television on Digging for Britain. It will be led by the archaeologist in charge of the project. The morning will be a talk and hands on workshop followed by a walk around the beautiful Hambleden Valley to visualise what lies hidden beneath this landscape. Hambleden. 10 am to 3 pm. £20.

November 19^th (Saturday)  Romans in Bucks workshop and field trip.

Morning indoor workshop looking at life in Roman Bucks from archaeological evidence including a collection of real artefacts. Then the afternoon will be a field visit to burial mounds and the remains of a Roman villa on the outskirts of Milton Keynes. Handouts and maps provided. Nr Buckingham to Milton Keynes. 10-4.30 £30

Coming soon:

tbd (Sunday)  Vale of the White Horse

A field trip to this beautiful locality. Sites visited will be using the Ridgeway path and include: Uffington Castle, Wayland Smithy, the White Horse and the Medieval village of Woolstone. Full handout provided. 10am to 4.30 pm £25.

tbd (Sunday)  A walk in time - the building stones of Oxford.

A morning's walk across some of the most interesting buildings of Oxford. Handouts provided. 10 am to 1 pm, £15

tbd Archaeology - a world full of wonders.

A one-day workshop covering the world's best archaeological sites and revealing answers to some long-held mysteries. 10 to 3 pm £25

March 3rd 2012 (Saturday)  Woodland Archaeology.

Thi sis very much a hands-on and 'how to do it' course. It will be based either in Hambleden, Bucks or nearer Henley, Oxfordshire, tbd. Maps will be provided as will a good set of handouts. During the day we will learn about features of the woodland - both natural and archaeological. We willsearch for features, then measure them and mark them on maps. From this work a detailed interpretation will be possible by the end of the day. 10 am to 4.30 £25

There will be many more field trips put into the programme shortly. Group rates can be arranged.

Contact Jill for more information or to book a place: j.eyers@btopenworld.com

13 Pusey Way, Lane End, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP14 3LG

If sending a cheque to secure a place, then please make it out to 'J.Eyers'' 

Archaeological fieldwork

Throughout 2011 to 2012 there will be interesting projects on hand and exciting opportunities to join in real 'Time Team' style fieldwork. A really excellent programme for a unique experience. Contact me for details of what is currently underway.