This month’s cover article explores the findings of a recent community project that has rewritten the history of two West Sussex villages, Burpham and Wepham. The former’s name refers to a burh that was thought to have been founded under Alfred the Great – but the excavation’s findings have added fascinating new details to our understanding of the origins and evolution of these defences.
Thanks to the research described above, the promontory fort at Burpham can now be linked to two significant periods of medieval conflict – and our second feature continues this theme, examining perhaps the most famous battle to take place on English soil (and its most famous depiction). Having recently visited the British Museum’s spectacular new Bayeux Tapestry exhibition, here we examine what the images preserved in this iconic embroidery can tell us, not about kings and conquerors, but about the experiences of ordinary men and women in 11th-century England.
Hastening north from the battlefield of Hastings, we then report on a very different fight: the tireless efforts of a local community who have been striving for the last 40 years to protect, preserve, and promote the unique collection of archaeological remains (including a significant series of Pictish carvings) in the sea caves at East Wemyss, Fife.
Our penultimate article returns to a Norman theme, examining the evolution of castles in Ireland after the Anglo-Norman invasion of 1169, and we close with another exploration of monumental architecture, touring the unique Neolithic structures at the Ness of Brodgar in Orkney.
In this issue:
FEATURES
THE BURPHAM BIG DIG
Transforming the story of two Sussex villages
Community excavations at Burpham and Wepham in West Sussex have revealed how two neighbouring villages emerged and evolved over the centuries.
BEYOND CONQUERORS AND KINGS
Encountering ordinary people in the Bayeux Tapestry
Famed for its depiction of the Norman Conquest, what can the Bayeux Tapestry tell us about everyday experiences in the 11th century, and the impact of this watershed conflict on ordinary men and women?
THE WEMYSS CAVES
Tracing 40 years of conservation, community, and discovery
The archaeological significance of the sea caves at East Wemyss in Fife was first recognised around160 years ago, and subsequent investigations have documented a unique collection of historic remains. We explore some of the key discoveries and celebrate four decades of community efforts to protect and preserve them.
DEFENCE TO DOMESTICITY
Exploring the evolution of Irish castles
The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169 transformed the island’s defensive landscape. We trace how its earliest fortifications evolved over time, and explore the different types of stronghold that emerged across the landscape.
STATEMENTS IN STONES
Investigating Neolithc architecture at the Ness of Brodgar
The long-running excavations at the Ness of Brodgar in Orkney may have ended, but discoveries are still being made. As post-excavation work continues, new details are emerging about this remarkable site, including the sophisticated architectural techniques used more than 5,000 years ago.
LETTERS
Your comments, complaints, and compliments
NEWS
Excavations at Buckler’s Hard reveal 18th-century slipway; No stone unturned: recent finds at Arthur’s Stone; Barton burial reveals complex picture of the Norman Conquest; Sketches of the past found at Dunstable’s Priory House; Further finds at Huttons Ambo; Science Notes; Bronze Age settlement revealed in Erskine; Finds Tray
NEWS FOCUS
Insights from above
SPECIAL REPORT
Highlights from the CARD Fund
COMMENT
Joe Flatman excavates the CA archive, continuing his exploration of medieval monasteries
CONTEXT
Pit of puzzlement: Evelix, Sutherland
REVIEWS
Stonehenge: the story of an icon; Broxy Kennels Fort, Souterrain, and Surrounding Landscape, Perth; The Bayeux Tapestry; The Iron Age and Gallo-Roman Periods in Jersey; Making and Meaning in the Bronze and Iron Ages: chronology, landscapes, and societies across Europe; Unearthed: rediscovered poetry from ancient times to the Middle Ages
MUSEUM NEWS
The latest on acquisitions, exhibitions, and key decisions
LISTINGS
Our selection of exhibitions and events, as well as historical, archaeological, and cultural resources online
SHERDS
Chris Catling discusses the Bayeux Tapestry’s more idiosyncratic elements
ODD SOCS
The Grayling Society
