Time Team visit: a personal view from the local warden

Since becoming warden it has been a dream of mine to expand our knowledge of the site at Branodunum. Countless times I have been asked where the site of the fort is by people standing in the middle of it. The disappointment is rarely concealed when they realise all we have to show them are some grassy mounds.

There is an old adage that you should never meet your heroes, unfortunately I had no choice in this when it became obvious that Time Team were to dig at Branodunum. I, like many of you reading this, have spent the last 20 years watching Time Team on Sunday evenings, know all the names and have my favourites in the team. I have to also admit to being almost word perfect to every Blackadder episode! Unlike my immediate boss who quickly admitted she had never seen either an episode of Time Team or Blackadder, there was talk of having her banned from the site!

Now I had to act professionally when meeting these people, this started on the day before the dig when the Location Manager arrived to prepare the site, Kerry Ely! 14 year veteran of the series, quickly followed by John Gator and his geophysics team to test their equipment.

In the evening there was a production meeting as the rest of the team assembled, on more than one occasion I had to stop myself saying hello to people I knew. The reason? Although I knew them like old friends, they didn’t know me from Adam. They were almost all there; Matt Williams, Raksha Dave, Cassie Newland and Francis Pryor, I could go on but that would be just name dropping. (I was looking over Jimmy Adcock’s from geophys team shoulder at the prelimary results).

The questions we had asked at the beginning of the dig were:

1. What was the building date for the latest fort?

2. Was there an earlier fort on the site because the vicus is at a different alignment to the fort? 3. Are there any stones left from the walls?

The first morning of the dig started with Time Team's star digger arriving, Dr. Phil Harding, wearing the hat we all associate with him, and soon that familiar laugh was heard. After more geophys the first turf was cut at 11.50 and Phil was put to work. A second target was soon found and Cassie’s trench was started. It was soon obvious that the geophysics was not only pretty special on this site but when a trench was put in; the archaeology matched it.

What's in the box?

Tune in next year and find out.

Over the three days, five trenches were opened: Phil’s over the main building showing on crop marks inside the fort; Cassie’s over the only other building showing as a crop mark inside the fort; Raksha’s over the outer wall near the northern entrance gate; Matt’s in the north field investigating a possible earlier fort and Rob’s in the vicus field. The person I would like to give special praise to on this dig is Graeme Atwood from the geophys team who must have covered miles and miles, I believe it is a record amount for one person to have done. Of course I cannot say exactly what was found but none of the trenches disappointed, with some of them outstanding.

I would like to dispel some rumours at this point. The digging does only take place over three days, no exploratory test pits. Diggers arrive on-site for the first time on the first morning.

All the diggers are in the trenches all day only breaking for lunch, not just turning up for filming.

Despite the three-day limit, the archaeology is carried out to the highest standard which resulted at Branodunum in less trenches being dug because the archaeology found was so good.

Finally I can recommend if your heroes match up to mine then you should meet them, I have fantastic memories of the Time Team visit including being told of the Brownlee gold and bronze medal by Tony Robinson while grabbing a cup of tea, rubbing shoulders with the whole crew at a Roman feast including local oysters and beer and Raksha leading a hummed rendition of the theme tune after Tony’s wrapping up speech.

Filming the Roman feast

Although currently Branodunum has now returned to grassy mounds and a weird quietness, following the broadcast of the programme next spring and the return of the artefacts after cataloguing, which may take a year, we will hopefully be able to update our interpretation with much more information to make any visits more enjoyable. In the meantime if you visit Branodunum and see someone wearing rose-tinted glasses and wearing a Time Team bracelet looking longingly at the ground it could be me and my memories of a visit from Time Team.

Keith Miller

Coastal Warden,

Brancaster

Keith with his signed picture of the Time Team

All photos: Victoria Francis

Time Team Digital video clips

Here are a few of the Time Team Digital video clips from their time with us on the Norfolk Coast at Branodunum SAM, Roman Fort. Gives a flavour of what was happening over the 3 days! More are available on the Time Team Digital web page.

This one gives an overview of all of the happenings of the final dig of Series 20. A really nice summary! Spot Angus Wainwright, our regional archaeologist and warden Keith Miller in it.

 Hear about the amazing geophys and spot warden Keith in the background of this one.

Both these videos feature Angus, our regional archaeologist who got his hands dirty in the trenches.

Here's a quick summary of the 3 days from Tim with a rather nice acknowledgement to us for our hard work and help!

And here's Tim talking to Angus and I summing up the experience for us!

Victoria Francis
Countryside Manager

Time Team 'finds' warm welcome on the Norfolk Coast

10 August 2012

Time Team ‘finds’ warm welcome on the Norfolk Coast

Over the past three days, the Time Team crew have been investigating the National Trust managed Branodunum roman fort near Brancaster on the north Norfolk coast.

The National Trust has looked after the site which nestles next to the internationally important coastal reserve since 1967. The last archaeological dig took place in the 1930s and Time Team’s visit has revealed more about the site than anyone thought possible.

Although the fort area and neighbouring civilian settlement (vicus) have been well documented before, the combination of ground imaging and exploratory trenches has painted a clear picture of not only the layout of the fort but also brought to life some of the stories of the people who lived here nearly two thousand years ago.

Francis Pryor, archaeologist and site director said; “In three days we’ve achieved as much as many archaeological teams could in a month. We’ve undertaken a complete survey of the fort and large areas of surrounding land.  We’ve gained unparalleled and unexpected insights into the way that communities lived here in the Roman period.”

John Gator, Time Team ‘geophys’ expert said; “I haven’t enough superlatives to describe this site. Because the site has been protected for so long we have had amazingly clear results. Not many buildings showed physically so ground radar has revealed the site in all its glory. We have had the best results of any Time Team dig I’ve been involved with.”

Phil Harding, one of Time Team’s most famous members was excited by some of the finds; “I have to say I’ve been blown away with the sheer impressiveness of this site; from the really big stuff to the small personal ‘finds’. The two disciplines of ground radar and digging have enabled us to bring this place to life again.  We’ve had masses of finds, more than we could have anticipated and some of them hugely exciting.”

David Gurney, Historic Environment Manager at Norfolk County Council who has been monitoring the excavations said; “Once all the results are processed, our understanding of this important Roman site will be significantly enhanced, and the story of Branodunum will probably have to be rewritten.”

Victoria Francis, Countryside Manager for the National Trust on the North Norfolk coast invited them along.  She said; “It’s been an amazing few days and we had to keep a lot of it secret in case the excavation site became too crowded.  What’s been really gratifying though is how many people and organisations worked together to make this happen on a protected and fragile site.  English Heritage, Norfolk County Council, Natural England, Kings Lynn Archaeological Society and the local community all came together to enable us to dig into the history of this stunning part of Norfolk.

“Our understanding of this site has grown hugely and it’s been gratifying to hear from the Time Team archaeologists that the main reason it’s such a good site to explore is that it’s been protected from disturbance for 40 years or so. By working with the local parish council and common rights holders we’ve managed to ensure that the history of this stretch of the Norfolk Coast can be understood more clearly and help us tell the story to local people and visitors.”

Although the dig was kept a closely guarded secret, Time Team agreed that the National Trust could offer limited access to the local community for them to be able to see the excavations happening and chat to some of the Time Team.

Victoria concluded; “I can’t wait for the show to be aired in the spring as there are some amazing finds that we can’t say anything about just yet. I’ve loved every minute of it, as have all of our team helping out. I overheard Tony Robinson, the presenter, saying ‘this is what archaeology is all about’ and I’m so pleased Branodunum surpassed all of our expectations.”

Photos: Victoria Francis, Nick Champion

- ends -

For further press information please contact Nick Champion on 07702 640758 or e-mail nick.champion@nationaltrust.org.uk

Notes to editors:

  

The National Trust cares for 300 inspiring historic houses and gardens across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. From former workers' cottages to the most iconic stately homes, and from mines and mills to theatres and inns, the stories of people and their heritage are at the heart of everything it does. People of all ages, individuals, schools and communities get involved each year with its projects, events and working holidays and over 61,000 volunteers help to bring the properties alive for the Trust's 4.2 million members. Find out more at: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/

Branodunum Roman fort is bounded by the modern village of Brancaster to the west, and the A149 road to the south. The site is maintained by the National Trust. The fort, built in the 230s, became later part of the Saxon Shore fortification system. It was built to guard the Wash approaches and is of a typical rectangular ‘castrum’ layout. According to the 4th-century document Notitia Dignitatum the fort was garrisoned by the Equites Dalmatae Brandodunenses (Dalmatian cavalry of Bran[d]odunum) although a tile found on the site stamped Cohors 1 Aquitanorum suggests that its original garrison was the First cohort from Aquitania.

In Roman times, the fort's northern wall lay directly on the seashore, which served as a harbour. Since then, the shoreline has receded, and the fort now lies inland. The fort was of a rectangular shape with rounded corners, with a 10 ft (2.9 m) wide wall with internal turrets at the corners and backed by an earthen rampart, which increased the wall's strength and gave easy access to the battlements. In front of the wall there was a V-shaped single ditch. The wall thus enclosed an area of 2.56 ha. In typical castrum fashion, the fort had four gates, one on each side.

Evidence of the eastern and western gates and of flanking towers survives. Aerial survey has revealed the existence of several buildings in the fort's interior, including the principia.  A civilian settlement (vicus) existed on the eastern and northern sides of the fort, which has been dated to the 2nd century AD. Its size would make it one of the largest settlements in the territory of the Iceni tribe. Because the streets of the settlement are not aligned with the layout of the fort, it has been hypothesised that an earlier fort, built of timber, existed at the site, possibly from as early as the revolt of Queen Boudicca in the mid-1st century AD.

The walls still stood up to 12 feet tall (4 metres) in the seventeenth century, but robbing of materials during following centuries means that only the site and the earthworks now remain.

Branodunum's new seat

Located east of Brancaster village, and easily accessed from the Norfolk Coast path, is the site of a Roman fort called Branodunum. Whilst in Roman times, the fort's northern wall lay directly on the shore, today the site lies behind extensive areas of internationally important saltmarsh habitat and the Royal West Norfolk golf course.

The fields that are within our ownership are popular with the local community and their dogs, and we were approached by local residents Mr & Mrs Till with a request for a bench to rest tired limbs or to take in the stunning views.

Being an important archaeological site and designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument, we can't just put a bench where we fancy and we needed to apply for consent from English Heritage. Unfortunately the bench wasn't approved so this made us think a little harder.

What if we were to pursue a tree trunk appropriate to the area, place it on the site and cut it to act as a perching place?

This revised approach was approved so we contacted our nearby neighbours NT Felbrigg Hall who unlike us have a lot of trees to see if they could help out.

Head ranger Richard Daplyn & ranger Ed sourced a piece of sweet chestnut that was felled for management reasons and not only sliced the bottom to allow it to lie flat but also took a large chainsaw bar to the top followed by a sander and achieved a finish I couldn't do myself.

Mrs Till kindly donated the value of the timber that would have otherwise been sold and transport costs, and last monday the log seat arrived, which timely happened to be their anniversary!

Warden Keith and Academy Ranger George from our team helped to get the log that weighs about three quarters of a tonne off the trailer safely with a landrover and levered it into place.

Here we all are enjoying the new seat that is sited on the upper field.

Left to right on back row: Warden Keith (Norfolk Coast NT), Ranger Ed (Felbrigg NT), Academey ranger George (Norfolk Coast NT), Head Ranger Richard (Felbrigg NT)

Front row: Mr & Mrs Till 2nd from left & far right

We'd love to receive photos of views from the bench! Please e-mail them to Victoria.Francis@nationaltrust.org.uk